Part 2 (1/2)
In olden times it was quite common for a young man in writing to his father to address him as ”Honored Sir.” While these formal modes of speech may be out of place in our time, we should so keep the commandment to honor our parents that its spirit shall be seen in our every-day conduct.
Children should in all things make parents first and themselves last. A boy ought to show his mother every attention that he would to any lady.
He should remove his hat when coming to speak to her, let her pa.s.s through a door before him, pick up any article she may drop, give her the inside of the walk, help her into a carriage, show her into the pew at church, and wait upon her everywhere. He has similar duties to his sisters; but girls cannot expect politeness from, unless they give it to, their brothers.
We should say ”Please” when asking a favor from our own family. Children should say ”Please” and ”Thank you” to servants, and should never laugh at their mistakes or hurt their feelings.
Here is an ill.u.s.tration of two ways of treating a mistake. A servant-girl who had been but a little while in this country had never seen any radishes. When the dinner was sent home from market one day, a bunch of radishes came with the other vegetables. She supposed they were to be cooked like the rest, so she carefully cut off the tops and boiled them, then dished them up on a small white platter, and placed them on the table with a satisfied look. A boy in the family burst into a loud laugh and exclaimed, ”I guess you never saw any radishes before, Mary; you've spoilt them.” It was necessary then to explain the mistake, which had better been done quietly after dinner; and the poor girl retired in confusion to shed tears of mortification over her ignorance. After dinner this boy's little sister said to a visitor, ”The radishes did look so funny and small on the dish that I thought I should laugh, but I knew Mary would feel bad if I did, so I looked at my plate and tried to think of something else.”
It is easy to decide which of these children ill.u.s.trated politeness to servants.
If our parents are away when visitors come, or too busy to see them at once, it is our place to show them in politely, take a gentleman's hat, or a lady's wrappings if she wishes to remove them, offer a comfortable chair, show them anything that we think will interest them, and entertain them as well as we can until older people are at liberty. When they are busy with company we should not trouble them with any request that can wait.
If friends of our parents are visiting them, we should do all we can to make the visit pleasant, and should help our mothers even more than usual, that they may have more time for the visitors. If we can take care of younger brothers or sisters, it will often be a great relief to them and the company besides.
A lady once went to visit a friend whom she had not seen for years.
There was much to talk about, and both felt that the afternoon would be all too short. Think how surprised and pleased the visitor was when her friend's little daughter, instead of staying in the room and teasing her mother with all manner of questions, as children often do in such cases, took her baby brother upstairs and amused him until tea-time, so that her mother might have a quiet afternoon with her friend. You may be sure the lady will never forget that little girl's thoughtful politeness.
We should not enter visitors' rooms without knocking, or sit down without being invited; neither should we take up anything belonging to them, or ask questions about it. We should try not to be tiresome or disagreeable.
When young people come to visit us we should remember that their entertainment is our affair. We should treat them precisely as we would want to be treated at their houses. It is rude to criticise their dress or anything belonging to them, or to ask inquisitive questions about their homes. We should talk about the things they are interested in, play the games they like, show them our toys and books, and have regard to their preferences in every occupation and amus.e.m.e.nt.
Home ought to be the happiest place in the world, and the daily practice of genuine politeness toward each other will do much to make it so.
Every little seed of courtesy, kindness, and consideration for others sown in the home circle will spring up and bear many more after its own kind, which shall be scattered, like the seeds in nature, by winds and waters, and shall be a blessing to the world wherever they may fall.
LESSON V.
OUTLINE FOR BLACKBOARD.
MANNERS TOWARD THE AGED.
_Respectful treatment at all times._ _Mistakes in grammar and p.r.o.nunciation._ _Attention to remarks and questions._ _Patience in repeating answers._ _What to talk of and read to them._ _Waiting upon them and saving steps._ _Giving them the best seats._ _Helping them first at table._ _Giving up seats in cars and public places to them._ _Never letting them feel in the way._
LESSON V.
MANNERS TOWARD THE AGED.
NO person, however high his position, is so ent.i.tled to respect and attention as one with white hair and bent figure. No young person of right feeling and good-breeding will ever fail in politeness toward the old. The Bible commands us to reverence the aged, and in one place says, ”Thou shalt rise up before the h.o.a.ry head, and honor the face of the old man.” Even among the lowest races of men respect for old people is almost universal.
There is a story of an Indian which ill.u.s.trates this. The writer tells us that many years ago, on the banks of the Kennebec River, he saw an Indian coming across in his canoe. He had his wife with him and a very old woman covered with a blanket. When he reached the sh.o.r.e he kindled a fire, took out the old woman in his arms and laid her down tenderly by it. He then cooked some food and gave it to her, while he and his wife waited until she had finished eating. Seeing the gentleman observing him, he pointed to the aged woman and said, ”It is my mother.”
In China disrespect to the aged is unknown, and disobedience to parents has been punished with death.