The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-09-15

ON ones size, since Iney IeeI pilsi-
legged to speak Of likes and dislikes.
and, at the same time, these very
same very old and very young friends,
especially if one Of the latter Is young
boy, can become most exasperating and
annoying, and prove stumbling block
to ones progress in most disconcert-
ing way.
Be frank and pleasant with those OF
your own age, showing an interest and
even assuming it II it does not exist,
in whatever they may be engrossed
with at the time. Assuming an inter-
est will counteract any tendency to In
difference you may have, and keep you
out of the clutches of seIfshness-that
horrible octopus that slowly winds its
tentacles around every happy trait
one may possess, counteracting and
crushing it to nothing, and leaving in
its place the stuff of which meanness
and unattractiveness is made.
The first place to acquire gracious
ness is in ones home. One family
known to the writer has small room
that is known as "the growlery."
When any of the children become disa-
greeable and threaten to spoil the at
mosphere of pleasant kindness that
should exist in all homes to make
them worthy the name, he or she is
requested to retire to the growlery;
the adults too, first as sort of joke,
began to retire when selfishness showed
itself in the form of exhibiting disa-
greeable crouch Ito make use of lit
tie slanguage), and as each one very
soon recovered when left alone by
himself it was easy to come out
with smile on the face. Indeed, 1t
is hard to help smiling at the very
idea.
There is no place like homs, in
which to cultivate the gift of gracious
ness. If father comes to the table
with his before breakfast Crouch re-
member only that he may not have
slept well last night; he may have
business worries and difficulties you
know nothing of, and may be worrying
because he cannot secure for his fam
lily some wished for pleasure or pos
session; assume a pleasant expression
and keep still until he has his break
fast we'll under way, then, if you have
some pleasant thing to talk about
some bit of news or bit of knowledge
he may be interested in, breach the
subject in a tactful way, and the
breakfast table will soon become a
most pleasant meal Father will start
downtown with a far lighter heart; he
may not know just why, but he will
have a particularly kind heart for his
daughter ''She's a fine girl, anyhow"
he will say to himself, perhaps uncon-
sciously, and he will surely take new
grip on his business affairs and may
even come out successful and all be-
cause of a gracious daughter. Mother
will forget for time her NERVES"
and the responsibilities of the house
hold and family; the children will
start for school with light hearts and
home will mean to them the very best
place on earth. There are little acts
to perform in the effort to acquire the
gift of graciousness; ask mother if
she has any errands; do not wait till
she must ask it as favor from you.
and of all things, never say you
haven't any time for any of these lit
tie acts; remember it IS the busiest
people in the world who always can
make time for something extra; it is
the busy ones who do the worlds
work. Do not refuse the small re-
quests of the little brother or sister.
Not only is the gift of graciousness
for young girls, although it is more
easily cultivated in youth; it Is really
must have" for the woman who is
leaving youth behind. Selfishness and
Indifference leave their sure mark on
the face Of any woman, and do more
than any other one thing to help the
years trace the lines of age on that
face. A mother has particular need to
be gracious, for young people OF the
better sort love to enter home where
the mistress is tactful and gracious.
little tact goes far in rearing children
TO be what we would have them. and
the children of a tactful mother have
far more opportunity to meet the right
sort of companions, and make their
selection of a life comrade among the
most eligible and desirable OF their
friends.