Among the first characteristics of a person who is lovely and beloved, we must place a kind and gentle manner toward all, kind words and kind deeds, and a restraint of hasty speech or action.  In order to possess these qualities, it is not necessary ever to be obtrusive with our attentions.  Sometimes people pain us by thrusting upon us attentions which we do not want.  There is a kind of officious attentiveness which is really the expression of a species of vanity.  It is true we ought to be observant, and if we see where we can really help others by offering kind acts or services, we ought to be willing to do it.  But to young people associated together as schoolmates, the opportunity for exercising gentleness and kindness towards one another comes mostly in the line of daily work.  Some pupils are more advanced in their studies than others:  some have had greater advantages in their homes than others:  and these differences afford an opportunity for exercising toward each other a spirit of kindness and gentleness.  It is one of the most common occurrences in schools for pupils to come in who have not had the advantages which enable them to know how to conduct themselves gracefully in society; how to dress themselves; how to use knife, fork, napkin, etc., properly at the table; and while it is of course the duty of teachers to instruct them in all these things, it is also the imperative duty of their companions to refrain from unkind criticism or laughing at and making sport of blunders which may arise only from lack of information.  Very often these students are “jewels in the rough,” of the rarest and finest quality.  You may have heard the story of Daniel Webster, when he came in from his father’s farm to enter upon his collegiate course, and went to board with one of the professors who had several students boarding in his family.  Daniel had certainly never been taught good manners at the table, however many other good things he had been taught in his home, for he immediately attracted the attention of all the other boarders by sitting with his knife and fork held upright in each hand and resting on the table while he masticated his food.  The professor quelled the rising laughter among his fellow-students by a firm glance of reproof, but said nothing to Daniel.  He had observed that the boy was sensitive, and he now had the problem before him how he should correct this awkwardness in Daniel without wounding his feelings; and he took the following method:  Calling one of the senior boarders to him before the next meal, he said:  “We want to break our young friend of his awkward way of holding his knife and fork, and we don’t want to hurt his feelings.  Now I want you, at supper to-night, to hold your knife and fork the same way, and then I will call your attention to it and tell you it is not the right and proper way to do.”  The student agreed, and so between the kind intention of the professor and the kind willingness of the student the embryo statesman was taught an important lesson without being pained and abashed by his ignorance.