Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-07-19
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
5 WHAT Is TACT? !
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TT WAS a combination of spring
weather and steam heat in the Of
nee and Ellsworth dropped over his
desk. His languid thoughts had strag-
gled far away from the abstract spread
out before him. Suddenly he Redeemed
and set his teeth together with a click.
Then he threw back his head and began
hummiug a tuneless melody, the bur-
den Of whose words was: 'tLa-la-la! =
There was a defiant brayado in his
voice which impressed the stenogra-
pher in the outer room and which
made Goodwin stare as he came in just
then.
Thanks for your hospitality. Ifyou
urge me l will" opened Goodwin,
stretching himself upon the office
couch with the manner of fellow who
had been there before, When he was
well settled he turned a spring LASH
tude eve on Ellsworth and drawled:
since when did you learn to singF
Ellsworth cplled TO his stenographer
to shut his office door. Then he man
aged 70 exert himself enough to swing
his swivel chair until it faced another
and TO hoist his feet.
Goodwin" he asked, in a solemn
tone, what is tact|'
Tact" said Goodwin, lazily, us what
the other fellow hasn't got"
"Theu I'm the other fellow
uot, yskavyt fTfsu't SO bad as all
that, guess"
"It's worse than that. I'm bump
on a log. tell you. That little tune
YOU caught me warbIing-
Tune" inserted Goodwin.
"That little aria l was executing as
Won came in is a way have of trying TO
express Indifference when a vision oil
one of my bad breaks fits before me
saw. I've got more recolleetions of that
kind than YOU could shake a stick at
and they're always coming across me
on tired days like this, You know what
/ think tact is2 Its not letting the
emergency rattle you. Talk about
tact vs.. talent'-a fellows gotto nave
both. Talent I've got"
Hes so modest" soliloquized Good
win. $50,
"Talent I've got" repeated Els
worth. with conviction, "but taet-no'
Remember the chestnut about the
amount Of tact it requires when you've
lifted your hat TO a stranger to make
him think YOU were only scratching
vour heada That's the idea I'm get
,,,c,t To master the sudden situa-
tion. instead Of letting the sudden SIT
nation master You. The things a fell
lows had time to plan out don'tcount.
Now. lust before you came IN 1901
thing / did last week struck me sud
denly. There wasn't any reason why
I should think of it.. Itigst came WITH
art spv warning and made me get as
warm as if it had happened a minute
ago. I tell YOU / suffer from these
things. and when they come into my
head before know what I'm about
I epd myself making an effort 10 thro"
them off by singing out like that
singing" querisd Goodwin.
Ellsworth rrinned. at never occurs
IN me that a Goldfish is very sympathet-
r. Goodwin, except wien / am asso'
eating with you. Queer what eompar-
fsons viii do, isn't it2
aHnw'm goisg 20 sympathize with,
opt knowing what the matter Is
Snr;ng Is moving along and the way
fsel now am going TO take my sum
msr vacation early this year. suppose
80, he ready TO tell me what you've
got on your mind by the time l get
back?" -.
aNavbe-ff you give me chance.
All tbars was Of II was this; Coming
hack from my trip north last week
had 10 change ears at Detroit ana lot
cot nv overcoat-lett IL IN the o'..sl
rain and never though Of il until my |
rain rad begun to pull out Of the sta-
80 -usbed out an the platform
-, -. IN che norter Of the other