The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-21

tX&X1l Among these was a large copy
book full of arithmeticai exer-
cises. forms for sales of land and cattle,
accounts, and most things that would be
useful in business. The forms requiring
dates are dated l745 and there are other
signs that the book was kept that year.
when Washington was about thirteen years
of age, probably Il little more than thir-
teen. The book is scrupulously neat, has
no blots. and il is written in such clear and
handsome penmanship that the lad must
have won the prize, if there were any given
in the school for handwriting. Sometimes
there are flourishes around the capital let
ters, but the small letters are almost as if
engraved. Now, in this book there are sew
eral pages of which George Washington has
written down more than 100 RULES of Civil
ity and Decent Behavior in Company and
Conversation During the years in which
the country was neglecting these rules,
adopted from the wisdom of the past, the
Mount Vernon mice seem to have had
taste for them. Nine of the rules were
partly devoured, and several nearly de-
stroyed. Only one of the nine was left,
and with only these words: TOO much at
any Publick.' l had nearly given up all
hopes of finding out what that last rule
was, when l found it in a book compiled
by an English child eight years old, 100
years before our little Washington got
hold of il. The rule was: DO not
laugh too loud or too much at any public
spectacle, lest you cause yourself to be
laughed at" Another rule that puzzled me
a good deal had been left Dy the mice in
this condition: "A man ought not to value
himself of his achievements or rare quail
ties, virtues or kindred =" AT last
1 found out what Washington wrote was:
"A man ought not to value himself of his
achievements or rare qualities, his riches.
titles, virtues kindred; but he need not
speak meanly of himself"
Some of these rules relate to politeness-
in the school, in the home, in the public,
in the playground in company; others re-
late to morality and the formation of char
acter. There is no part of life but is
taught in it's lesson; the boy learns to keep
his nails clean, and also to keep his con-
science clean. L will first give some of the
rules of good manners in things sometimes
thought trifles. though they are really of
large Importance: "If you cough, sneeze,
sigh or yawn, do it not loud, but privately;
and speak not in your yawning. but put
and turn aside" In the old colonial houses
there were wide freplaces, and the dinner
sometimes kept warm the ample
hearth for those who were absent. Hence
another rule: spit not in the fire, nor
stoop low before il, neither put your hands
into the flames to warm them, nor set your
feet upon the fire, especially If there be
meat before it, Other rules advise people
not to gnaw their nails, nor kill feas before
others. nor play practical jokes on those
who do not like it, nor sleep when others
toll hnlx "a IN xlh = QVaNr-
one is writing, nor eat in the streets, nor
stop to pull up the stockings. PLAY not
the peacock, looking everywhere about you
to see If you be well decked, IL your shoes
fit well, if your stockings sit neatly and
clothes handsomely" Some of the rules
relate to behavior at the table. Being set
at meal, scratch not; neither spit cough
or blow your nose. except there is a neces-
sity for it, Make no show of taking great
delight in your victuals, feed not with
greediness, cut you bread with a knife,
lean not on the table. neither find fault with
what you eat" But must not cut
bread with a greasy knife, nor take salt
a knife, nor pick ones teeth with a fork.
BLOW not your broth at table, but stay
till ii cools of itself" One must not spit
the stones OF fruit upon the plate. Put
former be swallowed; let not your morsels
be too big for the jowls." The Mount
Vernon mice had played sad havoc with
another rule, leaving it thus: In COM
pany of your betters be not than
they are, lay not your arm but ar ="
| found il TO be follows: I'm company
of your betters be not longer in eating than
they are; lay not your arm, but arise with
only a touch on the edge of the table"
will quote two other rules concerning be-
havior at the table: IF others talk at
table be attentive; but talk not with meat
in your mouth" Qn the rules meat" is
used in the same sense as food as il
is sometimes in the Bible.) In table talk
another rule warns us against speaking
of "doleful things" such as death and
wounds" And here is a noble rule: BE
not angry at table, whatever happens: and