LITTLE COURTESIES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 27 December 1913, Page 2

LITTLE COURTESIES.

Life at the best is hard; let us then do our best to make it easy as possible for others. We each seek happiness for ourselves, eorne in the form of wealth, some in that of 60cial distinction, but one and all have some special goal before them which appears to them to have the power of mdking life desirable. Let us by 1 all means try to encourage all lawful \and worthy ambitions of others; but that may or may not be in our power, and in any case it is not on that subject that we desire to dwell, but rather on the little courtesies of life which, are within the reach of us all. Courtesy is as much a Christian duty as honesty. We have no "more right to spoil a neighbour's life-with| the thorns oif sharp speech'and rough j manner than we have to take thej money out of his pocket.

Gentleness and courtesy are the best of accomplishments; they grow and brighten by daily use, and the keeping of them for strangers and company is revenged by our own de\ terioratioji and Increasing vulgarity. People seem to forget the absolute duty of gentle arid polite speech'. It ought to be superfluous to say that every question, whatever its nature, should receive a civil reply;, The man who takes no notice when addressed by mother, wife, cEild, or "servant, is a churl; , while he wlio makes a nod or & grunt serve 1 the purpose of a few courteous'words, is a boor. The woman who "can't be bothered, to answer/' or who snaps replies in the tons of an irritated terrior, when her nerves are. upset, and only members of the family happen to be present, is a' shrew, even if; she be generally • considered a reined lady.-.-v There are -many men and women who show their good breeding by giving their very ; orders, in the. foroa of requests. "Please" and "Would you kindly" figure largely in their speech, even in their intercourse with servants and children, and the result is that'they are served with willingness and' enthusiasm, where others would at the most receive grudging obedience. It was not long ago related of mie of the most popular, generals that the great secret of his power with his men was his courtesy. With him it was never "do that," but the command was turned into a request by the prefix "please" or "will, you," while the courteous "thank you" was never forgotten for any service rendered. This officer was no carpet knight; on numerous fields he showed that he was a lion in action, yet, even in the stern and grim realities of warfare, lie found time for courtesy, and the men to appreciate and be grateful for it, so that there was simply nothing that they would not dp for him- • ■ 'V