The age-herald., 1898-08-18
The Value of Compliments.

The subject was being discussed few mornings ago at porch party that brought out the following views on that class of persons who wait until one is dead before they. discover all the remarkably clever traits, that did mt crop out in ones life time. There are many people who regard praising even little child in the light of an nn- pardonable sin and as for saying compli- mentary things about grown people, they would as soon think of putting their hands in the fire Every person living has knowl- edge of this particular individual who no matter how deserving the compliment may be will leave it unsaid with the same grace that they shrk duties
 II am sure," said charming young ma- tron, '.that you will all agree that praise is the greatest incentive to success. When l work at any thing, whether 1t is a piece of embroidery or croquette, want the family to notice 1t, if it is particularly nice. This way of only referring to things when they happen to go wrong is the most dread ful habit that a family can cultivate. Now, the other day prepared choice dish and my husband seemed to enjoy 1t very much, but he did not say one word about it, al- though he knew I had been standing over hot stove just to make him this delicacy. The next morning the biscuits for break fast were some what too brown and my husband looked across at me as if he held me personally responsible My dear ne said what is the matter with the biscuts! Yesterday there was too much soda and today they are too brown? He deliberately took up every one of those biscuits and scrutinized them to see which was the brownest.
 q did not object to his speaking of the biscuits but I just sat there and thought of other mornings when they were a beautiful brown, and not word had been said about it."
 "This idea of not praising children" a woman who has two lovely little girls, lis almost cruel as waiting until one IS dead. Praise makes child happier. 1T they are ugly and you compliment them about something, it has such a good ef- feet They will grow prettier, and child that learns it is admired becomes uncon- scious of admiration in time. and It dots great deal towards preventing awkward ness and embarrassment in child. When my friends tell my little girls that they are lovely I do not ask them not to tell them that it will make them vain and all that sort of talk. I want my chi dren to know that I admire them and that l am expecting them to fulfill all my expec- tations about them"
 '"rhe people who object to hearing others praised" said a girl whose talents are in the direction of water colors "are invariably the most 1ault-nndlnB credtuie $ on earth, and they generally say spiteful things after one is dead They do not know what the sensation is to say charita- ble things. They are at a loss when other people are being complimented.'
 "But,'' spoke up the practical girl, "one cannot always be complimentirg ones friends. If the biscuits are brown one morning and you do not complain they will be pretty apt to be brown the next morning..
 "Yes," agreed the artist girl, "but if make a failure one day with a water color do not want people to be continu- ally harping on that one failure. l want them to forget that and talk about the row of water colors along the wall that are so lovely, so artistic or so anything that is not fault-finding.'
 NYhe hostess got up smilingly. "You are such an appreciative set,' she said, that you shall not go unrewarded," and they each and everyone declared that the pre- serves and jellies which they were allowed to inspect deserved all the praise imagin- able.