The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-07-16
Trpme.( $1.OO per year. in advance
'EHms: Six Months so cents.

often of affection. II the questions that
serve to excite momentary friction were
to be really tried, there would not be a
doubt as to the result.
The wife knows that the husband is
really very kind, and yet she worries
him about little things as if he were re-
miss. Too seldom do we come to
settled state and immovabIe resolution
that there shall be unruffled peace and
trust between us which not only cannot
be stirred to it's depths by tempests, but
cannot be ruffied on the surface by
chance breeZes.
Very often the cure for the bogus
troubles that are made by the fancy of
over-sensitive people is found in the
coming of real trouble. After playing
the part of objects of pity, the charac-
ter has to be borne in truth, and then
the pranks of merely dramatic unhap-
piness are forgotten. Who does not
know people whose affected troubles
are proofs that they never had genuine
difficulties to combat?
Far worse than the blundering peO-
pie who offend the sensitive without
knowing what they do are the few who
take delight in practicing on the feel
ings of those who have highly strung
nervous organization. The love of tor
ture which is so horribly recognizable
in boys who have not had our original
savagery tanned clings in modified
forms to multitudes of grown-up peo-
pie.
Sometimes it is CLOSED over and So
cially sanctified by common agreement
among those who practice it, sometimes
it takes the form of picking at any
mental sore from which those to whom
we talk are known to be suffering. Is
there hidden and sacred sorrow on the
mind of man or woman, then to a GER
tainty some of his or her acquaintance
will try to drag it into the light. Some
times delight in chafing the sensitive
nature takes the form of banter.
Ridicule is the favorite weapon of
people who are proud of their clever
ness and who get pleasure out of the
pain which the sensitive feel when they
are baited. Who has not seen quick
witted and an unscrupulous man goad-
ing the most sensitive and confused in
the company, and enjoying his embar-
rassment?
The tOrtures of children under ridi-
cule are especially acute. The intellec-
tual bully who domineers over those
who are less alert deserves the same
punishment as the bully who relies on
the less subtle superiority of muscle.
Delicacy of feeling and modesty are too
often the staggering towards oppor-
tunity. But sensitive people who have
as a consolation the thought that with
capacity for feeling pain readily is
often associated keen susceptibility
to pleasurable influences.
, It is indeed only the sensitive man or
: woman that can engage in the most
, delicate character play, ia which more
is said than words can convey and spirit
communes with spirit without spelling
out it's message in the poor terms OF
speech.
/ The well-balanced character is not
. only alert to all the human Influences
|. that play around it, but is at the same
Q time not easily stirred to deep excite
/ ment. It is the weak man who regis
= ters every change in the social atmos
s phere and is upset by it.
9 The gentlemen unafraid" are as deli
t cately strung, and yet are not so cheapl!
affected; and so they are often able tt
Q see the fears and fancies and suspicious
|; of those who are over sensitive and ne
y adequately endowed with cool judg
: ment, and they ease the friction whicl
II ensues. The happiest combination i
n sensitiveness and strength of character
= Philadelphia (Pa.) Saturday Eve. Post
II Vidal, one of the most famou
sculptors of France, was stone blind a
- the time when he executed some o
;, his most famous works.