Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
POOLING WITH FIRE.
continued from First Paae.

for coming. But the few causeless hurts we
give the better. We may be obliged to wound
in giving Just criticisms or advice, but we GER
tainly do not need to ridicule another's appear
ance I am sorry you do not realize the happi-
ness resulting from the thoughtful kindness
toward humanity.
One New Year, 1 made a resolve to go out of
my way to do some little act, say some little
cognito, to a new person each day Of that year.
1t brought me more happiness than all my lit
erary achievements.
Your attitude to unoffending people belittles
and degrades your talents. 1t is the Office OF
cheap penny-a-liners to assault because they
don't know how to criticise. There Is fine
distinction between gall and gush. 1t is the
test of ability to find it. Anyone can abuse
or fatter Even were your peculiarities
a result of climate (which they are not),
you should have the good taste to modify them
in New York. If all the women in Kankakee
sit with their limbs over chair arms in COM
pany it would not excuse the attitude in New
York 1t may be the fashion to be malicious
in San Francisco. 1t is not thought good form
here.
SIMPLY FEMININE MALICE.
have strong Imagination, and am able to
understand the temptations that lead most peo-
pie to err. confess cannot understand any
temptation to deliberate cruelty like yours.
Call it what you will-by any fine, rare name
it is nothing but the most common type of femi-
nine malice which permits woman to ridicule
anothers personal misfortunes in print. have
been poor and in need of money, and have
had opportunity to write about people, but
never saw the day could have slept an hour
in peace if 1 had wantonly wounded another
person without cause-as you have wounded
me. There is not money enough in the world
to pay me for one such item written about an
unoffending person. e
You tell me all you want of people is to be
left alone. Did it ever occur to you that they
aeIrk kkanc arf
justified in criticising my work. Igive it to the
public, and If you chose to abuse it. that is only
q part OF the career l was born into, and
however severe, it may benefit me. But you
cannot benefit me or the world by calling at
tention to my physical defects. It is a sad
thing for any woman to know that she is ageing
or that she is not possessed of beauty. All my
life have been the recipient of as much love
and attention as falls to the lot of any woman.
All that is sweet and precious and deep
and profund in hfe's experiences have
to and Of no
Yet have always longed to be beautiful, and
gladly acknowledged beauty in others. Now
that my life is anchored in love so perfect
it still feel inexpressibly sad at the thoughts
of losing the few charms do possess.
MERELY A MATTER OF TASTE.
Fortunately for all of us. this idea of per-
sonal appearance is greatly matter of indi-
3
subject more study, and viewed it in more
lights than you described it. Had revealed
myself as freely in full dress, when you called,
as you revealed yourself when I called, your
meager charms of. body might have been
abashed before my more generous ones. And
my ''mouse-colored tints," as you must know,
could easily become a lovely golden by calling
in the aid of the hair bleacher.
1 think all observing people see chances for
picking flaws. The day 1 last saw you in the
cruel light of the stationer's shop. in your
morning attire, noticed with surprise that
your former delicate complexion looked sallow
and shriveled. 1t gave me an absolute pang of
regret, as it does when / notice the first
withering of a beautiful rose. 1 adore
beauty, and would gladly see all women
self that your appearance was due to over
work and late hours, and that you would look
quite like another person another time. l
would not have expressed my mental criti-
cisms of your faded loaks that day even to a
member of my own family, much less in
print. would have apologized for you had they
been mentioned to me by any third person, and
declared that you only needed rest to be as
charming as ever, which I am sure was the
case. But then am not Californian. Hop
ing and believing that in your next incarna-
much as you have needlessly and brutally
caused others to suffer here, will take fare
well of you. Sincerely yours,
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
To this letter Mrs. Atherton made no re-
sponse. She was evidently wise enough not
to play with fire any longer.