If you unintentionally commit any rudeness, or trespass upon the rights of others, you must never fail to ask pardon at once, saying " I beg your pardon," or " Excuse me," or using some similar form of words, and, when possible, must atone tor your rudeness in other ways as well. In church, at concerts, lectures, or any public gathering, you must always be quiet and orderly, on no account talking in a loud voice, or in any way making a disturbance or at- tracting attention ; while at church or any religious meeting your behavior must be reverent and marked by proper re- spect for the place wherein you are, and the occasion which has called you there. Applause should be will-timed aud general, never being kept up by a few when it is evidently the general wish ot the assembly that it should cease, and never bein g permitted to become boisterous or uncontrollable. CHAPTER X.— In General Society— (Continued.) FOR YOUNG MEN. You should try always, when you are among people, to sit or stand quietly, unless there is good reason for moving. To shuffle your feet, move your chair uneasily, fidget with any part of your dress, or anything you may be holding, is very annoying, and, if you allow it to become a habit, will 62 ON HABITS AND MANNERS. often make you an unpleasant companion to well-bred peo- ple. Teach yourself to do what you have to do neatly and quickly, and then do not embarrass yourself and others by constant and needless movement. You probably sufficiently appreciate the importance of showing deference to those whose years, station or character make their claim to it evident, but I should like to make you feel that it is a good thing to practice politeness toward your companions whom you consider on an equality with yourself, and not especially entitled to respect. The minor courtesies of society cost so little when they have once be- come habitual , and go so far toward making life smooth and pleasant, that you will find it no waste of time to practice them in your intercourse with your fellow students and la- borers. Do not be ashamed to offer a seat, or a newspaper, to say "thank you" for any little kindness, to pick up any- thing that your companion may have dropped and return it to him ; but, on the other hand, be always ashamed to keep on your hat even in a room full of men, to spit recklessly here and there, to yawn in a friend's face, to take the best seat, to ridicule or mock any unavoidable peculiarity in an- other, to roughly reject or ignore any favor done for you, because for your own sake, if you are not moved by any less selfish reason, you had better give your companions such treatment as you in turn desire to receive. More than this, ON HABITS AND MANNERS, 63 there are few, even among rough boys, who do hot feel the charm of a courteous and kindly manner, and the example, in this respect, of a single boy may work greater good than pages of written advice.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

If you unintentionally commit any rudeness, or trespass upon the rights of others, you must never fail to ask pardon at once, saying " I beg your pardon," or " Excuse me," or using some similar form of words, and, when possible, must atone for your rudeness in other ways as well. In church, at concerts, lectures, or any public gathering, you must always be quiet and orderly, on no account talking in a loud voice, or in any way making a disturbance or attracting attention ; while at church or any religious meeting your behavior must be reverent and marked by proper respect for the place wherein you are, and the occasion which has called you there. Applause should be well-timed and general, never being kept up by a few when it is evidently the general wish ot the assembly that it should cease, and never bein g permitted to become boisterous or uncontrollable. CHAPTER X.— In General Society— (Continued.) FOR YOUNG MEN. You should try always, when you are among people, to sit or stand quietly, unless there is good reason for moving. To shuffle your feet, move your chair uneasily, fidget with any part of your dress, or anything you may be holding, is very annoying, and, if you allow it to become a habit, will often make you an unpleasant companion to well-bred people. Teach yourself to do what you have to do neatly and quickly, and then do not embarrass yourself and others by constant and needless movement. You probably sufficiently appreciate the importance of showing deference to those whose years, station or character mmaking the claim to it evident, but I should like to make you feel that it is a good thing to practice politeness toward your companions whom you consider on an equality with yourself, and not especially entitled to respect. The minor courtesies of society cost so little when they have once become habitual, and go so far toward making life smooth and pleasant, that you will find it no waste of time to practice them in your intercourse with your fellow students and laborers. Do not be ashamed to offer a seat, or a newspaper, to say "thank you" for any little kindness, to pick up anything that your companion may have dropped and return it to him ; but, on the other hand, be always ashamed to keep on your hat even in a room full of men, to spit recklessly here and there, to yawn in a friend's face, to take the best seat, to ridicule or mock any unavoidable peculiarity in another, to roughly reject or ignore any favor done for you, because for your own sake, if you are not moved by any less selfish reason, you had better give your companions such treatment as you in turn desire to receive. More than this, there are few, even among rough boys, who do not feel the charm of a courteous and kindly manner, and the example, in this respect, of a single boy may work greater good than pages of written advice.

On habits and manners