Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-29
for the Aon1s Circle.
MANNERS,

have good manners. No matter how
poor a boy may be, or how little he
possesses, he may always possess good
manners. One may be polite and
gentle with very little money in his
purse, a writer who has devoted his
pen to the improvements and help of
youth tells us. The French and Ger
mans of the lowest class, he says, are
gracious in manner and well-bred.
These foreign workmen will lift the
hat even to each other, while some of
our American boys, add, hardly will
give this salute to lady. 1t doesn't
cost anything to learn to be polite, and
as Lady Montagu says, "1t buys every
thing"
The well-mannered boy holds in his
hand the key which will open hearts
and doors for him. "Win hearts" !"
said Lord Burleigh to Queen Elizabeth,
"and you have all mems purses" |"
Another man has said that "spite and
ill-nature are among the expensive
lluxuries of life." DR.. Johnson once
said, "Sir, man has no more right to
say an uncivil thing than to act one
no more right to say rude thing to
another than to knock him down."
The bars go down before the polite
boy, while rudeness shuts up the heart
and purses too.
The place to learn and practice po-
iteness is at home. do not think
much of the boy who practices it out
side, and who, when he is at home,
is rude and unmannerly. Such polite
ness is like a thin wash of gilt, which
soon wears off. 1t must come from
the heart and always be there. "klnd-
ly affectionate one to another" "ln
honor preferring one another" Let
your manners be ever as courtly at
home, and then when you are outside
that courtliness will come natural to
you and will not have to be assumed.
Learn to thank your mother and sister
for their little attentions. A traveller
on the shores of Lake Nyanza, in the
heart of Africa, says that here ''ingrat-
tude or neglecting to thank person,
for benefit conferred, is punishable" "
Open the door for your mother to pass
through as carefully as if she were a
stranger. Pick up the little articles
she or your sister may accidentally
drop, and then you will never neg
lect these little courtesies outside.
"Wait" on the ladies at home in the
many kind little ways your heart will
prompt, and you will find yourself do
ing so abroad without any effort. l
was won not long ago by poor boy
who certainly never had one lesson in
"etiquette." His manners were per-
feet. While other boys stood by in
rude negligence, he was always ready
to perform the many little kind atten-
tions which win the heart. He did
it so simply and naturally that 1 knew
that his mother had been the recipi-
ent of those attentions from his boy
hood up. He had been practicing on
her, and in that practicing had become
perfect.
Some boys, and some brought up in
well-to-do families, pride themselves
on being rough. They think it be-
tokens manliness. On the contrary, it
shows a small, low nature. 1t has a
bad influence on your associates, and,
at the same time, well-bred boys will
avoid your society. 1t is said that
Benjamin Franklin, when he was a
workman, reformed the habits of the
entire shop. The results of good or
bad manners are almost incredible.
Your manners to certain degree, in
dicate your character, and you are
Judged by them. TO be sure, boy
may sometimes be gruff outwardly who
has kind heart, but you will find that
that kind heart will keep him from
being boorish and yet how much het-
ter he would succeed in the world il
his manners were more gracious and
cordial The learned metaphysician,
Locke, was writing about his sons ed
ucation to Lord Peterborough. He
said: "Your Lordship would have
your son thorough scholar, but /
would have mine well-bred and we'll
tempered.
First impressions 60 a great ways.
1t is well-known that the polite youth
who applies for a situation has much in
his favor. An employer soon learns to
notice all externals and to judge the
inner spirit by them. 1t is said that
men succeed almost as we'll in life by
their manners as by their talents. A
clergyman whom the writer knew, who
had no talent for preaching, but was
remarkably kind and affable in man
ners, has built up large church and
now has wealthy congregation, while
a more talented preacher, has failed in
several churches.
The perfect manner is one of ease,
altogether unaffected and self-forget-
full. In order to acquire this you must
make it your home manner. 1t is said
that good manners are neither more
nor less than beautiful behavior. Po-
liteness is kindness. The polite boy
refrains from annoying others, and EN-
deavors to contribute to the happiness
of others.
1t is well, however, to read some
thoroughly good book on etiquette, SO
as to know the rules which govern po-
lite society, for some day, though you
may be poor now, your lot may be
among cultured people or among peo-
ple who consider q breach of eti-
quette almost a crime. Though your
heart may be kindly and your man
ners af1able, you do not want to be
guilty of a rudeness born of ignorance.
But while you are striving to be a