The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-12-09
THE HABIT OF pETULANcE.
Ill Health AnswerabIe for Some OF
II, but II Is Principally Due
TO selnshness.

One OF the minor faults of humanity
Is petulance. II Is classed as minor be-
cause It is an exhibition of i'll temper,
based upon petty proyocation, but it is
a major fault, judged by the annoy
ance IL gives. Men arm themselves to
resist their dangerous enemies, but are
helpless sufferers from gnats and mos
quitoes. They resent or receive with
fortitude the assaults of bad temper
freely exhibited, but they are almost
helpless when assaulted by petulance.
III health is no doubt answerable for
a great deal Of petulance--its victims
are excused on that account-but some
Of it is due to utter selfshness and to
boo much indulgence. Some people
grow up with an idea that the world
was made for them; they are petted
and INDUCED by parents or other rela-
tives until they become utterly selfish
and feel perfectly grieved if it should
happen to rain ON day they had APP
pointed for picnic, or If any other
quite natural impediment should arise
to interrupt their enjoyments Of life.
Such people are, Of course, petulant
when they are crossed in any way,
though they may be very agreeable as
long as they can have their desires
gratifed. Their agreeable qualities
earn for them the indulgence which
helps to make them selfish and, there
fore, petulant. If the day is excessive
ly warm they do not stop to consider
that it is warm for other people as we'll
as for themselves, but complain about
the weather, grow exacting and, If at
all encouraged, inconvenience their
friends or relatives that they may be
relieved of the common affliction. They
become i'll tempered, as all people are
inclined to be when rendered uncom-
Portable by weather conditions, but in
stead Of bearing their ills with fortitude
they exhibit their petulance and com
pei those about them to wait upon and /
indulge them, if a quarrel is to be +
avoided.
Petulance which has any other origin
than disease should not be allowed to
levelop into a habit. IT is better to
esist it in the beginning, however dis
greeable the task may be, than to en-
courage its growth and indulgence.
This is only another way of saying that
me should not encourage the develop
nent of a selfish spirit in those whom
me loves. Keeping in mind the evils
# selfish disposition, of which petu-
ance is a manifestation, and that self
shness grows by indulgence, one who
5 associated with person at all in
lined to consider his own pleasure be-
ond that of all other people should be
esisted when he makes any encroach-
lent upon the rights of others. His
etulance should be firmly rebuked in
tead of being encouraged by indul-
ence, and he should be made to feel
nat he is but one of a community en-
tied to nothing more Tor less) than
II the other members. His petulance
hould be resisted not by a counter ex-
ibition of temper, but with such firm
ess that will give notice that nothing
to be gained by bad humor. The
xistence of petulant humor implies
ne existence of counter indulgence on
ne part of some intimate who weakly
ields to exhibitions of temper, and thus
lcourages the development of bad
abit. While avoiding petulance in
nrselyes, therefore, we should be
Iually on our guard against develop
g it in others by an excess of good
ature. The petulant man or woman
lould not be INDUCED in his or her
hims, but be made to feel that petu- |
noe is self-irritating and gains neither
nor relief.-Baltimore SUM-
PAY FOR A SPOT. '