The Tupelo journal., 1906-04-06
BY MARGARET E. sANGsTER

BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER.
An old Spanish proverb runs to the
effect that it takes two to make a
quarrel; one can always end it. This
is equivalent to saying that one OF
two who are co%ntending will have sufti-
cient self-restraint and kindness or
heart to forego the privilege OF the
last word. In the family as nowhere
else on earth, wills and temperaments
are in danger of clashing. and people
being sure of mutual affection, ex-
| press their minds with a candor that
may wound the sensitive and leave
uncomfortable memories. nave
known families who were never happy
when separated, though they were al
ways wretched when together. Incom-
| patibility of disposition may work dis
aster to domestic peace, when every
body concerned is high-minded n
honorable. A good man may have a
knack of putting his foot clumsily
| where it behoOves him to tread deli
| cately, and a good woman may have
a trick of flying off the handle on
| slight occasion. When such opposite
| forces exist in a home, there is great
need to remember the pith of the old
proverb, 1t takes two to make a quar-
| rel.
The wisest of men declared that a
| soft answer turneth away wrath. AS a
| rule this is a verify. But there are
| exceptions. In certain moods. a SOFT
| answer is an irritant, an ~aggravation
of the previous o~ffense, and its effect
is that of a firebrand upon dry stub
BILE.
While men and women continue
| what they are. human and Imperfect,
| there will never be unbrOken serenity
and entire agreement in n home I'M
der the sun. An old gentleman once
| boosted that he had lived with his wife
so years, and they had never had a dir-
| ference of opinion.
Vera praiseworthy," commented a
| plain-spoken Scottish friend. "but very
| monotonous." Another man com
| placently asserted that he had dweit
in harmony with his better half for a
| great many years. IF She prefers
red and l prefer blue" he explained,
1--WE always settle the matter by com
promising IN the blue An obviously
easy method this was, if a wife were
| ready to sacrifice her OWL desire and
efface her own individuality. A long
course of it would spoil the most rea-
sonable of husbands and make him
terribly self-opinionated, or were the
pendulum to swing the other way, and
the wife forever have the final deci-
sion, it would turn the sweetest of
women into a tyrant of the hearth.
Fairness compels the conclusion that
two or more grown persons sheltered
under the same roof, cannot invariably
think alike.
Nor would it be desirable that they
should. A stagnant pool is a menac
to health. Running water, foaming
over the rocks, is a pledge of whole
some life in the locality. A stiyless
day. when no breeze blows, is less slim
ulating than a day when the winds
hold a jubilee. Movement, progression.
even friction of the right kind. tend
to development of the finest type.
But people may differ without bick-
ering and fighting. They may ex-
press themselves strongly without in
| ficting pain. They may continue to
think differently, and yet live in tran
guilty, if they choose.
at takes two to make q quarrel;
One can always end it."
"You might accept my politics" ex-
postulated a husband, who was an old
| fashioned democrat, to his wife, who
was a radical republican.
81 accepted you. DEAR" she replied.
| "but my political sentiments are an
Inheritance from my father, and |
cannot change them any more than
| can change the color of my eyes"
THANK Heaven" he murmured,
"that you haven't a vote"
Some of us who have no enthusiasm
| on the subject of universal suffrage,
are of the honest mans opinion. And
vet. if ever American ONE in an
insistent majority, should demand suf-
| frage. American men will have too
much gallantry to deny them, and
none of us anticipate that any fright
| full domestic calamities will ensue
| from that cause.
Common sense and mutual good feel
ing, with due regard for the effect of
| uuarrels upon the children will usual
ly prevent distressing squabbles in the
home. Hot-tempered people are prone
to say more than they mean. Tact
less folk rush into mistakes. But love
is a solvent that prevails to blend the
most diverse elements, and to con
ciliate the most obstinate.
Speaking of obstinacy, thousands OF
people confuse it with firmness. They
| fancy if they cannot be moved from
a position, either by argument or per
| suAsion, that they are showing ten
acity Of purpose and strength OF will
to an extent that lifts them above
their fellows. Often instead OF firm
ness, these people are simply display
ing the temper of a balky horse, or the
absurd s~teadfastness of a mule that
refuses to stir a step. We may be OBJ
stinate in holding fast to a prejudice,
or obstinate because of over-weaning
s%elf-conceit. An ability to see another