Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-09-08
The Art Of Receiving Graciouslv,

The Art of Receiving Graciously
Who does not love To give to a little
child? He seizes the gift with rap
| turous motion and twinkle of 10Y in
| his eyes while the mother puts the
| ''thank-yOu' words into his mouth. or
says them for him. Yet we feel amply
repaid for whatever it has cost us, and
| experience the thrill that every true
glver deserves TO feel. We see the pleas
| urc: we do not need 10 be told about
! it.
Besides. the child proceeds at once to
enjoy the new possession be il a toy or
Il stick of candy.
| Instead of this happy. natural way
we grown people make studied bows,
smile sort of copyrighted SMILE pile
1 on stereotyped words of thanks and lay
the gift, often unopened upon the man
| tel.
Surely the chnd's way is better. The
Joyous out-reaehing, the look of thanks,
! the quick careSS, and but few words are
what the giver Graves
Few words are better for another rea-
son: Not many of us have the tact, the
quick wit, and the ready tongue to say
! the right ones, and the wrong words
! spoil 1t all for both the giver and re-
celyer. Who has not had the very
| sight Of some pretty thing made trial
Tor years because OF the awkward way
IN winch 1t was accepted: We usually
pile on words from sheer embarrass-
ment or because we feel that something
IS expected of us; and TO maintain our
dignity, we show as little emotion as
possible
Then that horrible nightmare. the
trade last" idea flashes over us. and
instantly we think of the present we
gave or didn't give this friend 1t is Il
raise p"lde, sense of commercialism,
Of commcndable honesty that prompts
us grown people to even up" the Gift
making, and thus rob it of its chief
glory! that we could shake the inn
pulse from rs and become as little chill
dren in this matter.
10 see ones gift put to use. vet with
dainty care is also pleasing. and no
more delicate compliment can be given
than TO refer TO Il past gift long since
forgotten by the donor. | once had a
correspondent say. This is written with
the pen you sent me Christmas two
years ago. All. the journeys it has
made over blank paper since thent
We must all confess ,hat we like to
have much made of our gifts. however
inexpensive, but il must be done i'm a
sincere. natural way that shows the
heart Is back of it.
Some people actually make it hard
for one to give them anything 1t is
usually an unreasonable pride or a fear
of patronage that rises like wall be-
tween them and their well-meaning
friends.
This is particularly common among rel
atives-near relatives who know one an
others needs and financial conditions
quite TOO intimately to make giving and
receiving exactly comfortable. The only
way to overcome this sensitive reluctance
IL f,.,. -
self in the others place. remembering
what a genuine pleasure it is 10 heStow
pretty or useful things upon those we
care for. Many people if not the MAJ
jority. enjoy sharing their good things.
and it hurts not Il little To have their
gifts reluctantly accepted and their mo-
tlveS miSconStrued. Among grown peo-
pie there are far more generous givcrs
than generous receivers.
1t has been truly said that the way =
lady takes a compliment stamps her
place in society. 4 blush denotes the
debutante: a giggle. the silly or unse-
phisticated. 4 hrusque protest. the sensi-
bic but unpolish@i but the quiet unelat-
ed smile with quieter thank You
phrase if reply be necessary. unmistaka-
bly, denotes the woman of social training.
the one accustomed to compliments.
Many mothers. rightfully anxious to
keep their daughters heads level.
lcacH JheH 10 nave horror OF cOmpN-
ments. They repeat harsh. half-truc
sayings such as the man who flatterS
a woman either hopes to find her a fool
or to make her one, and with ideas of
this kind in her mind. the young girl
often unkindy resents words that are
sincerely meant and makes awkward sit
uationS for herself and her friends She
should be taught Il keen discrimination
between hattery and praise. and have
answering phrases for both at her
tongues end.
Every girl who would hold a place in
the social world must acquire the art of
graciously accepting Il compliment and
of turning down impudent hattcry. \
little quiet forethought and preparedness
is really all that is necessary.
But kindly gifts and words and deeds
mean SO much in this old world of ours.
that we should all of lis study to accord
them Il gracious receiving. Everyday
Housekeeping.