The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-01-30

Dear Mr.. Editor:
The other day I went down on,
of these narrow roads, and | cam,
to a tree that had fallen across TIN
road, so it was necessary to stol
my car. The tree looked little tot
big for me to move by myself, MOI
did l have an axe, and while I wa;
meditating about what to do, some
young squirts drove up behind me
and stopped.
Without investigating to sec
what the trouble might be, they
soon began blowing their horn, ant
when nothing happened, tn e
shouted to me some rude remarks
about getting "out of the way ole
man." and when l told them there
was tree across the road, they
asked me why / didn't get it out
of the way. Not one of them of.
fered to get out and help move the
tree, and finally they backed OH!
of the way, and went back the way
they came.
Now Mr.. Editor, 1 can't help but
think somebody did those boys a
serious injustice when they were
growing up, and it's something
that is going to cost them lot OF
money and happiness as they 81
through life. For if those boys had
had parents who were fully con-
scious of their duty and who had
the proper love for their children
they would have taught them the
elements of courtesy and considera-
ton.
But they will go through life
not knowing what common decency
demands, and when they find them
selves up against folks who won't
tolerate their way of behavior
they will feel sore toward the
world, and they will try to get ever
in. any way they can.
To my mind the finest thing a
poor boy can start life with is GOOD
manners, and it will surely carry
him long way. know one fellow
in this part of the country that
got picked up by a millionaire duck
hunter who was down here, and he
was so impressed by the good man.
ners of this boy, that he took him
off, gave him a good job and a
college education. This fellow was
one of the smartest men ever
turnd out from this region, but by
golly the world mightn't have
found it out had his folks not
brought him up rightly.
Now Mr.. Editor it seems to me
that nobody needed more to have a
big stock of good manners in or
der to get along through the world
than we people who live here on
the coast. We have got to depend
on our visitors for living, and our
visitors won't be any better custo-
mers than the kind of courtesy we
give them from day to day. Cour-
tesy begets courtesy in return, and
it is the royal road to winning the
friendship and confidence of a
stranger.
But ! can't help thinking about
those three young squirts, and
what great wrong has been done
them. They are bound to go
through life about like three others
j heard about. These three young
fellows went into a restaurant, and
there were no tables save one
where a little old lady stiff and
prim was sitting. One of the young
fellows said to the others, just fol-
low me, and we will run her out.
So down they sat at the table, and
one says to the other:
"You know my mother and faith
err had only been married six
months when was born"
The second said: "My mother and
father had been married less time
than that when came along
And the third one said: "My
mother and father never married
at ALL" This last was concluded tt
be the scorcher that would SEND
the old lady batting out the door
but she looked over her glasses