never had gentlemanly instincts, took lessons in deportment from Talma the actor.

"The churl in spirit, howsoe'er he veil
His want in forms, for Fashion's sake,
Will let his coltish nature break

At seasons through the gilded pale."

"Washington, on the other hand, was polite when he promptly returned the salute of a colored man; Arnold was polite when the poor woman felt that he treated her as if she were a lady; Chalmers was polite when every old woman in Morningside was elated and delighted with his courteous salute, and so was Robert Burns when he recognized an honest farmer in the street of Edinburgh, declaring to one who rebuked him that it was not the great-coat, the scone bonnet, and the Saunders boot-hose' that he spoke to, but the man that was in them."

Excellent judgment is sometimes required to avoid condemnation of one whose manners, by nature or from unfortunate early association, may be hopelessly bad, yet who has in him the material of high usefulness in some walk of business where politeness is not so essential. The story is told of a well-grown boy whose speech was so inveterately blunt that he proved worse than useless as a salesman. His employer finally sent him the usual notice of dismissal. But the poor fellow, unwilling to be turned into the street without employment, sought an interview and remonstrated, saying,

"But I'm good for something."

"You are good for nothing as a salesman."
"I am sure I can be useful," insisted the youth.
"How? Tell me how."

"I don't know, sir; I don't know."

"Nor do I," returned the ingenuous principal. And he laughed as he observed the earnestness of the lad.

"Only don't put me away, sir; don't put me away. Try me at something besides selling. I can not sell ; I know I can not sell."

"I know that, too. That is what is wrong."

"But I can make myself useful somehow; I know I can."

The result was that the youth was retained and tried in the counting-house, where he developed a singular aptitude for figures and accounts, and finally became not only cashier of the house, but one of the most eminent accountants in the land.

CHAPTER VIII.

BUSINESS EDUCATION.

In all conditions and circumstances, well-being is in the power of those who have power over themselves.

J. J. GURNEY.

We can not hope to be mowers,
And gather the ripe, golden ears,
Until we first have been sowers,

And watered the furrows with tears.

ANONYMOUS.

There can be no human employment that is not facilitated by the aid of a cultivated, disciplined intellect; and our young countrymen, who so frequently make some temporary and lucrative occupation the stepping-stone to advancement, should always bear this in mind.

AMERICAN GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE.

BRIEF chapter on Business Education may fitly follow the preceding discussions of Business Qualities, Business Morality, and Business Manners. A great many successful men have attained their success without any formal preparation in any of these particulars; but have had to learn everything in the hard, stern school of life. Yet even the best of these, we think, have often had reason to regret that at home or in the schools, or by self-training, they had not secured a

richer and wider culture, which would have contributed much to the happiness and usefulness of their lives, and prepared them more fully to enjoy the period of retirement and relaxation from the long strain, after the fortune was made. A good measure of education is certainly to be recommended to all who are preparing for business life.

This subject may be conveniently considered under four heads-Education at Home, in the Schools, in the Business Colleges, and in Private.

I. HOME EDUCATION. "Just as the twig is bent, the tree is inclined." Parents do not often enough reflect upon the great responsibility that is thrown upon them in the rearing and training of a child. We have already presented this subject briefly in an earlier chapter, but do not hesitate again to bring it forward here. In the first instance, parents are bound by the law, as they should be by affection, to provide food and clothing for their children, and to be responsible for their acts of mischief and depredation. Night and morning, day in and day out, they watch over the little ones, and provide for their wants. The midnight hour frequently surprises the mother still engaged upon some pleasant or necessary task for them, something which the engrossing business of the day has crowded over from the day's duties. Thus the weeks and the years roll away; and as the young people grow the cares continue, and indeed never

wholly cease, even upon their marriage and settlement in life.

In its first years the child is watched late and early to keep it out of harm's way; and very early something like formal education, at least in religious matters, commonly begins. The old-fashioned childish devotions are lisped over night and morning; in more mature speech bits of the catechism are orally repeated; and at last the herculean task of learning the alphabet is crowded upon the child's memory. So the elementary task is accomplished; the child is voted promising, smart, perhaps "quite uncommon." Bright visions of the future are lighted up by the affection of the parents, as they follow in imagination the gallant and scholarly youth of twenty-one, captivating throngs of admiring girls or taking first honors in some high institution of learning and just about to enter upon some path of life that will lead him to honor and riches, possibly to illustrious glory; or they see in their mind's eye a daughter, whose fair form shall be gracing the halls of a princely mansion or drawing to the admiration of her beauty and accomplishments the wealth and fashion of the land.

These visions vary whenever new features of mind and character, or of personal graces, exhibit themselves in their offspring. Ambition takes hold upon the parents' hearts, and they decide to fill the mind of their child with every sort of knowledge. Governesses and tutors are procured, or the children sent off