Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-04

MA lone day BY the elevated
railroad my drowsy ear
was caught by the fresh, clear voice OF
young girl saying ''Num's the word. /"
about whatP asked an older and
Wearier woman . voice.
-Oh-everything." replied the girl
with thinking little laugh, and as il
the phrase tickled her fancy she repeat
ed il still more blithely. YES, NUNS
the word That's tho best rule OF life l
know off,
There's another that they use . good
deal m the mining districts, said mans
voice, with little laugh, land that's
Pay up or shut up Don't you think
that's better advice. Miss LottyT
Il don't just see what it means" re-
piled Lofty coquettishiy.
"Why, If ono fellow has done another
fsllowAn ugly turn-say got his money
At cards-and the first man thinks he
didn't play on the square,
sOh, dear, don't know anything
about such dreadful people, interposed
Lofty, and the older woman added,
"And hope You don't either, William"
Course don't. mother. and Of course
you DON'T" returned William. with
choked laugh struggling under his voice.
~only I've heard IL, you see, and it seems
TO me better rule 70 work by than just
20 keep mum. no matter what anybody
does 10 you"
'sBat you didn't finish explaining what
q MEANS interposed Lofty. Suppose
one OF these horrid men cheats another
hcrrid man at cards, for suppose that's
what you mean"
That's about the size Of 1t. Miss
Lofty, replied William eheerily. well,
then, you see the fellow that comes to
grief feels mad and wants to pay up
"why. he's got to pay up IL he's lost
the money. hasn't hey
ssOh, well. il doesn't mean that kind Of
paying up. II the other fellow carried
couple Of aces up his sleeve. why you
want to pay him up for cheating, don't
your
Want TO b revenged on himr
"Well. IL You put it that way. Any
Aow. IL he's plncky fellow he'll go for
himr-dsts or six shooter or bowie, some
how OF othcr-and pay him up for being
such . sneak, don't You see? But IL he
isn't plucky, and feels as II the other
one had got heavier fists, or . quicker
aim. or . handler knife, he sort of crawls
> away and goes around scolding and
snarling and blowing"
civilian, what sort Of associates have
you been among in tho westz' put in the
mother in tone Of dismay. But Lofty,
with her little, tinkling laugh. suggested:
80. then. the other man tells him if
he hasn't the courage to pay up his
grudge he had better shut up and not
talk about IL. Is that ity'
eyes. Miss Lofty; that's inst it. and
think it's pretty good advice, isn't it? II
somebody's done you q mean turn, why,
pay him up for it. And II you can't pay
IL up. why, shut mp till you can, but
don't take II out in swearing"
The cars stopped. and when they went
on the voices had ceased. Evidently my
friends had got off. and never had seen
them but the net result Of the little
overheard discussion crystallized in my
mind into the question:
Il IL better TO pay mp or shut up, or Is
sMnm's tie word the better rule Of
life-bsster than either to pay up or
shus up'
All Of rs, especially women, have
plenty 10 complain of as we go through
the world. IshmaeIs children. whose
hands we're against every man and
every mans hands against them. are
never hard TO find: indeed it sometimes
seems as il. more or less disguised, they
pervaded society in all its grades and
al It's relations aud were impossible TO
avoid, even though the exterior seems
TO PROMISE better things.
Sorsetinnes indeed . wor1an's foes
are those Of her own household. and be-
hind the closed doors Of what to the
world seems q happy home q system
of persecution or Of struggle Is carried
on which nobody suspects. unless in
deed the victim. finding it impossible to
''shat up" any longer, desperately re-
solves 20 "pay up by exposing her ty-
rant TO the vengeance Of the public.
Do ron doubt the existence Of these
silent sufTerers2
n So ron are not one Of those persons
endowssl. 70 their own misfortune. with
what il known ~ a sympathetic nature,
persons 30 whom everybody tells their
story almost az sight. often eading it
With some such remark "a this:
81 don't know why have told you all
this. have never spoken Of il outside
II nv own home 70 living creature.
pnt there IL something about you that
seems 10 open my heart and assure me
That may place confidence both IN your
svr,rathv and your discretion
OF course one can bot assure these
NOR wounded ones Of beth the sympathy
and the discretion. and finish by admin
Altering such advice or comfort "a sus-
p-efs itself. though often with a dreary
srn.> that neither the one nor the other
viii DO any r~sl coed.
S<s,l the telling II the story does seem
81 do good 70 such persons. ard etfen
enough they finish the interview e5
avowinx that they feel happier than
thev have for weeks or years OF ages,
- they may phrase IL. for one result q
h.nss worry r.. a. I have Frequently
noticed. 10 give the object ct Is the sense
% barirg Suffered for length Ct tine
bevonsi The power Of computation TIE
phrase. @an eternity q we. = b. no
means mere poeticsl trgpa. bat very
red experiences. ss I EsW boe many at
vcu who re,sf fheee lines know from =