A LESSON IN POLITENESS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 271, 15 March 1897, Page 4

A LESSON IN POLITENESS.

A writer in the Ihuiedin Star, in the course of a description of a trip to Westland, narrates the following incident: I may say that Mr t'ooper, the well-known editor of the Scotsman newspaper, who has been doing the colony >o thoroughly lately, whs on the coach, and proved a most interesting passenger. He is a pleasant-look-ing elderly gentleman, with very white hair. I had also be.-ide me on the coach a Christehureh tradesman, who seemed on good terms with himself all the journey. We sat down at the table together along with .Mr t'ooper to have a enp of tea at the hotel. The Christchurch gentleman i:\ilintN thought himself quite as good .1- Mr Copper. While hipping tea, Mr Copjn r made the remark, with reference to something which had happened on the journey, "that experience makt - t\«n fo »!■> wise.*' "Yes," said tin ' >lom,il, "even ../•/ fools I suppose," pnttiui? emphasis up-iii the i» l> 1. Mr ( <> >p. r f■"- k■ 1 up. | '• K\e,re i.j, Mr C«i>j* r." -.1. i th" j Chri«:ch'irch in.in. v h' :i }• - l \ hi- j lle'.glibnr i"<ik(-I a h'.tu .tllil. el it h. • rudeness, *' excuse nn-; you know it t* ; cii-tomarv f>»r u- c-<!'itii il- li> -pt -kuiir mind-.ry plainh ." " Hh," i» ph. d Mr : ( »iO{* r, " vou remind me of rui am-e iote ' toll! by tfl<- la!e .J:>.mt - 1 "<■ x, tin Ct !e i brat«d Minister. He was sitting i

down one day at a public dinner next to one of hi-; trade.sin en who supplied bio family with meat lor his household. The tradesman said : 'Mr Fox, I admire yon very much as a man, but I hate your beastly politics?.* 'Do you,' said Mr Fox ; ' I may say I admire the goods you supply at my table every morning, but 1 hate your • bad manners.' " The Christchurch gentleman subsided after that, and I did not remember seeing him approach Mr Cooper again.