The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-03-09
sc GOSSIP FOR THE LADIES. s.

to the older person stamps the individual,
and shows at once his lack of social
status. Among the very best bred fami-
lies in our country, if an old person en-
ters the room the young people rise sim
ply and naturally, and remain standing
until the other is seated, just as any well
bred man or boy does when any woman
old or young, enters room where he is.
II the seat needs arrangement. the young
girl springs to attend to it; if the work
veXes she tries to straighten it; if the
! pail of wool rolls away she hastens to
PICK 1t up and wind it so that it will not
tangle; If the needle becomes unthreadeu
she threads it again so that the older eyes
need not be tired by the. effort; if the
place is lost in the book, she hastens to
hnd 1t; she pauses in the conversation if
the elder speaks; she never tries to lead
the conversation in the others presence
IN any way, unless it be to relate some
affair or adventure Of an amusing or in
terestlng nature to the older person; she
makes 1t her special business and duty to
see Where she can be of use or give pleas
ure. and all this she does so entirely as
matter of course that the elder person &C
cepts it as a social due.
II the young girl has companions of her
own present, she does not allow the Older
person to feel shut out from part and
sympathy in their chat, but she explains
and brings the elder one into it, and gives
this older person the satisfaction-and an
unspeakab bic one it is, too-of feeling not
only still interested in the things belong
ing to youth, that sweet sun time, but of
knowing that her sympathy is still
sought, and her opinion still regarded.
And how much that means to her. For
the human heart keeps young long after
the hair whitens and the spring and
elasticity has gone out of the STEP OF
one thing every young girl may be quite
sure Of, provided the aged person is at all
sympathetic, the conversation that can
not be continued when she joins them
would better by far never have been be-
gun.
The young man and the boy are ex-
pected to show the same Difference to the
older person. although many of the small
duties performed by the girl would not be
demanded of him. But all of the
courtesy and chivalry of his nature.
should be at her command. And he will
be so taught by the mother, who is her
self gentlewoman. Where such train
ing is neglected, or where the boy is
taught rudeness to his elders, either by
example or precept, it is because his
teacher is herself entirely lacking in the
instincts as we'll as the traditions of good
breeding. The character of the parents
the mother particularly, is judged by
the behavior of the children
When young people stop to take into
account the fact that they will not al
ways be young. but if they live long
enough they will enter the ranks of the
aged. that they will lose the beauty of
youth, it's strength, it's suppleness, it's
energy; that their hair will whiten, their
figures lose the shapelness and comeli-
ness. that wrinkles will mark themselves
on brow and cheek, that the sight will
be dimmed and the eyes lose the sparkle
which they now have they may, per-
haps. think that for the sake of their
own future comfort it is worth while fos-
terlng the habit of courtesy
1t will be just as sweet to them to re-
ceive the care and attention in later life
that it now is for the old person to re-
celve this same treatment at their hands.
1T will be a selfish taking into account,
but it is better than no thought at ali
on the matter, and possibly what is be-
gun for selfish personal ends will be con-
tlnued as pleasant habit 1t is. after
all. most satisfactory to do right for
right own sake. and to be polite, not
because one wants politeness back again,
put because the politencss comes from the
desire to make someone comfortable and
happy. and to render gracious service to
one who is entitled to it.
1t is Il pleasure to receive attention
given in such a spirit. and the whole
world by which one is surrounded grows
better and brighter for the observance
OF these sweet courtesies.-Boston Her
add