Good Form and Christian EtiquetteHenry, S. M. I. (Sarepta Myrenda Irish)
Religion
Good Form and Christian Etiquette
Henry, S. M. I. (Sarepta Myrenda Irish)
Etiquette
“Your what?”
“My way of helping you to lift one big trunk.”
“It is? Well, I never! You did it to save our backs?”
“Yes: I never wanted any old man or boy to strain himself over a big
trunk for me, so I divided mine in two.”
“Well!” ejaculated the grumpy old fellow, who evidently did not know
anything more to say. His whole heart had suddenly mellowed, his eyes
grew red, and his hands trembled as, taking off his cap, he changed
those checks with the air of one who was performing an act of religion.
When he came with the two little bits of metal to the waiting passenger,
still carrying his cap in his hand, and when she took them with a “Thank
you,” and put them in her purse, he looked timidly into her face as if
to see if he could possibly be forgiven. She chose not to make much of
the incident, so she did not seem to notice his perturbation, but with a
simple “Good day,” left the baggage-room. But she knew very well that
that old baggageman would never forget, and would perhaps be kinder to
all the big trunks in the future for the sake of those little twin
products of her kind intention.
VII.
“How I wish I knew just how one ought to behave in going into public
places, meetings, and lectures,” said a young woman recently. Others
have asked similar questions. I have heard something like this more than
once: “Isn’t it dreadful not to know the little things that would
prevent folks from looking at you and smiling in such a mean way?”
It is “dreadful,” as well as unnecessary that children should be left to
grow up ignorant of any of those things, great or small, which will make
it possible for them to enter the schoolroom, the church, the hall, and
move about in such a manner as not to be objects of unpleasant
observation to those who make politeness a profession.
All that has been said about the opening and closing of doors, and the
rules of precedence, are always in full force, and should become so
automatic that they will never have to be _remembered_. Even at home,
and in the small country schoolhouse place of worship they should be
observed, if one hopes to always do the “nice way.”
In a small congregation where “everybody knows everybody,” there is a
great temptation to fall into very lax manners, and so to cultivate
habits that are hard to overcome, and which will cause chagrin by and by
to the young man or woman who wants to appear well among strangers.
Therefore it is wise to train the children to such deportment in the
small church, or cottage meeting that they shall never be in danger of
bringing reproach on the home which they have left behind them, by
uncouth or disorderly behavior in any public assembly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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