The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-06-08
EDITORS CHAT.
Shall We Cultivate Up or Cultivate Down
Question for One and All.

EDITORS CHAT.
Shall We Cultivate Up or Cultivate Down?
A Question for One and All.
We cultivate up cultivate down. In which
direction are you in training, good friend?
Let us walk into the garden these growing June
mornings The vines throwing out their long
tendrils and the rose-salks and lilies are dropping
under their weight of bloom.
Will you give trellis to your struggling vines.
and props TO your lilies and roses, will you let
them fall down upon the earth dashed by the rains
and widowed with the mold and damp?
Did you never go along neglected garden walks
and see the rank tomatoes lying on their backs,
and the corn and the cucumbers held down with
noxicus weeds, and the potatoes all running to
stalks, and the corn slim and spindling and with
out flower tassel?
You knew very well that the hand that tills was
wanting there and knew equally well that the
hand that blights hsd passed that way. There is
no such thing as standing still, even with garden
of cabbases.
People are like those accommodating twigs
which will grow up or down according as you
stick them in their bit of soil. But when the
branches take root in the SOIL and the roots become
branches in the air. the growth is fantastic growth.
The branches are always turning down and trying
10 be again. and the is always unlike any
other tree with its distorted and unnatural pro-
portions.
Il is vastly important that we oil get ourselves
planted right and, being once planted. that we
Keep ourselves carefully pruned and tended 1t is
Jhe easiest thing in the world 10 to rank snd
Gnfruitfu leaves like the tomato plants, and get
Iiokly and discouraged like The spinding corn.
When we make the most that Is possible of our
oppor uniiies, we cultivate up when we neglect
the little things waiting for greater, cultivate
down.
When we are as sharp with our short COM
ings with our neighbours faults, we cult
waite up; when we forget our own errors while we
correct the errors of others, we cultivate down.
Everyone grows daily better, worse; wiser
and Hober more foolish and base; finer and
more symmetrical or coarser and more gnarled and
twisted.
Every kind deed and every unselish act Guilt
Yates up; every sordid action and selfish planning
TO advance our own interest at expense of others,
cultiyates down.
CARELESS LETTER WRITING.
Now, here is a good example OF earelessness in
letter writing An unsigned request comes for the
postolfice address Of Abbie Rhodes, as postal
tograph addressed her at Warwick, Tenn.
turned marked No such place" The letter TO
the Editor is without date postofice, as well as
without signature.
Another writer, this time from Waterbury, Conn.
makes personal inquiry and forgets to sign his
name. This writer wants 10 know If THE TRIBUNE
exchange portrait cards ready. This inquirer
does not seem 10 understand that TO get exchange
cards with his portrait he must first send in
order with his photograph. For prices he viii
piease address THE NATIONAL TRIBUSE, giving his
address in full
THE SOCIETY CoACHER.
'The society coachern says Lenore Sherwood
Marble. lis an important factor in fashionable New
York life The one Of whom have personal knowl-
edge" she says. Ifs young woman who supports
herself and mother and derives d handsome income
from her socaIied profession.
THE coacher must have a well-stored mind
fluent tongue, and the gift Of imparting knowledge.
She read the daily papers and keep abreast Of
the times aud be able 10 discuss any subject from
sEy standpoint She must be rich in snecdote and
in short, be an accomplished versatile woman.
The coacher goes from house 10 house, giving
private lessons, and one is supposed to know
that any one else knows it, She viii tell her pupil
about the latest novel and the most approved
views 10 express about it; she viii eniighten her
en- any desired subject and give her a few peril
nent poinis
''If the coaciIers pupil belongs 10 literary So
eiety aud Brow ming is The subject, she will post her
Browning and give her points about his am
bieuiiy and The flow of the over-soul.
In fact, she thinks, reads and feels, and all her
pupils have do is TO tax their alleged minds long
enough 10 digest some off.
THE VOTING OVER.
The voting is over the question OF changing
tbe name Of Conversation Club 10 Columbia Club
Department Commander McMurray, OF Ohio, will
count the votes with the Editor, and next week the
Tesuit vii, be announced.
IN voting " Columbia Club-no," {. c. friend,
Lydia i. Day, CromRnio Fla. voices the senti-
nenls expressed by so many Co.'S that quote a
part. This is " hat she says:
Nine years or more ago our Conversation Club
came into existence AT the suggestion of AIDA b.
Taylor. Of Kansas. Then there less than
dozen mem bers; now numbered by thou
sands. Then In our letters usually told where
we lived. our fathers regiment. and perhaps about
pets; now in columns wel-written
essays "A great variety OF subjects.
Our progress under the old has been
wonderful: many OF US have been familiar with
the dear old name from the days OF childhood and
10 such il could never seem quite the same if it
acre renamed.
Then. is Il not just what the name implies? Do
Ee not weekly converse with one Rnotber7 Pen
snd-iBk chats, TO be sure but conversations
theless
We may join in the conversation or remain
interested listeners; may ask and receive advice
from our beloved commander, she leads the
conversation upward In the paths Of patriotism and
progression"