Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1875 — How Sammie Learned To Be Polite. [ARTICLE]

How Sammie Learned To Be Polite.

“I believe I’ll walk over to Mrs. Shelby’s this afternoon,” said Mrs. Mendon, as she placed the dishes upon the cupboard shelves and proceeded to arrange the dining room after their dinner. “ Oh, Auntie, can't I go?” exclaimed little Sammie, a child who had been adopted into the family. “ 1 don’t know; hadn’t you better stay with grandma? It’s a long walk and you will get tired." “ Oh, no, Auntie, I can walk real fast and a good w r ays, too; do let me go; I hardly ever go anywhere.” “ Well, you may go; I know you don’t often go away from home.” It did not take him long to make the necessary preparations for his visit, and soon, nicely washed, and combed, and arrayed in his Sunday best, he started off very happy with Aunt Alice for his delightful walk. And now Alice began to wonder how the little fellow would behavs. “ 1 don’t suppose the child knows how to act away from home.” \Sammie,” she said, “ you must be real good this afternoon or I shall not want you to go with me again.’’ “Yes, Aunt, I’ll be real good." “And,” said Mrs. Mendon, “if Mrs. Shelby asks you a question you must answer Yes, ma’am, or .No, ma’am. Will you remember?” “Yes, I’ll remember.” “And if she gives you anything you must say Thank you, ma'am, Will you?” ►“Yes. Yes ma’am, no ma'am, thank you, ma’am.” , “ And, Sammie, if she asks you if you want anything, you must say If you please, ma’am, or No, I thank you." '

“it yon pl«M« ma’am, no I thank yon, yes ma’am, no ma’am, thank yon ma’am, if you please ma’am, no, I thank yon, yea ma’am, no ma’am, thank you ma’am.” Sammie trudged on repeating his aunt’s instructions until it seemed aa though every leaf by the road-side had those same words printed upon it and every bird seemed to warble, “If you please ma’m, yes ma’am, no ma’am, thank you ma’am,” and his words kept time with bis steps until they had almoet reached their destination, when his aunt interrupted him with, “ Sammie, that farmhouse yonder is where Mrs. Shelby Uvea, and when you enter the door you must remove your hat and make a bow; don’t forget. You should always remove your hat when you enter a house.” Sammie said be would remember, and he was as good as his word, for when they Were met at the door by the smiling face of Mrs. Shelby he only waited for his aunt to cross the threshold before him and as he stepped after her he removed his hat und, after making a very graceful little bow, commenced: “If you please, ma’am, yes ma’afn, no ma’am, thank you ma’am.” Poor little boy. He looked in vain, first into his aunt’s face and then into that of their hostess, for smiles of approval. The former betrayed a mixture of amusement and chagrin, while only blank amazement was stamped upon the latter. “ What did the child mean?” asked Mrs. Shelby when they were comfortably seated in the cozy little parlor, and Aunt Alice told her how this was her success in. giving littie Sammie lessons in politeness. Of course, the explanafidn eUdedlh'A hearty laugh, which - Sammie did not relish very much, but as Mrs. Shelby brought him some of her nice ripe apples he soon forgot all about his little blunder and, no doubt, became in time a very polite little boy. —Baptist Union.