Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-06-11
The .fGramsages Of am M Temper.


He who rushes suddenly out of dark re-
serve into cheerfulness and geod-humor;
who is taciturn and unsocial at breakf fast,
lively and affeetionate at luncheon, masked
again at dinner-time by impenetrable
clouds, only to resume his gayety and bril-
lance at supper, there being all the while
no reason why these clouds should gather,
or why having gathered, they should de-
part, that man, if he manages well, be-
comes the absolute lord and master of the
society to which he belongs. What he
wishes is the subject of the morning inves-
tigation, whether anything or anybody
has given him offence, the subject of the
evening debate. His lowering brow scat
tcrs depression all over the house. His
smile lights it up into nervous exhilaration.
1t is true that, after time, the friends and
relations of sSch person as we have been
imagining, who belong to what may per-
haps be called, under the circumstances,
the unfair sex, incline themselves seriously
to elude the austere attractions of his socie-
ty by giving him what is popularity called
n wide birth but this strategic movement
cumulated weight on the gentlrr subdi
vision of the family
Surely n fine furious temper, argues Mr..
Thacleray, if accompanied with a certain
magnanimity apd bravery which often go
together with it, is one of the most precious
and fortunate gifts with which a gentleman
or lady can be endowe !. The remark is
made apropos of the old Countess of Kew,
on occasion of her ladyship giving loose to
that energetic temper which nature had
given her; temper which she tied up
sometimes and kept from barking and
biting; but which when muzZled was an
animal of whom all the family had a Just
apprehension. mot one of them but in his
or her time had been wounded, lacerated,
tumbled over, otherwise frightened or in
jured by the unruly brute. The towards
brought it sops and patted it; the prudent
gave il clear berth, and walked round so
as not to meet it but woe be to those of the
family who had to bring the meal, and pre-
pare the litter, and to speak respectfully
| share the kennel with Lady Kew's BLACK
Dog -
And then in vindication of his argument,
our master satirist goes on to show that a
person always ready to fight is certain of
tie greatest consideration in his or her
family circle that the lazy grow tired of
contending with him; the timid coax and
tlatter him. and as almost every one is
timid or lazy, bad-tempered man is sure
to have his own. at is he who commands,
and all the others obey. If he is gour-
mand, he has what he likes for dinner and
the tastes of all the rest are subservient to
him. She 1--WE playfully transfer the gen.
der, as a bad temper is of both sexes) has
the place which she likes best in the draw
ing-room; nor do her parents, nor her
brothers and sisters, venture to take her
favorite chair" So again we are reminded,
too truthfully, that if she wants to go to a
party, mamma will dress herself in spite Of
her headache; and papa, who hates those
dI eadlul soirees, will go up stairs after din
ner and put on his poor old white neck
cloth, though he has been toiling at cham
bers all day, and must be there early in
the morning,-he will go out with her, we
are assured, and stay for the cotillion. i
the family are taking their tour in the sum
mcf, IL is Snc VINO OfualnS Wnltner lney
shall go, and where they shall stop.
Ifhe--to resume the aforesaid Interchange
of gender-''if he comes home late, the din
ner is kept for him, and not one dares t.
say a word, though ever so hungry. If HI
is in good humor, how every one friski
about and is happy! How the servants
jump up at his bell and run to wait upor
him! How they sit up patiently, and how
eagerly they run out TO fetch cabs in the
rain Whereas for you and me, who have
the tempers of angels, and never wert
known to be angry or to complain, nobody
cares whether we are pleased or not" In
stances follow in proof. Elk. gr., our wive
go to the milliners and send us the bill
and we pay il our John finishes reading
thd newspaper before he answers our bell
and brings it to ms; our sons loll in tn,
armchair which we should like; our tail
ors fit us badly our butchers give us tn
youngest mutton; our tradesmen dun u
much more quickly than other peoples
because they know we are good natured
and our servants go out whenever they like
and openly have their friends to supper il
the kitchen.-Epe1y Saturday.