The Caldwell Tribune

Any Gentleman Can

Any gentleman can
swear,
get
drunk, tell stories that would lower
him in the estimation of his mother
and wife, and go where he would be
ashamed to be seen by the boy he
loves—but he won't, says the Chicago
Herald.

Any gentleman can drive a sharp
bargain; he can take advantage of the
other man's necessities: he can drive
him into a corner: he can rub his
hands gleefully and say to himself as
he sees him writhe, "Business is business"—but he won't.

Any gentleman can kick a dog,
abuse a horse, misuse a child, laugh at
another man's mistakes and devilishly
gloat over another man's failures—but he won't.

Any gentleman can grow cynical,
sour and pessimistic; he can feel that
everybody is against him and he
against the world: he can scoff at all
good things, ridicule religion and
damn your judgment—but he won't.

Any gentleman can say harsh, sarcastic and cruel things; he can crush
flowers and fertilize weeds: he can
stab you with words—but he won't.

Any gentleman can make this old
world this topsy-turvy, this greatly
misunderstood world, a far better
place because he chanced
to pass
along this way—and he will.