Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-01-31
A FOOLISH AMBITION.
The Desire OF Some Girls and Women
to be Exclusive.


Exclusiveness Is not sign OF good
breeding. The most cultured and refin-
ed Of persons are as cordial and simple in
their manner toward interiors as to su.
,,ay;or.
,.-, -. ..,.
ono .ns''ne.'e's YES
wnsn ohe 70 very YOUNG put one uoes
not come TO make up ones mind COMFORT
ably on the subject until after one mas
grown older. seen bit OF life, and tnat
sort OF thing. One cannot expect the
schoolgirl to be altogether wise and very
philosophical. And It Is the schoolgirl
whose pride Is most often wounded Dy
somebody desire TO De exclusive. "
course, older foik are often as iooilsh.
else we would not hear so much OF our
set and kindred observations.
As matter OF fact, one must pick and
choose ones closest companions. 1t
would be far from agreeable ana GER
tainiy not wise to "chum win any ana
all sorts OF folks, and l am not going to
ask the schoolgirl to do this. but jus: to
ask her not to estimate her acquaintances
by the clothes that they wear or the
wealth of their respective families; to be
very careful how she cuts another girl
from her list and leaves her out OF all
the pleasant little affairs that are plan
ned. II occurs to me that the girl who
cannot wear fine clothes and have plenty
OF spending money and yet Is brave and
ambitious enough to plod along through
school, side by side with girls who have
so much more to make girlhood bright
than she has. might be, after all. one of
the very best sort Of girls to cultivate.
She must certainly be girl Of brains
and character, and what two better quail
tiles could we wish those Of 'our set" to
have2
The schoolgirl who entertains that
foolish little notion Of being exclusive"
can inflct real torture upon some of her
associates. Ii you are interested in
schoolgirl. beg her, for her own sake. to
learn the art of graciousness. 1t Is none
too early TO begin this in the schoolroom.
Even the tiny girl in pinafores should be
taught at home that when at school she
stands on common ground with all her
mates; that the poorest little girl in the
shabbiest frock is entitled to at least o
smile and a nod from her, even though It
would not be agreeable to have this little
girl for a "chum."
What q charm there Ii about the wo-
man who. no matter where or when you
meet her. greets you cordially! This wo-
man ! have seen stop for a moment on
the street to greet pleasantly a most
humble appearing man or woman. per-
haps some one who had served her well
and faithfully for hire. / fancy this
gracious woman Is the daughter OF gra-
cious mother; that this mother taught her
when very young how well it IL to have
q heart so tender and sympathetic that
to cause another to feel sighted or neg
lected would be sorrow to herself.
When we take our friends for what
they are and cease regretting that they
are not what we would have them, then l
think we will be happier. Judging ones
neighbor too narrowly is a bad habit to
fall into. 1t is well for one to have ones
own fixed ideas of what it is best to do
and what it is best to leave undone, but
one is doing quite enough to live up to
these ideas oneself. allowing others the
same right to individuality as one claims
for oneself.
1t is rather wise remark, that OF a
certain Spaniard, Every one is the son
of his own works"
The Exclusive" woman-one hears
very little about the exclusive man
shuts herself off from much that is good
and interesting. Do you envy her her
poor little narrow world? Don't you
think she must find it dreadfully dull to
be all the time among just the hundred
or maybe the -Four Hundred that she
some time ago declared-out of all the
great world OF people-only good enough
for her notice? I. for one. cannot find it
in my heart to envy her. 1t is the gra-
cious woman, the woman who thinks it
worth her While to count her friends by
the dozens. that l would envy. How
much more interest she must find in life
than the exclusive" woman.
What an encouraging thing it is to real