Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-12-21
Che Pouseholo.
THE GRACE OF CONSIDERATION.

machine called Life and makes its wheels
to run smoothly and with perfect quiet
ness? 1t is consideration for another's
feelings-actual obedience every day to
the golden rule of doing what you would
wish Others to do unto you. 1t is GER
tainly pleasant to have DEVOTED friend
who on occasion will espouse your cause
and who is willing to do great and gen.
erous deeds for you, but to find the same
loved one considerate of your small
weaknesses, of your nerves, of your
comfort in little things, is a Joy much
greater because more rare. The hero of
the battlefield is crowned with wreath
of myrtle; the hero of the every day
conflict finds only that he is appreciated
and loved.
Good breeding is another name for this
grace, for often like an outer garment it
is laid off at the door of the house or
the counting room, and all the pretty
vices it fOrbids are given full play.
What are these vices? First of all, fault
finding. Somebody has said that per-
son who is continually finding fault is
usually of very nervous temperament
and could, least of all, endure that which
he inflicts upon another. When the
fault-finding begins, summon to your aid
the grace of silence; or even though
your eyes be burning with unshed tears
and every nerve in your body be tinging
with vexation, try to speak a pleasant
word and thus stem the tide of quarrel
at its rising. peevish, fault-iinding
person is generally in poor health-in-
deed, DEPRESSION on proper food and ex-
ercise would he decidedly apropOs in this
connection. But if womankind will re-
member that it makes them old and ugly
in face and less loving in heart, it seems
as if they should remember to say the
gracious rather than the unpleasant
word, and be rewarded with smile rather
than with an angry or hurt look.
We form societies to supply the heath
en- with catechisms and clothing, but
why does not somebody form society
for speaking pleasant words? There is
no reason why you may not form one
quite alone; be president, for you give
decisions; secretary, because you will
send out the good words by post; and
treasurer, because you will hoard the gol-
den results; for the deeper you dig this
mine of pleasant words the larger returns
will it yield in Jumps of the gold called
friendship and love. After little
time it will become quite as easy to say
pleasant as disagreeable words, and for
the latter your only return will be in
kinda sorry reward.
Selfishness in small things is a COM
paratively modern vice. Our grandmOth-
ers were taught that it was rude to Occu-
by the most comfortable chair in the
room, to choose the daintiest bit of food,
or to think first of themselves. Science
has discovered new modes Of seltlshness.
The woman whose hobby is fresh air and
who yentilates her rooms with small
cyclone may not only make you uncom-
Portable, but may infict an attack of
pneumonia upon you. The other woman
with some notions about health food may
send you away from her table hungry;
she was too selfish to make her own
wishes subservient to the tastes of her
guest. A loving mother does not make
selfish children, but a foolish one does.
One teaches that, Tor dear loves sake,
the best must be given to the weakest or
the youngest or the girls; the other
teaches that the one child has right to
demand whatever it most desires. The
result is that in the first house the gift is
taken as it is given, appreciated aud re-
membered, while in the other it is claimed
as right.
The boys, and girls too, are to be
taught the doctrine of consideration, for
they have their lives to work out. They
have before them path which is quite
apt to be rough, and much In ii will be
lCoo hChNb w bOois anu tiiC iaSt bhat thC
sun is shining behind the clouds will be
remembered, if only they are taught to be
cOnsiderate of their companions on the
long Journey. You and | are not too old
to learn, but we have made mistakes,
which they may be spared by timely
warning. Consider more the happiness
of others, forbear to speak lightly, and
remember that II one thinks only of
one's-self, in time one will be loved only
by one's-self. Close your eyes to that
which your friend would not wish you to
see, and you will not only make but
keep friends. Do you know who the
first Of these friends should be? The
mother who reared you, the husband
who loves you, and the little child that
calls you "mother." TO be able in ones
own home to combine frindship and love
is the secret of happy life. Have other
friends, but let these be first; and every
night as you kneel aud give thanks for
happy day passed, every morning as
you pray for help to be good and true
during the day, ask God to teach you the
grace of lDelineatOr.