p. 566 | POLITE BOYS

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 16, 1880

POLITE BOYS.

Sixty or seventy years ago children were trained both at home and at school to be far more mannerly than they are now. No little boy ever thought of going into a neighbor's house without pulling off his hat, tucking it under his arm, and making a bow. "Making your manners," they called it. Little Calvin had been thus trained, and, though only three or four years old, always did so when he went anywhere.

He had never yet been to church, and as his mother was making him a suit of clothes that he might go, a puzzling question came into his little head, "Ought he to make his manners when he went in the church?" He wanted to ask some one, but, like many other people, he was ashamed to ask what seemed so simple a question. The Sunday morning came, and still he had not found out what to do.

"I'll be on the safe side," he thought to himself, "It can't do any harm."

So, when fairly inside the church door, he tucked his hat under his arm, squared up, and made his manners. I dare say there were some to smile at the odd sight; but I think the good Father, to whose worship the church was consecrated, was pleased with this act of politeness in the innocent little boy. - Youth's Companion.