The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-16
Teapot Temnesfs.

On the whist page of a New York Sun
day paper is to be found this bit of re-
Election:
not play bridge without forgetting their man
hers and losing their tempers-synonymous terms
and there is danger a. the excitement grows
apace of deadly feuds arising in hitherto we'll
regulated sets Some women. and men also be
1t understood. can never learn TO lose gracefully
and as bridge is q game where ones partner
can make or lose ones hand, there is fine chance
Tor the display Of self-control, or vice versa
Most absurdly childish IN review are many of the
fierce squabbles, often ending in tears of rage
when hand Is lost, and It would be more than
human endurance that could remain unmoyed I'M
der the accusations Of incompetence, 10 put it
mildly, that are hurled across the table
This is rather funny. and rather pa
thetic, too, when one comes to think of
it. The idea Of two rational, adult
human beings getting into fuss and
fret over so trivial matter as game
of cards makes one inclined to be
ashamed Of the species. Yet these things
undoubtedly do happen. a recent book
on whist warns it's readers solemnly
against losing their tempers or abusing
their partners.
But, after all, quarrels frequently do
begin with small mishaps and disagree
ments. There are people who are forever
fretting over things not worth moments
thought, and who make a whole house
hold miserable for half day If some
tiny matter of detail goes wrong The
queer part OF It is that they usually seem
to consider their temperament particu-
larry admirable. Sometimes they put it
on religious grounds, asseverating that
the little things are most important, and
sometimes they claim 10 have sensitive,
artistic temperament which makes them
suffer more than other mortals when
anything is not right. The suffering of
other people under the whirlwind of
wrath, grief. or contempt which emanates
from the aforesaid sensitive and tor
mented soul is something which is appar-
emily not worth considering. There is no
barometer by which the comparative
misery of human beings can be measured.
and so it will probably never be known.
this side Of the judgmen. day, which
suffered most from the artistic tempera-
ment, the person who had It or those who
were obliged to live with that person and
Were so unfortunate. perhaps, as to
love him.
There is a shrewd suspicion in the
minds Of some canny observers, however.
that the trouble is not with the general
crookedness Of things and the sensitive
ness Of certain souls. much as with a
general lack of largeness Of soul and
vision. IT is possible, If one so desires,
to attain to a calmness and generosity
Of nature which will be above all these
small annoyances or will recognize them
for what they are, things which may
cause momentary irrita bility. but are not
worth permanent disquiet. Moreover, If
one really cannot control himssrr In play
ing whist, or doing any other thing not
absolutely necessary, If he finds that
every time he INDUCES in It his temper
is so aroused by a trivial happening as
20 be practically uncomfortable, the only
wise course for him. to pursue is
to avoid the occupation. There is no
virtue in doing thing which makes one
cross, when there are so many things TO
do which do not have that effect. 1t
would be just as sensible to eat a piece |
of mince pie with the full knowledge that |
a fit OF dyspepsia would be the conse. |
quence. as to place ones self in a position |
where irritability was the inevitable and
necessary state OF mind. There are
plenty OF thlhbs winch are unpleasant IN
this world without anyone hunting for
them. 1t is not necessary either 10 dodge |
pain or to seek it; She Fates generally |
take care that one has much as is |
good for health. The theory that one |
should court unpleasantness for some
fancied moral effect is responsible for |
more bad temper than most other mis-
chievous theories in the world Morbid |
people have refused to remove themselves |
from unpleasant circumstances; thought |
less or csllous persons have refused to |
remove unpleasantness. all because of |
this mistaken notion that irritabiiity,