Why most important of all.
Politeness to parents.
Politeness between brothers and sisters.
Politeness to servants. Illustrated by story.
Treatment of company: -
Grown-up company, callers and
visitors, young company.

MANNERS AT HOME.

OUR manners at home are of more importance than our manners anywhere else, for several reasons: we spend more time at home than elsewhere; our own family have stronger claims upon us than strangers; they love us best and do most for us, and they are entitled not only to our love but to every courtesy and attention from us. It is a sad thing to see a boy or girl polite and kind away from home and to strangers only, while at home he is rude, selfish, and heedless of every law of good behavior. If we are always polite in our own homes, we shall be sure to be polite in other people’s homes. If we do not forget to say “Good morning” and “Good evening” to each member of our family, we shall not forget to say them to others.

If a child has fruit or candy, he ought not to sit down by himself to eat it, without offering some to his companions.

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 pass 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 illustration 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 illustrated 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 amusement.

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.