The Appeal., 1906-05-12
|CUl|YA7'| R[P|OSE
FRIENDLY ADVICE TO THE FID-
GETTY SCHOOLGIRL.
Serenity One Of the Most Charming
Of GiriisA Traits-Anger : Foe to
Health and Happiness The Art of
Sitting Still Gentle Courtesy
Robs Life of Its Friction-As a Ma
tion, We Are ALI Marching on the
Double Quick.
BY MARGARET p. sANGsTER. +

r. 4 ) 2 = 8 2 ~, i r
BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER. u
I doubt very much whether girls be-
tween lS and 16 ever appreciate the
Importance of knowing how to sit still.
This is one Of the lessons we learn at
school, and it is fully as valuable as
any lesson in science or literature, or
any other department in which we are
Instructed. Girls are often fidgety,
jumping up and rushing about when
there is no need for restless activity,
and changing their posture until look
Ing at them is fatiguing to other peo-
pie. Unless we learn how to sit still
when we are young, we seldom master
the art successfully when we are Older.
! can think of a famous man whose
namefis honored wherever it is heard.
He has one fault Of manner that he
has never overcome; hescannot sit still.
In a drawing room. he wriggles and
fidgets and actually when excited
bounces up and down like ball, and
wise hostesses invariably take the pre-.
caution to seat him in their strongest
chairs. In church he slips down III
front OF the pew, leans his head on
the railing, comforts himself in quee!'
fashion, and furnishes entertainment
for his neighbors and annoyance to the
minister. All this could have been all
tered had anybody taken pains to teac;
the man how to sit still in his boyhood
One of the most charming things in
girlhood is serenity 1t would pay a
father should he spend much money
In having his pretty daughter taught
outward repose
How can | be calm and placid ?''
asks Josephine, when | am bubbling
up and effervescent inside? How cau
I look tranquil when l am angry ana
disturbed?''
The questions are we'll put, although
they touch opposite aspects of the case.
1t is natural thattg girls should be bub-
bling up with gaiety and high spirits.
A dull, stupid girl, who has no fun in
her and who does not care about good
times is SO exceptional that we are
sure she is i'll and, if we are sensible,
send for the doctor to look her over
and tell us what to do But one may
be bright and cheerful, may laugh AMI
be merry, and yet be so self-restraine.l
that she will not let her fun break in
upon the quiet of her friends, or so IA :
forget herself as to force it upon them.
II they are in different mood A girl
who has learned to sit still controls
her fun just as she. does every other
act and state Of body anu mind.
AS to being angry and disturbed, :!
must say plainly that such tempers in
girlhood are very unwholesome. Anger
in most circumstances is a foe to
health and happiness, and is like a
snake in the grass OF an enemy within
the gates in its. effect upon character
Very few people can afford to indulge
anger. It is the most poisonous and
upsetting Of passions, and leads to no
end of misery. Neither should a girl
let herself be disturbed when things
go little wrong. They are bound to go
wrong now and then, and when they
do we must be philosophical and makz
the best of it.. You remember Charles
Dickens and his 'tF'ive-and- -Twen:ty
Tattycorum.''' The absurd name be-
longed to "a charity child, who lived in
the house :of philosopher, and when
she threw herself into a fit of frenzy
as she sometimes did, the good man
told her to count five and twenty be-
fOr0 q hc col q lEcirp o10
us would have to county five and twen.
ty several times before we had quite
conquered our vexation, especially il
we had never learned how to wait AM
be patient. The wise man said in the
Proverbs, Better is he that ruleth his
spirit than he that taketh a city, an:
no truer word was ever spoken
| One advantage given to girls who
learn to dance and to boys who arr
taught military tactics is found in ths
control they gain over their muscles
and the fexibility and poise that com:
through movement in harmony witt
rhythm and law An equal advantag;
would be gained should girls and boy
practice sitting still. AS, however, W,
| hardly expect so much repose in tn:
brothers as in the sisters, the latte
must try to set the finer examples
!
In the art of sitting still may be com
I pretended the low tone that is so de
! ightful a thing in speech, and tn
gentle courtesy that robs life of fric
ton. am constantly hearing peopl
say that they are too busy to do thi
or the other thing, that they are 81
hurried that they cannot get through
the days tasks, and that they are tire
before the day begins with the mer
thinking of What they have to do.