Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24

Happy Is She
Who wills to be master OF her nervous sys-
TEN. Nerves are convenient packhorses to
carry the blame of morbid tempers irrita-
bil!ty and other unfortunate conditions,
without remembering that nerves are TO be
kept in order by good sense and a firm will.
Healthy nerves contribute only to the pleas
ure and happiness OF life, and never assert
themselves except agreeably. The diseased
nerve sends its quivering lance thrust of
pain to the remotest corners of our being.
and pain. therefore, always is danger
signal. and must not be passed by without
attention.
BE there aching eyes or ears or teeth. or
a weary sense of weight in the back, or II
there even be a vague sense Of discomfort
anywhere let the nerves be credited with
supporting the trouble and let them then
be s0othed and strengthened.
But TO lay at the door OF these ready
servants the responsibility for all querulous-
ness or fear is to make false accusations
The real responsibility is with US. II We
try and II We persevere any woman among
us can be serene and quiet hammered, can
bear suffering with fortitude, and can meet
disaster with heroism. The higher one
rises In the social scale the more one finds
OF calm and gentle bearing, whatever be
falls the actor in the worlds drama Social
training stands one in stead when 1t is an
affair Of keeping still. though it is with set
teeth. or of filing the air with outcrles and
Clamur.
4 single chronic complainer. with nerves
forever on edge. can effectually destroy the
tranquility of the domestic circle, and
menace all its comfort. While but one
calm and peaceful mind that is not lightly
looseued from its moorings still can soften
On entire household.
It is in the Art
That conceals art that genius excels- The
mechanism is hidden. the many touches
blend into one harmonious whole, and it
sometimes simply is impossible to change
one word in the great masterpieces of liter
allure without marring their symmetry.
There IS an erroneous notion that, to be
worthy Of the name, genius must be spon-
taue0us In all its manifestations; that 1t
should owe nothing to method and training.
but should be superior to the laws that
govern ordinary mortals and which are
needed 90 develop ordinary endowments and
faculties Genius IS much more than the
definition Of it a capacity for taking
great pains, Yet the divine spark must be
tended, the great gift be used with patient
diligence ere all its possibilities can be
wrought out or the world recognize it as a
prize or receive benefit therefrom.
Music seems the most spontaneous of arts,
the least amendble to laws and limitations,
but il demands not only faithful apprentice
ship but eXacts constant arduous practice
from those who would interpret It, while
composers lavish pains on the glorious
works which suggest labor little as does
the first fine. careless rapture" of a bird
song.
Perhaps in the expression taking pains"
the charm of work and the richness Of the
awards are obsCured, for the average mind
translates painstakiug into Flooding and
looks upon lah0rs seamy side alone, with
out regarding the great delights and com
peusstiors that attend the toiler. Yet the