<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_61" id="Page_61"></SPAN></span><br/><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</SPAN></span></p>
<h2><span class="smcap">Lesson IX.</span></h2>
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<div class='bbox'><h3>OUTLINE FOR BLACKBOARD.</h3>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/divider.png" width-obs="150" height-obs="9" alt="Divider" title="" /></div>
<div class='center'>MANNERS AT PLACES OF AMUSEMENT.<br/>
<b>——————————</b></div>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Notes for blackboard">
<tr><td align='left'><i>Punctuality.</i><br/>
<i>Finding seats.</i><br/>
<i>Waiting with quietness.</i><br/>
<i>Gazing about and making criticisms.</i><br/>
<i>Talking and laughing,—story.</i><br/>
<i>Looking at watches and clocks.</i><br/>
<i>Applause.</i><br/>
<i>Doing fancy work.</i><br/>
<i>Courtesy to others.</i><br/>
<i>Time and manner of leaving.</i><br/></td></tr>
</table></div>
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<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_63" id="Page_63"></SPAN></span></p>
<h2>LESSON IX.</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>MANNERS AT PLACES OF AMUSEMENT.</div>
<p><span class="smcap">When</span> we attend a lecture, concert, or other entertainment,
we should go in season: to enter after
the performance begins is a discourtesy to the performers
and an annoyance to every person in the
audience. If we are obliged to be late, we should
wait for a favorable time, and then be seated quickly
and quietly.</p>
<p>When there is a choice of seats we have a right to
take the best that remain when we arrive; but this
right offers no excuse for us to push and elbow other
people, or to obtain such seats by crowding others
aside. It is better to have the poorest seat in the
house or none at all than to sacrifice good manners
and self-respect. We often see disgraceful exhibitions
of selfishness at entertainments on the part of
people who pride themselves at home and in company
on their politeness.</p>
<p>If we are too early, or if there is delay in commencing,
we should wait with well-bred quietness.
Nothing marks more surely the ill-bred person than
noisy demonstrations of impatience at waiting. This
is one of the occasions to practise the graceful sitting
still which has been spoken of in the lesson on
manners in society.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_64" id="Page_64"></SPAN></span></p>
<p>It is not polite to gaze at those around us, still less
to make remarks about them or their dress.</p>
<p>Loud talking and laughing, and all conduct calculated
to make ourselves conspicuous, should be
avoided. The people who attract attention in these
ways will be likely to eat candy, nuts, and popped
corn while the exercises are going on, and to violate
propriety in other ways.</p>
<p>Whispering during a performance is an offence
against good manners; yet it is surprising how common
the offence is. School children know how the
visitors on examination days often talk to each other
throughout the exercises, to the great disturbance of
the whole school as well as the teacher, and this recollection
ought to make them more careful to avoid
the impoliteness themselves. Many people seem to
attend places of amusement for the sole purpose of
talking with their friends. They will hold long discussions
upon dress, cooking, and family matters, as
if no music or speaking were in progress, and as
if no one else cared to hear more than they. If we
do not go to a concert to hear the music, we have no
right there; and the same is true at all public entertainments.</p>
<p>It is related of Margaret Fuller that at one of
Jenny Lind's concerts her evening's enjoyment was
destroyed by some rude young people who whispered
incessantly, laughed at each other's foolish jokes, and
paid no attention to the wonderful music. At the
close of the concert she sent for the young girl whose<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_65" id="Page_65"></SPAN></span>
behavior had been most noticeable to come to her.
The girl was much flattered by the request from so
distinguished a person, though she was at a loss to
account for it. As she appeared with an air of
pleased curiosity, Margaret Fuller said to her, "I
hope that never again in your life will you be the
cause of so much annoyance and pain to any one as
you have been to me this evening."</p>
<p>It is to be hoped that this rebuke, with the good
advice given with it to this thoughtless girl, was a
lesson in good manners which she and her companions
never forgot.</p>
<p>To take out one's watch or to turn the head to
look at the clock is like saying we are impatient to
go, and must be disturbing to the speaker. If it is
necessary for us to look at a watch, we should do so
without its being seen, and should stifle in our pockets
the click of shutting it.</p>
<p>It is rude to applaud noisily: we can be enthusiastic
in applause without being boisterous.</p>
<p>Some ladies have a habit of carrying fancy work
to places of amusement. If they knit or crochet before
the performance begins, it is a foolish parade of
industry which is probably not carried out at home;
but if they continue the occupation after one begins
to sing or speak or read, it is impertinent, and extremely
annoying to the speaker. It seems like saying
that his words are not worthy of undivided attention,
but are of so little consequence that one can
take in their meaning and beauty while counting
stitches and studying patterns.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_66" id="Page_66"></SPAN></span></p>
<p>We should be mindful of little courtesies to those
near us, such as handing our programme or opera-glass
to one who has none. If a question is asked
about the performance, we should answer with cordial
politeness and cheerfully give any information we
can.</p>
<p>We should never leave the hall while the performance
is going on. It is, like coming in late, an
affront to the performers and to the audience. Usually,
if we cannot stay until the close, we should stay
away. If there is any urgent reason, such as taking
a train, for our leaving before the close, we should
do so between the parts of a performance, and as
noiselessly as possible. When we stay to the end
we should remain seated and give our attention until
the last word is uttered. The speaker usually keeps
his best effort for the close, and he should not be
embarrassed, or those listening be disturbed, by the
confusion of preparations for departure. To reach
the door a minute or two sooner, or to get the best
seats in a car, is not worth the rudeness it requires.
We shall never be guilty of it if we only apply the
Golden Rule and consider how we should feel in the
speaker's place.</p>
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