Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-24
Troubles of the Bashful Girl.


ners that is omitted from the code of
many ii parent, and that is the subtle art
of self-forgetfuiness.
Perhaps you, Miss Merry Tom Boy, or
YOU, Miss Lady Wise, fail to understand
exactly what is meant by this self-for-
,getfulness; but the demure Miss Shy
painfully tucked away in the darkest
corner of the room, understands it to the
utmost, for her very soul has been tried
in her vain endeavor to get away from
herself and everything pertaining to her
There are affections and Affections, one
more or less worse than the other, but il
bashfulness is not one of the worst
curses that can be bestowed upon per-
son | would like to know what it is.
Really. truly, bashfulness does not
mean ditiidence, quietness or even shy
ness, but that all-envelOping something
that settles down like a gentle cloud and
bereaves one of every power save thar of
blushing frantically and furiously time
and time again.
Perhaps this atfiiction is helped on its
way not little by the delightfully."- frank
fashion which sO-called polite society has
of scrut,nlzlng everybody and everything
that chances its way. Many times if
lorgnettes were leveled the effect could
not be more startling or more inSolent,
and it takes a woman possessed of a
goodly share of worldly wisdom to pre-
sent that I-don't- know-you looking ex-
preston and go Serenelv and evenly upon
her way
Just why people imagine they are en-
titled to stare at others as though they
were little short of curiOsities is quite
beyond me. Yet every day--in fact, if
one will but take the trouble to notice in
every car--there is that close, neighbor-
ly scrutiny which makes one fairly
bristle with Indignation. Not so very
long ago | Glanced to meet a girl of 16
or thereabout, flying along the street with
flaming cheeks and angry, suspicious
eyes.
where are you going in such ire
swept along. Home, where people
don't think I'm a walking advertisement
for a gold mine," she answered in
Quivering voice. I'm so embarrassed |
can't see straight
And the cause of her woes was moth
ing more or less than few gold bands.
In other words, she was having her teeth
Strengthened and was being tortured both
mentally and physically by the protrud-
ing glitter that refused to permit her
to close her mouth in peace
Doubtless it never occurred to those
who glanced at her so cnriously that
they were committing a breach of ETH
quette, and it was very evident by her
nervous furry that my little friend failed
to realize that she was not making the
best of bad situation.
She was embarrassed most woefully.
and her one idea in life was to fly home
and hide her head in her mothers skirts
and have a good cry.
She imagined that every man. woman
and chlld-yes, even the yellow ours on
the street-was looking at her, ready to
break into a gentle grin that is 50 de-
lightfully expressive. Instead of walking
along ordinarily and gazing into the shop
windows hn IN Of hi yss
hut self, and i'll her eagernesS to elface
herself she succeeded only in being awk-
ward and decidedly conspicuous.
The conscious man or woman imagines
host of things and magnifies them until
they are absolute bugbears In fact.
mountains are Immediately constructed
from the tiniest of mole hills, A lowered
voice, laugh or even a gesture will set
them off in a fit of bitterness. for they
are positive that their own shortcomings
are the sole and absorbing topic of con-
verSatiOn.
Such may be the case but it occurs
about as often as we have blue moon.
In way, this everlasting thinking of
self IS horribly conceited for the average
person has something more interesting to
amuse him. OF course, if one wiggles
and squirms about in painful manner
It cannot help but attract attention and
the glance that would have been passing
pretty, nor are they reassuring, and they
certainly are entirely uncaled for at all
times and places
The bashful man is not placed in half
as many annoying predicamCnts as the
bashfui girl. When he finds that life
Is somewhat of a burden to him on ac-
count of his general awkwardnesS and
his ability to say and do the wrong thing
at the wrong time, he crawlS into his
shell, as it We're, and takes refuge in 81
lence. His movements are abrupt. his
voice harsh and his conversation short
and sharp. To be sure, he is rather a
forbidding sort of creature for only
those who know him well understand
that this gruffness is merely bluff put
up to hide a shyness that he is positively
ashamed and afraid Of
But this self-same abrupt mannerism
that covers such a multitude of sins has,
unfortunately, been denied the timid girl.
These days there are too many jolly com
radeS. always amiable and ready for fun.
to make il an object to put up with the
Girl who Is snappy, suriy and cross, and
even the one who is distressngly quiet
comes in for her share Of playing the
animated wall flower.
And really. after all, it is only what
one might expect. People rescue Il pretty
girl once. twice, or maybe, three times,
hut if she persists in losing herself III the
oak shadows and taking no part in the
gaiety, She will soon discover to her sor-
row that she may remain there just as
long as she pleases. and entirely forgotten
and neglected in the bargain
Each and every one should he pos
sessed with a certain amount Of self
assertion. This does not necessarily mean
that one should push ones self forward
on every possible occasion, but there are
times when an act of thoughtfulness will
suddenly place one easily and gracefully
within the charmed circle. Once there. it
is easy to find some means of keeping
busy for doing nothing is the stun
bling block that is the undoing of many a
lad and lassie.
II is a real pleasure to sec 4 we'll
poised woman She may enter a room
filled with merry chatterers and be utter
IL ohhyious 10 the fact that anyone bat
her hostess is within a hundred miles of
her, She does not stammer or wiggle,