Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01
The Value Of a Smile


Written for The Star by Katherine Morton.
"~ MILE" commanded the stage
manager or anew musical pro-
duction on which thousands of
~ dollars had been expended. He
was addressing the bevy of
chorus girls at the dress rehearsal. Smile.
and make the public think you are young
and pretty and happy, whether you are or
not" The subcOnscioUs stage manager
dwelling within each woman whispers the
same command to her many times day
ond If she is clever she lends willing to
that command. for winning smile covers
a multitude OF sins and defects and has a
value peculiarly its own. There are smiles
and smiles. A French scientist has discov-
cred that the right kind of a smile cannot
be produced by muscular contraction alone,
but Is really the visible expression of the
soul and has its source deeper than mere
skin and flesh.
The malicious smile does not win nor
please. 1t Is soulless. because the eyes re-
nam cold and forhdding, while the mouth
cuTls up in hollow mockery. The selfish
smile deccives no one. The complacent,
selt-satished smirit on the lips and calcula-
ton In the eye nulufy the slight curve of
facial muscles which forms distorted
smile. The thin-upped, deceitful smile
Rrouses autagonlsm, 1t thinly wells sneer
ana cnils rather than radiates klndliness.
Generally speaking the smile tells a tale of
character or lack Of 1t, except in cases
where the owner possesses bad teeth and
has from the beginning OF his dental mis-
fortunes tried to hide his defects even when
smiling. The smile then becomes mechani-
cal, the lips being curved TO cover the
teeth. giving the mouth a distorted aud
artificial look and belying the real character
OF the person. To possess a good smile, no
matter what the proportions OF the mouth,
you must have good teeth.
n correspondent In evident distress begged
me not 10 recommend the use of powder
and pUmice stone Tor the teeth, evidently
believing that / was encouraging readers of
this department 10 spoil the delicate and
beautiful enamel Of the teeth with the least
possibly delay The correspondent evidently
had not read the article carefully, he
would have seen that the powdered pumice
stone was not 10 be used oftener than once
IN two weeks. Il Is used only TO remove
Accommodations Of tartar; in this way 1t Is
perfectly harmless. But to return to our
smiles. A smiling face opens all doors and
all hearts. because II shows a generous.
sunshiny nature. and all the world loves
sunshine. human or otherwise A smile Is
magnetic, and We are all trying to cultivate
Or 10 Increase our personal magnetism The
woman whose face droops, whose counte-
nance shows dependency In every line, Is
not the woman 10 whom people Will turn
either In their JOY or their sorrow. She Is
not the woman who attracts, either sue
cess or affection. The girl whose face
snarls in unhappy wrinkles, due to petty
cares or general dissatisfaction with life,
often wonders why the pleasant things or
life pass her by, TO sail gayly toward her
women friends possessed of less regular
feature, smaller mental attachments ana
fewer pretty clothes. but whose beamins
CounteuanCe reflects inward cheerfulness.
There has never been great actress or
q social success VINO has nor cultivated ana
used her attractive smile TO good purpose
and that means that she does not save all
her smiles for men. Honest, congenlal wom-
en- friends and admirers make you. success
fuI whether in professional or business IRE
or In the social world. The value or smile
as q business asset cannot be ONereStifnateu
1t hypnouizes naughty office boys when you
are seeking position; IL disarms Jealousy
In YOUR fellow workers, ii pacites your su-
periors; it even CLOSES over defects in your
business equipment or training But TINS
smile must be the outward and visible sign
OF an inward and spiritual grace of char
acter. not the vacuous, mechanical smile of
the woman who turns on the facial contor-
ton whenever addressed on any subject
This does not mean that the business girl
should consider 'jollying' a part of her
business education. 1t Is not the fippant
smile, but the cheerful smile that shows her
20 be ready and willing to cope with daily
aunoyanCes and discouragements, brave or
heart and willing to make the best of her
&c 5u life Many a girl has lost good po-
sitiou says the head of department store,
simply because she never cultivated the
habit Of uttering a cheerful, smiling Good
morning when she greeted her superior
each day.
The power for good which lies in the smile
that starts the day ar.ght in the home cir
Gle is beyond computation. The most sue
eessful business manager OF one of the
countrys greatest newspapers frankly ed
mts that he owes much OF his success to
his wtfe's smile--to the woman who rules
his home with smile and not with
frown. Among my most pleasant recollec-
lions are those of hours spent in his home,
watching the preparations for his return to
his firesde. In the first place. all the do
nestle annoyances were thrust in the back