Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1885-06-17
Prssencs OF Mind.

IfCSChCC vi 10 duaiAty aAaSh
talked of, much honored, and-little
cultivated; yet, like most other good
things in this world, it requires culti-
walton to bring it to any degree of per-
fection, for in very few cases it is
natural gift. There are some people,
doubtless, TO whom it comes naturally
and by instinct to do the right thing ut
the right time and place; but they are
few ia number. Then, again, some
people are by nature cooler-headed
than their neighbors, aud do not
scream and otherwise become useless
Just when their services ore required.
But this quiet composnre, though very
valuable, is not quite the same AZ
presence of mind. The latter consists
in not only having your wits ready for
use, but in knowing how to use them,
and being sufficiently calm and steady
in mind to remem Der and turn to
account that knowledge. Fron the
earliest possible age children should be
taught sell.conlrol, and the instinct of
trying to remedy any mistake OF acc:-
dent they may encounter. Teach your
child, If ne cuts himself anywhere, at
once to hold the TWO sides OF the cut
tightly together, to stop the bleeding,
and then to cry if he likes; instead of,
Us children usually do, dancing about,
bowling and shaking the wounded
part violently, thus making 1t bleed
and smart doubly. Show them that II
he burns or scorches himself lie can
save himself much pain by covering
the place with wet soap or cold cream,
or fullsr's earth, or violet powder all
or any of which are pretty sure to be
within reach in the nursery,
But if boys require to be taught self.
control, doubly so do girls. Having,
by nature, weaker nerves and more
vivid imagination, they shrink from
pain, suffering and danger in a fashion
utterly unintelligible to their brothers.
But the more natural this shrinking is
the mole carefully should they be
taught to govern it. Girls should
acquire al least the rudimenls OF nurs
Ing, and learn the best and easiest
attainable remedies for the ordinary
accidents of daily Lille, just as certainly
aud as q matter of course as they are
taught TO sew and 10 read. Especially
should quiet and coolness be impress.
ed on them, Calmpess Is not insensi.
billty, though many people confound
them. A girl is not hard-hearted and
unfeeling because she can witness
painful sights, and if need be lend .
steady, firm hand TO the doctor or
nurse. On the contrary, she has
usually twenty times the sympathy and
unseltisb kindness of that delicate
little damscl who has no command
whatever over herself, and fills the
room with shrieks, winding up by
running away the very moment An
extra hand might be useful. II may
seem harsh to say so, perhaps, but
those dainty bodies, who are utterly
useless at any emergency or, as their
friends plead, $50 highly endowed
with sensibility "(those who are not
their friends make unpleasant refer
cnce to folly" and "hystercs"), are
generally selfish and self absorbed to a
degree utterly unintellgible to their
more sober sisters, who are taught to
forget self, and control both miyd and
body by their large.hearted sympathy
with, and comprehension of suffering
But the sick room is not the only place
where presence of mind is required.
Scarcely day passes that we 90 not
more or less require it. Thank good.
ness the notion that women should
faint or go into Mysteries for the small.
est things is pretty well exploded; still
even yet the opposite lesson might be
more strongly inculcated.
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