The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-07-06
MAKING OF a succEssruI HusBAND.

Just around the corner from us or
William street? Of course you do
Nobody could forget that stately figure
and the ceremonious bow with which
he greeted every visitor. The old
Colonel is dead now, but I'll bet a
quarter he's dofing his crown every
two minutes-that Is, If he's gone to
a place where crowns are supposed to
be necessary article of wearing ap-
parel. He was the most painfully
polite man eyer saw. His genufec-
tions and "beg pardons' used to get
on my nerves until I could hardly
refrain from a protest. He wouldn't
wear his hat in the presence of ladies,
and I've seen him standing on a street
corner bareheaded in the broiling sun
for nearly an hour at time while he
talked with a female acquaintance.
was reminded of Perkins by some
actions of yours that noticed while
you aud Anna May were visiting us
last week. That old hypocrite was
the embodiment of exaggerated cour.
tesy to everyone he met-with the
single exception of his wife. Unless
he had company he would drop his
manners on his front porch and on
the other side of his threshold become
the most disagreeable rebrobate that
ever wore a long-suffering woman to
the grave.
I don't mean to intimate, my boy,
that there is any resemblance between
you and old Perkins, but saw when
you were here that you were already
beginning to follow the general ten
dency of persons who wear trousers
and forgetting at home some OF the
amenities you would never overlook
outside. It's so easy to do. We are
all naturally savages, prone to drop
the social graces whenever we think
nobody's looking and our families are
supposed to kindly shut their eyes.
Yet the little ceremonies and verbal
expressions which constitute on ur
everyday code of etiquette were de-
signed for the sole purpose of smooth
ing the rough edges Of our intercourse
with. with the the tgsB NeBld. d the flesh and the
another's threats, as we would some
times like so much to do.
Next to the Christian religion po-
liteness is the most potent force in the
world today, and it is just as effec-
tive in ones own home as it Is in the
house across the street. Now, with
out any more beating around the bush,
1 want to say few things to you on
this subject, and l want to put them
to you straight. When you have
read this letter once, read 1t over
again and get it stuck into your head
so it won't slip loose.
/ wasn't around when you were
"settin' up to Anna May, but I'll
bet a pile of good hard dollars that
you were almighty particular how you
acted when you were in her presence.
There was nothing in the shape of
courtesy that was any too fine for her
when you came a-wooing. You had
all your graces that some of you had
borrowed, 1 have no doubt, out for
inspection. You had old Chesterfield
beaten so bad you could see daylight
between you. wasn't there, but
know. That little girl you were SO
exceedingly careful about then is your
wife now, but in the change she has
lost none Of her rights. She IS just
as much entitled to the observance oi
the forms of courtesy as before-more
than then, for as your wife she should
hold a higher and more honored place
in your life than as your sweetheart
Yet / noticed last week that you die
not lift your hat when you met hel
down town. I noticed that you al
lowed her to pick her own way along
the street without any attempt at as
sistance from you. noticed wher
we dined at the hotel that you let hel
grope through the mysteries of th'
menu unaided, while you contem
plated the most desirable dishes fol
the satisfaction of your own precious
stomach. The old man isn't asleep
my son, if he does not occasionall.
after his meals, and when saw thes'
little signs of growing sel6shness !
worried me. Reminds me of a col
my father used to own down on th'
old farm. 1t was frlsky critter a
most colts are, but father was yer,
proud of it and delighted In showing
it to visitors. AS a rule, when b,
wanted to exhibit the colt it was II
the pasture, and one of the most vivit
recollections of my boyhood days /
that digni6ed old gentleman chasing
that fool colt over ten-acre field
He would trot along and appeal t
the colt in tones of strained honey
He would pretend to offer regula
cornucopia of things that horses ar
supposed to sigh for. The colt woul'
coyly wait until he was almost within
reach; then with sniff of distain
would raise its tail straight up in tn
air and gallop to the other side of tn
pasture. Finally the little beast woul
allow itself to be caught-just like
woman, and once he had his hand
on him the old gentleman would le
loose food of unprofane cuss word
that would shuck the corn in the barr
"Consarn your measly hide r. b
would shout, ST feel like breakin
every bone in your unregenerate car
cass r. But he never did. My pa
rent was a humane man, and beside:
the colt was valuable.
That's just the way with a gres
many men after they marry. The
will pursue a woman with sorghum
eloquence, write sonnets on the classi
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