Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-08-23
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Business requires large amount OF
tact, to be prosecuted pleasantly m
proftably; to catch the radiant points
Of character in another and turn them
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 smeOthes the rough places, pOurs oil
upon the troubled waters of temper
bridges many a chasm and guards against
many a wreck. 1t is as essential as
capital more so it would appear than
the strict piummet and rule Of honesty.
Ito the shame of mankind be It Writtenl.
and often stands alone in the gap be-
tween failure and success.
Many 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 seductively 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 filled 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 delicately, 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 d1sclaim 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 aYakens smiles
will before the going down of another
sun summon tears. Our moods are as
ehangeable 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 q
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 disguised 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
hidden shoals. 1t 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. It never talks of funerals at
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 falling, to find
lodgment in the heart.
One without tact is forever running
against feminine pins and masculine
elbows; to use an old and homely ex-
press1ve 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
seoWls, and the more he attempts tc
extricate himself the deeper he fOun-
ders into the mire. He creates enc
mics without intention, and is brought
up with a round turn" when least ex-
pecting it. In attempting to pick rose
he is sure to get stung by q 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 under its
want; of charity to those who never
give of pain to those the most suffer-
ing; of death and the grave to those
who tremble at the mere mention, and
generally makes himself and others
miserable.
Tact is required in all the associations
Of life-at home as well as abroad. Upon
it depends very much the peace of the
hearthstone, Every woman has a sufh-
cheney of trial to bear, and her burden
should be made as light as possible, and
she too needs tact. 1t has been well
written that "many woman, endowed
with noble attributes, and rich in
sterling virtues, has passed through
life little beloved, little appreciated, and
seldom sought after, because she was
lamentably deficient In this one concil-
ating, harmonizing quality Of tact; be-
cause she always rendered those with
whom she associated discontented with
themselves, and that engendered dis
content with her"
Tact = the way of getting along
smoothly with others and making and
keeping friends-is invaluable in this
world: is better almost than knowledge
and wealth; is the equal Of the former
and the rival of the latter, and he who
the most cultivates and uses it will be
fhe most happy and fortunate.