The Washington herald., 1916-07-21
"After You. "
BY oRIsoN SWEET MARDEr.

BY ORISON SWEET MARDEE,
Some time ago New York newspapers gave
an account of the death of man who as
phyxiated while alone in his apartment in large
apartment house. At the inquest which followed,
lady who lived on the same floor with this
man said she had heard him groaning, but that
he had always been so very rude to women, she
did not make any effort to see what the trouble
was.
About the time another item ap-
peared, stating that wealthy woman left in her
will to an employe Of big trust company OF
which she was patron, hundred thousand dol
lars, to mark her appreciation of his devotion to
her interests and comforts. "as we'll his un-
failing courtesy, honor, and promptnessW
Each item tells its story. But for his
habitua rudeness and lack of courtesy the life
of the first man might have been saved. Be-
cause of his habitual courtesy and kindness, the
second man won large fortune.
We never know what will come of courteous
conduct-our kindnesses, smiles, or little atten-
tions to people whom wait upon in
contact with in any way; but we do know the
immediate effect upon ourselves. We cannot
hold kindly attitude to others, cannot be
courteous and helpful without feeling better
selves.
The gracious Thank you," so often neglect
ed, the pleasant smile, the suppression of rude,
hasty words that to give pain, the main
tenance of self-control, and an agreeable ex-
preston under the most trying conditions,
the attention to others which we would wish ac-
corded to ourselves-how easily life can be en-
riched and uplifted, made cheerful and happy,
by the observance of these simple things! And
how they help us to get on in lfe
Unfortunately in large cities where there is
perpetual crowding and hurrying, the example
ing to get the most comfortable seat or secure
the place OF advantage tends to encourage the
development of the most selfish human instincts.
We all familiar with public hogs, espe-
cially the "end seat hog" who gets on car,
takes his seat the outside end, and compels
everybody who boards the car after him to STUN
Bile over his feet to get past him. | have seen
youths forcing their way through crowd, nearly
knocking people down, trying to get into car
first so they could monopolize the best seats
Il recall an interesting anecdote of the value
OF politeness in history that should be OF espe-
cial interest to Americans" said = noted French
man in lecture on good manners, translated for
a New York newspaper. The Marshal de Ro-
Chambeau, who fought bravely for the Americans
in the War of independence, was one of the
many good men condemned to the guillotine
during the Reign Of Terror. One morning he
o
cart which conveyed the victims to execution.
| Among them a priest The Marshal de
Rochambeau and the priest were the last Of the
party The old soldier, wishing to show respect
to religion, begged the priest to enter first into
the vehicle Removing his hat and bowing with
graceful politeness, as if he totally unaware
that they were in the presence of death he
said:
:" After you, Monsieur TAbbe"
THE priest, seeing that the Marshal who
was eighty years old was much older than him
self, did not wish to go first, but, bowing with
equal politeness, said:
"'After you, Monsieur lie Marechalr
After they had exchanged courtesies for
some minutes the jailor interfered, pushed the
priest into the cart and said to the Marshal:
Stand back, old Marshal; there is no room
for you today.
This very day the end of the Terror,
the Marshal was released from prison and spent
his last days in peace"
Alter you will unravel a crowd quicker than
any vulgar, selfish pushing and crowding to be
first. The world itself makes way for the kind
ly' pleasing, gracious personality People will
lnvoluntarlly stand aside and let polite, we'll
bred person pass when the unattractive rude
boor1sh hustler, however able he may be- must
elbow his way and push through the crowd His
boorlshness antagonizes all with whom he comes
in contact.
The After you attitude is especially desir-
able in the hot season when tempers are more
easily ruttled than in cooler weather A little
courtesy and consideration for others will 20
long way to allay the discomfort Of crowded
cars and boats, and to make life generally more
agreeable in the vacation months