Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08
Moods

Play an important part In the lives of
most of us. They appeal to some
thing passing strange. Why can we one
day carry the world on our shoulders as
though 1t were the most infinitesimal atom,
and the next feel too small to be worthy OF
consideration-Wh am l that any one Is
mindful of me?
One day / am interested In everything.
My feet strike the pavement; am off; Efe
is victory and l life. l am everything
to all men. One says of me- What
charming, insignificant creature!' because
to him 1 am a Wild unthinking girl with
no hope of heaven save in gaining some
ones attention. And another says: What
proud beauty!' for to him l austere. If
we talk, it must be on philosophy, and If
am to be attentive to him he must argue
well. The third says. What sweet little
wife she would makel" for l tell him how
a woman should act and what a woman
should be, and L picture her with the allur-
ing graces that hold the senses spellbound.
and he sees an image full of sympathy long
suffering, patient and kind. l tell him
how. when he comes home tired and weary,
she will soothe his restless spirit; If he
wants her to talk she will say just that
which he longs to hear, and If he would
rest under the witching spell of silence she
utters word that shall break the charm.
If he comes home full of the electricity
or lie ne snail ma neT smiling ana Gldu,
eager to be off and away where the music
inspires and the dance is on. Calamity has
come upon him and he returns to her not
knowing how to break the news. He finds
. peace past understanding. She tells him
of faith, OF courage. and of hope, and he
is content to rest the promises. l tell
him of this woman and he is convinced
there are true women.
The fourth one says of me: My, she's
a queer little girl He has been accustomed
to reading open books and / say: He
shall not do that with me- When he is
expecting one thing I'll do the opposite.
I'll frown and ne will plead for a smile. I'll
grow Indifferent and he will renew the
chase. I'll smile when he expects me to
be provoked, and his pleasure will be un-
restrained. He does not believe me deep
and suddenly he finds he cannot fathom me.
Must 1 every day be glad or every night be
sorrowful? Must 1 have no other desire
than to help the poor or no other object in
life than to make money?
Must woman appeal to me ever the same
Must no shadows fall? Emerson says:
II would rather have thorn in my side
than an echo" And the world feels much
the same way about the matter 1t longs
for a change to break the monotony, and
sages sit at the feet of that woman or man
who is a perpetual revelation.
And how shall these moods affect the in
dividual? Shall the day and its influence
be spoiled when he finds that his mood is
not what it was yesterday? When things
seem dead around him shall he sit down and
things?
Can he work, and serve and live strenu-
ously, and fully and devotedly even, when
he finds that his ideal is shattered? Then
his steadfastness Is worth something If
he cannot, he must learn much more than
he already knows.
Moods are victories IL rightly understood.
They must be conquered when they are
caused from nervousness, lack of sleep,
overwork, and SO on. They must be sdeYel-
oped when they are due to the emotional
nd int oil 1ol a 1eal~f To
expect different moods and accept them
gratefully. and We must also learn how to
make the transition from one mood to an
other easily and without interrupting our
progress.
A Delicate
And sensitive woman entered open car
and took the corner seat and In doing SO
crowded slightly a woman who sat just near
enough to the corner to deprive it of suffi-
Client room for the newcomer. How dare
you crowd me over this way. I am going
to get of soon and don't wish to have to
crawl over you." said the indignant one in
tones that indicated savage ancestry. Smii-
ingly the one who had given offense replied
Pardon me-" and her voice was liquid in its
mellowness. ALLOW me to pass you now
it is immateTial to me where 1 sit" 1t
suggested a beautiful rose that a freak of
coincidence had thrown by the side of a
thorn. The sharp and angular lines of the
unlovely character stood out like great
black scratches on a white canvas and
the charm Of virtue was magnified by the
power OF contrast.
Occurrences happen daily on the street
cars. at church, in the office, around home
everywhere-which, for the time being
seem annoying, unpleasant, perchance ex-
asperating, but they are unworthy the price
IL costs TO resent them. No one can afford
to sacrifice dignity, charm and power for
the little and pretty tempters his majesty.
a hos
try the souls of men.
1t is much easier TO be the virtue than to