The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-05-04
WIZ Neltie ,ras NOT Popn,nr.

Why Nellie not Popular.
"Well, Nellie, what is the matter p
asked Miss Percy, as she seated herself
in straw rocker on the piazza, where
Nellie sat, chin in hand, pouting over q
portfolio of prints that lay outspread
before her.
Pm mad :" was the reply.
" Mad? That is distressing. 1 hope
you don't bite, "
"Oh, of course / don't mean that -
said Nellie, turning away from the pict-
ures with an injured air. 81 am vexed? "
"Then why did you say n,ado"
ooh, you are too particular, Aunt
Alice What do you think Kate Sibley
has done ?"
| cannot imagine. "
" Her mother gave her leave to invite
three of the girls to go with her to the
| picnic in Cedar Creek, and she asked the
Morrisons and Minnie DuBose, and left
me out, though have worked every one
of her examples ever since we have been
in Denominate Numbers. 1t is Just the
way with them all. l do everything
they ask me to do, and they all hate me.
I'll be even with them though-Tn hate
them too"
And the future misanthrope began to
sniffle and use her pocket-handkerchief
Don't you think it would be wiser
plan to make them love you?" asked
Miss Percy, gravely.
1 can't do it " replied a chokey voice
from behind the handkerchief.
81 have tried, but 1 ca-an't They
all like Rosa Guignard, who never does
anything for any body, but-but-"
AS Nellie did not seem able to finish
what she wished to say, Miss Percy came
to her relief by observing quietly:
" The girls all like Rosa on account of
a very rare gift she possesses. "
"Rose Guignard gifted !" exclaimed
Nellie, surprised into forgetfulness of
her wrongs, "Why, Aunt Alice, she is
away down in all her classes, and you
know she isn't pretty-that is, until you
get used to her. ="
But it Is a much rarer gift than
either intellect or beauty, that which |
Rosa possesses, a" returned Miss Percy.
Nellie's red-rimmed eyes asked ques-
tion to which Miss Percy replied with
brevity: "Tact."
"Tact? What is that?" asked Nellie.
90 don't know any better difinition of |
the word than one great novelist has
given: THAT is knowing what not to
say"
Don't know whatsnot to say, Aunt
Alice?" asked Nellie, after short sill
lence.
" No my dear; don't think you do.
You will take offense, probably, if give
you a few examples as proofs of this;
but as l am in your mothers place this |
summer, shall take the liberty of speak
ing plainly. Do you remember who |
were in the company yesterday when
you coolly asserted that a certain reli-
gion was nothing bnt 'mummery, and
went en- to observe that, for your part,
you looked upon such a religionist as no
better than Mohammedan or a Jew ?"
There was SO many-such a roomful |
that cannot o Aunt Alice l do |
remember now! Mademoiselle Durand /
was here, and she is member of that
church. am sorry!"
"And Miss Lyons was here also, and
she is devout Jewess. Did you notice
that she kissed Kate Sibley when she
went away, and did not kiss you ;"
Yes and 1 wondered what was the
matter. But mademoiselle kissed me.
eyes, mademoiselle kissed you, al
though the flush had not died out of her
cheeks which your thoughtless words had
called up. +"
Well, Aunt Alice. 1 didn't mean
any harm; and you know everybody
makes mistakes once in while. "
"But you make mistakes great deal
oftener than other people do. Shall
give some other instances of your not
setting watch on your lips ="
eff you like"
"Don't be sulky about it. 1 am cruel
only to be kind When we were told
the other evening that Miss Collins had
smallpox, you Immediately declared that
if you were in her place you would
rather die at once than get well and be
fright all the rest of your life. 1t was
too dark on the porch to see the express
sion on Miss Adger's deeply-scarred face,
but remember that lady's next remark
was / can't endure pert children.
"You can't expect me to see in the
dark" muttered Nellie.
"No; but you ought to have remem-
bered Miss Adger's presence. And you
have not darkness for an excuse for
what you said yesterday before Miss
Pratt-that you believed all red-haired
persons had bad tempers.
e'Of course meant present company
excepted.
eft would have been better not to
mention red hair at all in Miss Pratt's
presence, as her hair, though beautiful,
is of reddish tint. You made another