These old ladies although strangers to him, at their death left the gentle curate a large fortune.

Courtesy pays.
Not long ago a lady met the late President Humphrey of Amherst College, and she was so much pleased with his great politeness that she gave a generous donation to the college.
"Why did our friend never succeed in business ?" asked a man returning to New York after years of absence; "he had sufficient capital, a thorough knowledge of his business, and exceptional shrewdness and sagacity." "He was sour and morose," was the reply; "he always suspected his employees of cheating him, and was discourteous to his customers.

Hence, no man ever put good will or energy into work done for him, and his patrons went to shops where they were sure of civility." Some men almost work their hands off and deny themselves many of the common comforts of life in their earnest efforts to succeed, and yet render success impossible by their cross-grained ungentlemanliness.
They repel patronage, and, naturally, business which might easily be theirs goes to others who are really less deserving but more companionable.
Bad manners often neutralize even honesty, industry, and the greatest energy; while agreeable manners win in spite of other defects.

Take two men possessing equal advantages in every other respect; if one be gentlemanly, kind, obliging, and conciliating, and the other disobliging, rude, harsh, and insolent, the former will become rich while the boorish one will starve.
[Illustration: Jane Addams] A fine illustration of the business value of good manners is found in the Bon Marche, an enormous establishment in Paris where thousands of clerks are employed, and where almost everything is kept for sale.

The two distinguishing characteristics of the house are one low price to all, and extreme courtesy.