Part 6 (2/2)

Mr Gair cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln He enlisted early in the Civil War and saw hard service Less than two hundred of the original 1,087 of his regiment remained to be mustered out at the close of the war

Surely his wise and unco words indicate one of thepeople, who desire to sho lory, can contribute to it

CHAPTER VIII

A PATRIOT'S MANNERS AND MORALS

Manners are the happy way of doing thingsGive a boy address and accoive him the mastery of palaces and fortunesThe moral equalizes all; enriches, empowers all--EMERSON

A THOUGHTFUL writer upon American customs recently remarked, ”The morals of America are better than those of any other nation, but their manners are the worst”

A certain mother once said, ”I was always so fearful that my children would beco therown up, that though their morals were satisfactory their manners were not”

Perhaps most American mothers are like her And thatthe worst-mannered of all the so-called ”civilized” peoples

Still, the outlook is encouraging Observing critics have been heard to say that the children noing up, in spite of many exceptions, have better manners than those who have preceded the such matters than they used to be, and so are parents In fact, if it were not for our numerous importations from the countries which most severely criticize us, our Aood

Have you not noticed howto you, or offering a seat in a street-car? Or say, ”Excuseat a cripple or a deformed person, as people used almost invariably to do, in very many cases lately it has been remarked that eyes have been politely turned away and an effort apparently made to appear unconscious of thetheir children to eat racefully More hands are neatlyalmost too far in this direction In one of the ”Country Contributor's” interesting articles in the _Ladies' Home Journal_, she says, ”Don't let anybody tell you that a lady or gentleman must have nice hands It isn't true”

She means, of course, that useful work, which often spoils the beauty of the hands,of them immaculate

Quarrelso us, even in pretty good fae class always present, who are chronic con of approaching senility,--it ed that the manners of the children one eneration

It would be a confession of the impotence of effort if this were not so

Thousands of women's clubs and scores of wo up of children,” for, lo, these s of the pulpit and of the lecture-platform, and weinformation and inspiration are useless, unless there has been within the last quarter-century an improvement in the behavior of our children

We must remember that civilization is a slow process, and one cannot readily believe that, even in the hty children

It is said that we behave better, so far as outward signs go, ear our best clothes Without fostering the love of dress, which is likely to be fully developed without help, especially aly impressed upon our children that theyneatly and properly dressed A principal of a famous Normal School used to instruct his students that they must always dress as well as they could afford

”It will have a good effect upon your pupils,” he said, ”and it will help to establish the dignity of your profession”

One of the few coenerally paid us (before the as that ere a well-dressed people

Perhaps this has had more effect upon their estimation of us as a nation than have son of the possession of solid virtues

But, again, it is example which countselse If you wish your children to treat your ith respect, you must treat her so yourself If you rise when she enters the rooize for passing in front of her; if you hasten to help her up and down the rough places; then your children will do it Otherwise, all of her and your injunctions will have sood soldiers who are uncouth and aard in theirthe ht in the community

One impatient boy complained to his fastidious entleht beco your pardon,' and juht--and I get so sick of it! When I grow up, I' to say them or do them any more!”

Courtly and polishedthe mass of the people in a republic Let us try to show the world that this is false Distinction of reat qualities of a nation, but if ish to ilory and beauty of our institutions, we shall find the cultivation of beautiful reat help

Dr Lyman Beecher once said, ”What a pity that soChristians have had rough manners! They have robbed their example of half its force”

The current ambition that our nation should be courteous as well as brave, is shown plainly in the questions which come by the hundred to the ”household depart people Points of good behavior and etiquette are expounded there so fully and so often that there would see us of the proper conduct in any situation