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MANNERS. |
377 |
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Meeting or parting, let the different members of the household be accustomed to show a delicate regard to the wishes, tastes and feelings of one another. This will exert a powerful influence upon the heart itself, the source of all our emotions. It will srive charms to the counte-nance, which no other beauty can bestow; a sweetness to the voice, which is better than music: and a graciousness to the manners, which is the best letter of recommendation. Thus, while peace is promoted in the family, the children will he trained in those manners which are called a good address, and which will do more to ensure their success in life than any wealth you can bestow.
In illustration of this subject, let me relate a piece of history- A few years since, there lived in an adjacent state, and perhaps still live, a family of five brothers. They each received a small estate at the death of their father, and a.ll settled in the same village. It was about forty years ago that they united in establishing a store. As this was successful, they started a second, and finally a third. In these, they were all equally interested, and, what is remarkable, each individual took from these several establishments whatever articles he desired for himself and his family, and of these no account 32* |
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