The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-15

Mrs. Haag brotnef David Farber. 1hCy
will return November /.
HER POINT OF VIEW.
For PHYS sake don't fall into the
wretched habit of complaining about
everything and finding flaws in every
body. It's the most contagious and
also the most ineradicable habit in the
world once IL is acquired, with the
possible exception of swearing which,
of course, no nice women and few nice
men are in danger of contracting.
What If it did rain yesterday and you
! felt disreputable and tired of life as
you went out and got your skirts wet
was it making matters any better to
screw up your face in a painful form
and say to everyone you met, Perfect
ly horrid, isn't it?" Did it make you
feel any better to see another persons
brow wrinkle as she exclaimed in a
disgusted tone: Yes, such weather.
| And after all these nice days, too"
Just as if the memory of these exqui-
site October days could be entirely
clouded by one when the skies wept
! OF course it isn't nice to be q woman
on a rainy day. a macintosh is a
sloppy, unsatisfactory creation, and
/ short skirts are not all that could be
| desired unless a large number of the
| representatives, of femininty could be
! made over along more symmetrical
! lines. But then some days must be
| dark and dreary" and yet there was
| never a day so dark with rain but that
] "a irh
are so many real woes in the world. so
| many days made bitter and dark with
| sorrow that one can we'll afford to
| smile at all the world where only the
rain of October hides the sun.
|
But all this isn't at all what I start
! ed out to say. Think of it! I just
caught myself remarking in a real
catty, horrid way: "Yes, she is a love-
| ly woman, but did you notice how her
skirt hung in the back?" Now, listen
to that, will you? I'm sure / don't
know where I've learned such a soured,
narrow and mean little trick of speak
| ing of people. 1t isn't at all according
to my philosophy, and l ought to choke
on the very next sentiment of the kind
| / utter. There was no necessity for
me to drag that ill-hangng skirt into
the conversation, even if she did drag
it into church. Why on earth can't
we be satisfied to let people find out
the defects of others for themselves"
| Now, the woman to whom the above
! pleasant little speech was made, thus
| encouraged, replied: Yes, doesn't she
manage to get the most triangular hang
to her dresses. Somebody ought to tell
| her."And then, naturally enough. we
| fell to discussing our victims peCuliari-
| ties of attire, the way she brings up
| her children and the fact that her hus-
band is aging extremely. All of which
was the outgrowth of the ill-natured
comment first chronicled. We some
times scoff at the person whose geese
are all swans and who seems to look
at life through rose-colored spectacles,
but she certainly is not the means of
producing long train of conversations
al stabs of the absent.
Why should some of us feel
possessed to modify every pleas
ant thing said about people by
a stinging title criticism? There is
the woman who declares: "Oh, yes; /
dare say she is a very nice person, but
she does have such a time with her
help" Or Hes pleasant enough to
meet, but l don't believe he is agree
able at home" or Did you see Mrs.
b. s hat in church? That woman spoils
the effect of the sermon for me when
ever she gets in line between our pew
and the pulpit" Another remarks
Dear me, if only that man wouldn't
go to prayer meeting l could enjoy the
service, but l can't endure him in the
same room!" or I'D rather go a block
farther than meet Mrs. A. She is so
! affected in her speech" and thus the
| habit fastens itself on one until un-
consciously, without any real motive of
vindictiveness or malice. person may
become so accustomed to carping and
criticising others that the fault find
ing spirit begins to trace lines on the
face and sooner or later the bitterness
crawls into the soul to stay, and
finally the result is a sharp tongued
| old woman always looking out for
| weaknesses in others and always re-
| garded as sort Of terror by even her
few friends. 1t isn't a pleasant pic
| ture. Let us catch the sarcastic word
before it passes the lips; let us curb
the desire to be considered amusing be-
cause We can say hateful things clever
ly that can cause a ripple of merri-
ment at the expense Of some absent
one. Let us not see so many failings
in others and then we shall surely not
utter unkind criticisms. Let us be a
little more gentle in our judgment and
deal more tender in speech. We
need all the rubber-tred consideration
of others that they can afford TO trun-
die out for our benefit.
Saucy Bess.