venience of
others as well as ourselves. It is not polite to demand the attention of
a clerk who is waiting upon another customer, or to take up what another
is looking at. If we are in great haste, and customers who seem to have
plenty of time are at the counter before us, we may sometimes ask their
permission to be waited on while they are looking at goods, apologizing
for doing so. If we are sitting at a counter, we should politely give
our seat to an older lady, or to one who looks weary.

If a clerk takes uncommon pains to please us, or puts himself to more
trouble than we have a right to expect, we must not forget to thank him.
If customers are polite and considerate, they seldom have reason to
complain of those behind the counter. The same is true at post-offices,
railroad stations, and wherever we are served by others.

These general principles of politeness in stores can be applied in all
similar public places.

The post-office is often the scene of most unmannerly conduct on the
part of boys and girls, especially just after the close of school, when
they all rush in for letters. Instead of quietly walking up to the
window, one at a time, the boys giving way to the girls when there is
but one place of delivery, and both boys and girls waiting for older
people, they are apt to go in by dozens, crowding to the window and
clamoring for their letters, making themselves extremely annoying to all
grown people present.

We should say, "I would like a dozen stamps, if you please," or, "Please
weigh this letter," rather than, "I want a dozen stamps," or, "Weigh
this letter, will you?"

The post-office is a place of business, like a store or a bank. Our only
object in going there is to mail or receive letters, which we should do
like any other business,--in a quiet, respectable manner. No one has a
right to stand around in the way of others, or to make it a place of
idle resort. No well-bred person, even a child, will indulge in loud
laughing and talking, staring at or making remarks about people, or
other conspicuous behavior here or in any public resort.

A railroad station is also a place of business, and unless it is
necessary for us to go there, we had better stay away. In small towns it
is quite a fashion for boys and girls to go to the station "to see the
cars come in"; but it is not improving to their manners or morals. If
they could realize, especially the girls, how out of place they appear
standing on p