Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-04-18
American Lack of Courtesy
From the Chicago American.

From the Chicago American.
1t is said that next to goiliness
comes cleanliness, blu: to nv
thinking courtesy comes close
10 GOODNESS. | wish every man
and woman engaged in any busi.
ness enterprise, occupying any
position, however great or how
ever lowly, would recognize the
Incalculable benefit which re-
suits from being polite. We read
In our school books that .honesty
Is the best policy People who
lack honesty by nature have been
induced to accept il, l doubt not,
through that axiom. Just SO
wish those whose education has
been neglected in matters of po-
likeness EIght adopt a code Of
good manners to and their bust
ness prospects, If for no higher
purpose. la a cersin part OF
New York City there are TIVE
drug stores, separated only by
one square, yet the feeling on en-
tering these two chemist shops il
- different to the sensitive mini
as would be a visit to the arctic
regions or TO the tropics In one
yoa are made to feel that your
presence Is an intrusion and
that Il requires the greatest
eOnd~seensiOn on the part Of the
owner or the employees TO fill
your order. especially II that or
Ger i a snail oae- In the other, If
yOlr purchase - not more than .
p0sisge stamp, you save IeeiIne
that you have conferred an inesiI-
mable favor aud that ii has been a
positive afpIaess to waii upon
you The same difference IS TO be
observed in the Offices of two la /
dy customers One comes TO you
~iih a smile, speaking a pleasant
good morning. removes the shoes
and hose from tired feet with a
touch that Is a caress. replaces !
them with the same gentle hands
and expresses hope that you are
feeling better after your treat !
meni. The other enters the door
With a bang, tears open the but
tons of your shoes with a jerk,
riIngs them on the floor with a
thui. and when she replaces /
them gives you the impression
that she wishes you were IN Halt
lax. Two saleswomen side by
side at the same counter exhibit
the same difference of mind. for
of course II Is all the result of
thinking. All the ungGacious
people whom you encounter any
where are people whose thoughts
center upon self
While America is so far in ad-
ysaee of other countries in a
thousand and one different ways
Il : open 10 the seyerest crit
elsa in almost every department
Of lie in this one matter of court
esy. The fault unqueStionably
begins al home where the Ameri-
can child Is always in evidence
and : considered smart when ne
eOatradicts his elders and dis
putes with his superiors. The
older he grows the greater liber-
- ne taAvs school aud society.
Nowhere Is he made to Illus
traie that silence is golden bat
over aud over again is the idea
impressed upon his young mind |
tina, be is -as good as any body
Ahich he translates into meaning,
thai he is better than ever
body Great as my admiration |
Is for my native land, much as III
believe in its future, l confess
with shame that in each of the
ionr European countries which |
visited this winter I found the
manners of the people in all class
e tar superior TO our own. Dur
ing the time | was abroad was
constantly obliged to ask ques-
lions and small favors of strang.
ers IN all stations of life. Never
but once did / encounter indiffer.
enee. rudeness or Impertinence.
Who can say the same of his ex-
perienee Of six weeks in Amer.
cal
You who read these lines what.
ever your station, let me urge
you 10 cultivate courtesy. Be
gracious, be affable, be agreeable.
Ii will not lower your dignity
but will add friends and increase
your chances of success in the
world while at the same time il
will scatter brightness and cheer
into many other lives We live
so hGrriedly, We are all so eager
and anxious as we rush along that
sometimes a suriy look, an iu-
different manner or a disagree
aole toae unsettles rs for the day
while smile, soft tone or kind
action brings harmony out of the
days discOrd for US. No matter
how low your position, il is in
your power TO do a great deal to
increase and decrease the cum Of
comfort and happiness in .he