St. Tammany farmer., 1906-06-02

MOI imposed to Modesty-The Fault
o1 se1f-censciousness- -shun Dis
sased self-ouestionings.
bY LUCY ELLIOT KELLER.
eea Is indeed a central metropolis,
.4'a outlying suburbs. II anyone is
oouotiul how numerous these suburbs
are let him consult the pages in the
dict1onary which set forth the COM
pounds OF self" From self-abhor-
renee to self-worship, from self-aban-
comment to self-will, the list extends
IN bewildering array.
early In life we should learn the
oraclag value and sweetness of self
control. Self-control is not negative
merely. Put small boy in a chair
ana tell him to control himself, and
ne Will act his very naughtiest. No.
sel1-control is positive power to use
our halnd to definite purpose and ad-
vantage. ~...
Close after self-control comes the
principle OF self-drill, self-discipline
we readf1n Judges that among the
BenJaminites were 700 chosen men, left
handed, every one of whom could fling
stones at q hairs breadth and not
miss.
The means OF self-discipline lie
around in every path, just as the temp
tatlou to self-seeking besets every cor
ner. Mendelssohn made It a rule for
many years to compose some music
every day.
Let young people drill themselves
into philosophical attitude toward
annoyances, disappointments, calami-
ties, for of these all of us must meet
our share. The tendency to self-in-
diligence, the desire to do only what
one likes, Is one OF the characteris-
tics OF the age, but it is surprising
with what ease that spirit can be put
to rout by any individual who chooses
to stand up to it. instead Of lying fiat
before It. The worst victim of self
Indulgence can be reused, invigorated
and cured by vigorous, self-inficted,
self administered discipline. Thus we
rise ON the stepping stones of our dead
selves.
.
II / were boy or girl should cul-
tfvate self-enchaatment, that divine
ability to slip at will out of the husk
Of things; that capacity to crack the
shell and find the nut within. Little
Aurore Dupin George Sand) was
no1,ar foruhf ro1;o;or ond hor h,,r orrx,
little soul invented deity Of her own.
She made a little shrine in the garden
and sacrificed to her god by catching
birds and butterflies and setting them
free in his honor. Do not take up your
residence in Grub street, so-called t'be-
cause nobody ever turns butterfly
there." Read poetry, make music,
sketch, know birds and stones and
stars and clouds; keep your illusions,
cherish the ideals Of your youth, carry
about a lovely world within yourself
the outside world takes all its color
and grace and value from that.
II / were young should disdain the
arts of self-advertisement. A fastidi-
GUS taste and q large sense Of humor
will prove great antidotes to the cray-
ing for popularity. The boy who has
been written up, who has seen his pic
ture shining through haze OF sham
glory and smudgy printing in the Sun
day newspaper may, by innate manli-
ness. escape unbearable self-conceit,
but he cannot avoid coming to look
with tolerance upon offensive person
alities. Often he comes to think 1t
more important to be talked about
than it is to know. A recent leader OF
fashionable society is said to have won
a wife by plunging into reservoir OF
water while dressed In his evening
clothes. and achieved fame of the kind
his crowd enjoys by asking four
legged donkey to dinner party at
Newport, where he munched oats
while the rest OF the party partook OF
lighter fare.
"sir." said street urchin to man
walking along with a tremendous swag-
ger. asir, will you have the kindness to
tell me are you anybody in Particular
Far finer than self-advertisement is
that grand regimental self-respect
which people who prefer to use for
eign language call esprit de corps.
.Boys." said Mr.. Jerome to the report
ers "vou may make me talk sheer
nonsense il you will and shall never
call YOU to account; but II ever one OF
YOU should put into my mouth word
that brings my honor into question !
will have him clapped behind the
bars"
Such self-respect is not opposed to
modesty. my poor humble SELF was
often on Jenny Lind's lips; yet she
never cringed or lost her fine dignity.
we must respect ourselves whom we
have known before we can respect
others whom we have not known. The
h.hit Of rising when our elders or su-
neriors~ enter the room is significant
- our whole attitude toward the rules
- society. The courteous gesture
makes q place for itself ia every we'll
ordered life. Kipling recognized TINS
when he rhymed:
..rf only myself could talk to myself
A II knew him a year ago,
i could tell him lot
That would save him lot
~ things he ought to know.
.
Thc self-expressjon necessary In 30
..1 l;fe takes many forms. There is
self-reyelation, the passing out OF
ona,s self through words. tones and