Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-11-01
Tact.

| LdCtz W O0 prosecuted pleasantly Of
proftably; to catch the radiant points
Of character in another and turn then
to good account for ourselves. 1t NAV
not be natural with all, but can be cult.
vated the same as any other trait of
character, and the more We do so the
better.
Tact seizes intuitively the weaker
| points of our associates and gives the
| ability to work upon and control them
1t smoothes the rough places, pOurs oil
upon the troubled waters of temper
bridges many chasm and guards against
many wreck. 1t is as essential as
! capital; more so it would appear than
| the strict plummet and rule Of honesty,
! Ito the shame of mankind be it writtenj,
and often stands alone in the gap be-
|. tween failure and success.
Many a man has started from literally
nothing and achieved renown and for
tune simply by discretionary use of
tact-by the knowledge of what the
market required, the art of managing
customers and seducuvely forcing sales
at the right moment at high prices.
Capital has seen its shelves remain
groaning with goods while forethought
and tact Of display and inducements,
has cleared others and filed and emp
tied them again. Given the progressive
with tact and capital without it, and the
former is certain to win the day.
Tact is blessed with keenly scrutiniz-
ing eyes, as with the smoothest of
tongues. 1t instantly cOmprehends what
is for the best, and has fitting words to
give it expression; to touch the chords
of feeling; to fatter delcately, if need
be; to ever be polite and call into action
the self love and the self interest that
is at the bottom of all our actions, no
matter how much we disclaim the idea.
Man is an instrument of many strings,
many keys and many notes. The touch
of to-day will not answer for the morrow,
and the song that to-day awakens smiles
will before the going down Of another
sun summon tears. Our moods are as
changeable as the wind. A thousand
motives keep us from stability. Others
have influence over us, and happy is he
who has the tact to perceive and regu-
late himself by the swaying of souls.
The right word in the right place often
goes much farther than hours of argu-
ment would do; a single one, more
power than sentence after sentence, for
we weary and grow sick of mere verbiage.
Such Things jar the ear and cause dis
cord among the strings; the harmony
of unison is lost; the one who perhaps
is striving for one good alone is voted
bore, and we turn the cold shoulder
upon him to our undoing. There is tact
in silence as well as in speaking. The
same rule does not hold good with all.
One will bear urging, and another grows
restless under, and disgusted with it;
one man is willing to be taught and
another inclined to the opinion that he
knows about all that can be learned, and
would not listen to instruction; would
turn a deaf ear to even the most shin
ing ministers of light Here tact steps
in and easily strikes the balance; keeps
in check or gives free rein to the tongue;
teaches or pretends to be taught, making
everything subservient to the "axe to be
ground"
Tact rarely or never stumbles upon a
sore subject. A single glance is sufi-
cient to keep it from stranding upon for
billden shoals. It knows Just how far
to 90, and never trespasses beyond. 1t
never mentions relatives who are under
the ban; talks of unpleasant episodes
of character or business; gives no hint
that such things are known, and if men
toned by accident innocently doubts and
ignores. Tt never talks of funerals ct
dinners or discOurses Of death at we'd
dings; it never speaks of ghosts just
before retiring, or jests upon grave sub
iects. 1t makes the best Of everything
and deludes man into the belief that
he is much better than he believes him
self to be. 1t is a pleasant pastime to
the ear, even though failing, to find a
lodgment in the heart.
One without tact is forever running
against feminine pins and masculine
elbows to use an old and homelY lex-
pressive adage, is forever putting his
foot" into something that will create
trouble. He blunders into the sensitive
subject of wOman's age, and things re-
garding men that causes shrugs and
5coWls, and the more he attempts to
extricate himself the deeper he houn-
ders into the mire. He creates enc
mics without intention, and Is brought
up with a round turn" when least eK-
pecting it. In attempting to pick a rose
he is sure to get stung by thorn, and IN
prescribing for sickness administers
poison. He goes through life turning
the wrong way, and constantly In COLI
sion with somebody; talks when he
should keep still; is silent when he
should be lOquaciOus; gives opinions |
when he is not asked advice when none |
is required; dilates upon poverty to !
those who are suffering from it; Of
beauty TO those who smart HRGeF its
want; ST charity to those who meyer !
give; Of pain to those the most suffer ]
ing; Of death and the grave to those
who tremble at the mere mention, and /
makes himself and others
Tact is required in all the associations |
If life-at home as well as abroad. Upon |
t depends very much the peace Of the |
Every EOman has sufi- |
,iency of trial to be2g, and her burden |
should be made as light as possible, and |
ihe too needs tact. It has been well |
written that many woman, endowed |
With noble attributes, and rich IN
iterling virtues, has passed through i
ife little beloved, little appreciates, and
eldom sought after, because she was
deficient in this one conGH-
ting, harmonizing quality OF tact; Pc
ause she always rendered those B!th
whom she associated discontented with
themselves, and that engendered dls-
content with her"
Tact - the way of getting along
moothly with others and making and
seeming friends-is invaluable in this
world. is better almost than knowledge
nd wealth is the equal of the former
nd the rival of the latter, and he who
he most cultivates asd uses it Will be
be most happy and fortunate.