The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-01-12
ABOUT MAKING CALLS

"Sesamel"a bright girl had nicknamed
an older friend, because at her approach
all doors flew open. "Why is it," she
asked her one day, mot that people are
SO glad to see you, but that you are will
ing to spend SO much time upon them?"
The sweet-faced young woman replied
II have no special talent like 80 many of
my friends. l cannot write, nor teach,
nor paint. There is no necessity for my
earning money, nor any urgent demands
upon my time. So perhaps my work in
the world is just going about seeing
people"
Possibly Frank Stockton had her in
his mind when he said there should be
sisterhoods of listeners, the members of
which, like good angels, should go out
among those unfortunates who have
them so much delight to say. "How
many sick-beds," he signs, "now many
cherries lives, how many lonely, de-
pressed and silent women might be
gladdened and transformed by one who
would come to listen to tales of suffering
and trial! An almost unknown Joy would
be given to the world"
Far different is the motive of most
young ladies'; who, with their silver
mounted card-cases and their Tiffany
squares Of cardboard, go about among
the houses of their acquaintance. II
have owed her call for a year,""I want
to see her new wallpaper" hope she
will be out" are some of the comments
upon one side Of the door; while within,
"Oh. why did she come today?" Il am
too busy" hope she has not worn that
green bonnetr
Yet everybody welcomed Sesame; and
she, on her part, found visiting most de-
lighttul. What was her secret? In the
first place she really liked people. and
nobody was SO commonplace but she
found something original and attractive
in her. She never stayed too long and
she never talked too much. She did not
introduce her own interests, but took
the tone of the persons she was with.
She led them to talk about their work,
their studies, their children; yet in a
pause she was ready with bright an
ecdote or bit of pleasant news, or the
offer of the loan of a new book. She
never went away without giving some
word of praise or encouragement, or say
hr,,, Oh ho1
She was liberal, too, and did not insist
that every one of her visits be promptly
returned. A busy young writer, who has
known the sublimity of suffering, re-
Gently protested that it was impossible
to keep her calling list balanced and yet
everywhere she met with the cry, PAY
back. Pay what thou owest. Pay, pay
to the uttermost obligation"
Sesame understands how to receive
calls as we'll as how to make them. She
avoids all mention of servants and the
kitchen, and the ruffies she has made
She has new photograph to show. or
pretty bouquet to divide. or perhaps a
saucer of salted almonds to aid sociabil-
ity.
Perhaps it is something" she says to
herself, when her friends show her the
work of their hands or brain, "just to
make people happier"
1t is more than something. 1t is wo-
mans mission, and those who thus come
in helpful, sympathetic contact with the
individuals of society are discharging an
immediate personal obligation, an obi
cation which is not discharged by philan
thropic committees or by financial con-
tributions to good cause.-Lucy Elliot
Keller, IN Congregationalist.