Page:Live and Let Live.djvu/40

 live in a republican country, the truth is, we have unequal conditions—I do not wish you to be servile—I would not have you imitate the manners of foreign servants—a respectful manner, my dear child, is always fitting from a young person to her elders, and modesty, civility, and gentleness are suited to every relation in life. I have known many ladies speak to their domestics with far more civility than they replied to them - and I know some who forget, in their manners at least, that domestics are no longer slaves. Keep your feelings right towards your employers, and then your manners cannot be very unsuitable. Remember the great virtue of that soft answer that turneth away wrath. The heads of families have a great many irritating, vexing cares that you can know nothing of: if they are petulant and unreasonable to you, be forbearing, my child, and you may do them good; at any rate, you will avoid doing evil yourself. Be gentle and patient, kind and generous, to the children of the family."

"Gentle, patient, and kind I can be—but how in the world generous? what shall I have to give?"

"Your time, your strength, your ingenuity; a person who will sit by a child and contrive it amusement for half an hour is far more generous than she who goes out with a full purse and buys the same child an expensive toy. Our means of generosity do not depend on our riches—your generosity, dear Lucy, when you have foregone a pleasant walk of a Sunday, and sat down by poor little Jemmie, and made him happy for an hour, has often brought tears to my eyes."