Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-04-06
THE LITTLE KINDNESSES
Which are Generally Left Undone OF
Despised.

People are apt to forget the little
things of life in striving to accom-
plish the big undertakings.
There is thrifty old proverb that
says If we take care of the pennies
the pounds will take care of them
selves. All of us have had ample
occasion to prove the truth of the
homely old saw and to find out how
much easier it is to economic on big
things than it is on little. 1t is COM
paratively easy to do without the ex-
pensive articles you desire, but 1t
takes Spartan fortitude and deter
mination to keep from throwing away
your dimes on silly things that you
don't really want, but buy because
they are so cheap. 1t is seldom the
dollars that we waste 1t is with the
small change that we are reckless.
Might not similar application be
made to many other things in life?
We are sCrupulously careful of the
big moralities. We do the duties that
the church and society and conven-
tionality have marked out for us. We
would be Mortified at the very idea
of harming our neighbors or mis-
treating our families, but how often
are we utterly neglectful of the little
things-the kindly word that cheers a
lonely heart the gentle consideration
that makes the daily work easier for
someone, the tender deed that we
might do Sd easily if we only would
1t is a question of small change over
again.
If it was something great we would
do it. There are devout women who
deny themselves to send money to
support foreign missions, yet who
never say one word of religious coun-
sci to the heather in their own kit
chen. There are women who belong
to societies for the extension of hui
man brotherhood throughout the
world, but who treat the shop girl
who waits on them as if she were an
automaton with no more feeling than
a wooden image There are women
who would die for their husbands, yet
who hardly give them a pleasant
word. They are careful enough of
the big duties, but the little ones
don't seem worth attending to.
In reality we can no more afford to
neglect the little courtesies of life,
and the little duties, than we can
afford to throw away our pennies
The promp answer TO a letter, the
note of thanks for a book or paper
we owe to someone's thoughtfulness,
the genuine appreciation of the effort
to entertain us may seem trifiing, but
they go long way toward making or
marring our happiness. They are
the small change with which we pay
our passage through life, and if we
neglect them we are in the unenviable
position of one who is trying to dead
beat her way.
IF we take care of the pennies the
pounds will take care of themselves"
If we take care of the little duties, If
we were sweet and kind and consider
ate, wouldn't the big duties take care
of themselves? More homes are
wretched by bad temper than by
drink, More affection is alienated by
fretting and nagging than by all the
correspondents ever cited in the d.
vorce courts, more friends are lost
through carelessness than by treach-
cry. 1t is always the little things,
the etceteras for the gown that run
up the bill at the dress makers, the
tiny leak in the household economy
that counts at the end of the month.
and the woman who would be wealthy |
or happy must keep a sharp lookout
on the small change of life.