p. 238 | Company Manners

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 25, 1882

Company Manners.

“Will you please sit down and wait a few moments till mother comes?” said a little girl to two ladies who came to see her mother. “And will you give me a glass of water, Martha?” asked one of the ladies; “I am very thirsty.”

“With pleasure,” answered Martha, and she presently came back with two goblets of water on a small waiter, which she passed to both ladies.

“O, thank you,” said the other lady; “you are very thoughtful.”

“You are quite welcome,” said Martha, very sweetly.

When Martha went out of the room, one of the ladies said, “This little girl is one of the lovliest children I ever met. How sweet and obliging her manners are!”

Let us go into the next room and see. Martha took the waiter back into the dining room.

“Me drink! me drink!” cried little Bobby, catching hold of his sister’s dress, and screwing up his rosy lips. “Get out, Bob!” cried Martha; “go to Bridget.” “Don’t speak so to your little brother,” said Bridget. “It’s none of your business what I say,” cried Martha, tossing back her head.

“Martha!” That is grandmother calling from the head of the stairs. “What!” screamed Martha, back. “Please come here, dear,” said grandma. “I don’t want to go,” muttered Martha. She, however, dragged herself upstairs. Unwilling feet, you know, find it hard to climb.

“Martha,” said grandma, “will you try to find my specs? I am pretty sure I left them in the dining-room.” “No you didn’t,” cried Martha, in a cross, contradictory tone; “you always lose them here;” and she rummaged round the chamber, tumbling things over like the north wind.

“No matter,” said the dear old lady, seeing she would have much to do to put things to rights again, “no matter, Martha; they will come to hand;” and she quietly put down the newspaper for by and by. Martha left her and went downstairs with a pout.

Oh, dear! where are Martha’s civil, obliging manners? Why, those are her company manners. She puts them on in the parlor, and puts them off when she leaves the parlor. She wears them before visitors, and hangs them up when they are gone. You see she has no manners at home. She is cross and disobliging and rude and selfish. She forgets that home is the first place to be polite in—in the kitchen as well as in the parlor. There is no spot in the house where good manners can be dispensed with.—Selected.