Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-30
THE POPULAR GIRL.
Emma Y. Sheridan Insists She Must
Have Sterling Qualities.
BE SWEET TEMPERED AND FRANK.
If You Are Witty Never Go Out Without a
Curb-Bit in Your Mouth.
A LOT OF INFORMATION NECESSARY
WRITTEN FOR THE prsPArcH.I

| WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCHl
A train was just moving away from a way
station IN New Jersey. 1t was Chicago
express, and in the sleeping car was comic
opera company from New York. Just be-
fore retiring there had been a little unpleas-
antness among the various members of the
company, arising from the fact that the
prima donna, whom. for sake of peace, we
Will call Miss Salamander, had insisted
upon having full section to herself, there
by compelling the second comedian of the
company tn sleep on sofa chair.
There had been very fierce battle, but in
order to bridge the difficulty the second
comedian, who was a gentle little man. de-
clared his willingness to sleep anywhere the
| prima donna would permit. And so
Miss Salamander had her whole section.
just as the train was moving, with soma
speed, away from the station, and while the
sonorous slumber of some stout people not in
the operat1c business was keeping time to
the tinkling of the lamps, there was a sud-
| den jolt, grinding sound, and then utter
silence as the train stood still.
"Good heavens, what have we struck"
cried voice from one end of the sleeper.
And from the other end of the car the
second comedian replied: "Miss Salamau-
der's cheek"
But it was not a serious collision. In
another moment the train was flying across
country, and both Miss Salamander and
the second comedian were slumbering sweet
ly. 1 only write the anecdote as a preface
to few warning suggestions as to how a
girl, In private life, may realize some of the
destinations of the stages gentle heroines.
MUST HAVE STERLING VIRTUES.
To achieve popularity worth the name
you need a lot of sterling virtues.
So go in training for them, if you
have them not. The fancy of season
may make you the fashion, but only
genuine merit and strict attention TO your
business can make you popular. 1t must be
said of you that you are good tempered.
Your nature must show the sunny sweet
ness that makes the best of things ALWAYS.
You must be reported to have a good word
for everyone. Don't think you can meet
this requirement by judieiously applied in
sincerity, either. The only safe way is to
get in the habit of bringing up some coun-
ter-balancing good point in a person Of
whom i'll IS spoken, or quote the unhappi-
ness their fault brings them, or the prudence
of not judging people. In one of these
wavs you can always find some good that
you can say OF a person under discussion,
and with sincerity.
You must have reputation for straight
forward frankness. A thousand insinceri-
ties must be pruned from your speech You
must learn to keep still when others gush or
your straightforward frankness will bring
you to grief Learn to be frank as far as you
go, and lot to go too far. A ready wit is
esteemed factor of popularity 1t is a good
thing to have, it can be cultivated, but be-
ware of smartness and sarcasm and sharp
sayings. People may admire your wit. but
if they fear it, too, it won't help your popu-
larity. When your pet rival friend gives
you thrust in public, you will gain more
BY accepting the attack with gentle help
lessness than by establishing your ability TO
give back as as good she sends.
DON'T REALIZE YOU'RE SOUGHT AFTER.
You must be willing to talk to bores and
stupid people and to give other women a
chance. You must never appear to realize
that you are sought after or surrounded
You must appreciate peoples attention and
devotion as prompted by their kindness, net
inspired by your attractiveness. You must
be conscientious in all social duties and
courtesies. As you secure your popularity
don't fancy it will excuse you from formaIi-
ties. Never appear to make an effort. Peo-
pie who find you attractive will come of
themselves. You will gain nothing by
reaching for them.
Be able to gracefully turn a compliment.
and, when you do so, let it be tribute to the
one who prompts it, not mere decorative
achievement of your own. Have due re-
gard for conventions and proprieties To be
really popular, you must be a success with
all in your circle. If the men say of YOU
that you are ''ready for anything" your
hostess and some o. the incest women in
your set are shy of you. That isn't popu-
larity. Your sporting friend Dick must
ind you entertaining, and your straight
laced great aunt must be sure you are not
going to shock her. Let your regard for
proprletles spring from respect for their
wisdom, and you won't make the mistake of
pretending to submit to them, only to be
caught in violation of their rules.
SMOKING CIGARETTES.
Don't steal off with Jack Dash to smoke
a surreptitious cigarette in Mrs. Stiffenad's
conservatory. 1t won't really help your
popularity with JACK, and it will kill it
with Mrs. S. if you are caught, and one
usually is caught, you know! Smoke your
cigarette in your own pretty parlor, with
Jack, If you Ike, in your own pretty, we'll
ordered feminine way, making him feel it is
all right, and that Won wouli not be doing
it if it were not. Still, cigarette popularity
is difficult to achieve discreetly, difficult to
maintain safely, and L deprecate It.
Keep yourself well informed. Encourape
people to talk to you of what interests them.
So you will gather up the varied lot of inform.
alton you will need. A bit about stocks.
some political information, touch of crewel
work, point or so on racing and who owns
Maud now, few lights on the heather,
something OF farming, the latest in church
an idea of the qualities men
admire in women, what constitutes a we'll
served dinner, bit of army life, the imme-
diate outlook In electric matters, the popu-
lar school of music, something of Journalism,
a recipe or SO for punch, etc., ETC. If you
really set about it you will soon find YOUR
self fairly equipped to interest any man
you meet, be he dancing master, an atheist
Or horse doctor.
One last rule: The popular girl is liked
DV all and shows no