The Monticellonian., 1907-04-18


 mother one of those extremely deli cate. sensitive souls who suffer from every rough touch She will mourn fer days over an imaginary sligh; or cutting remark froLa her husband, who would not hurt her for the world. and who is totally unconscious of hay ing caused pain Or. it may be. one ot the children is so sensitive that he is daily and hourly hurt by the less fine-gr,ined brothers or sisters. and cries himself to sleep many a night because of the thoughtless remarks of the others. Yet. if they had dreamed that their words would give pain. they would not have uttered them. Thou sands of people are out Of positions. and cannot keep good places when they get them, because of this weak ness. Many a good business man has been kept back, or even ruined. by nis quickness to take offense, or to re- sent fanoied slight There is many q clergyman. well-edueated and able. who is so sensitive that he cannot kcep a past0rate long. From his dis torted viewpoint some brother or sis ter in the church is always hurting him saying and thinking unkind things, or throwing out hints and sug- gestions calculated 10 injure him in the eyes of the congregation. He magnifies these chimeras until he is finally goaded by them to seek an. other charge Many school-teaehers are great sufferers from oyer-scnsi- tiveness. Remarks of parents. or school committees. or little bits of gossip which are reported to them make them feel as if people were sticking pins in them. metaphorieal- ly speaking. all the time. Writers, authors and other people with artis tic temperaments. are usually very sensitive I have in mind a very strong. vigorous editorial writer who is so sensitive. and 90 prone 10 take offense, that he cannot hold q posi- ticn either on a magazine or daily paper. He is cut to the very quick by the slightest adverse criticism. and regards every suggestion in regard to his work as q personal affront. He all ways carries about an injured air, a feeling that he has been imposed upon. which greatly detracts from an other wise agreeable personality.
 One of the best schools for sensi tive boy is q large business house in which he will be yhrown among stran- gers who will not handle him with gloves. In snch an environment he will soon learn that everyone has all he can do 10 attend to his own busi- ness He will realize that he must be a man and give and take with the others, or get out. He will b. ashamed 10 play "cry baby every time he feels nurt. but will make up his mind to grin and bear il Work ing in competition with other people, and seeing that exactly the same treatment is given to those above him as to himself, takes the nonsense out of him. He begins to see that the world is too busy to bother itself espe- cially about him and that, even when people look at him, they are not usual. ly thinking of him.
 What shall do to get rid of it9' asks q victim Think less of yourself and more Of others. Mingle freely with people Become interested in things outside of yourself Do you brood over what is said 10 you. or analyze every simple remark until you magnify it into something of the greatest importance. Do not have such low and unjust estimate of peo= pie as to think they are bent on noth. ing but hurting the feelings Of oth. CTS, and deprecating and making light of them on every possible occa. sion. 4 man who appreciates himself at his true value. and who gives his neighbors credit for being al least as good as he is. cannot De a victim of over-sensitiveness.
 When a prominent congressman was told that member of the house of representatives had insulted him, he replied: No gentleman would in sult me. and no one else could " But am not derided," calmly replied Diogenes to one who told him that he was derided. The philosopher knew that only those are ridiculed who feel the ridicule and are hurt by it.
 One should be so large and so con soious of his kinship with his Gre ator that he could not conceive him self as being made the butt of ridi- eule or a mark for contempt. Serene Iarge-minded people who place a prop CT estimate upon themselves are un. disturbed by the trifies that complete ly upset smaller characters
 A college course is of inestimable value to a boy or girl of over-refned sensibilities. Oftentimes. when boys enter college as freshmen, they are so touehy that their sense Of honor is constantly being hurt and their pride stung by the unconscious thrusts Of classmates and companions. But after they have been in college term. and have been knocked about and handled in a rough but goed-hHmored manner by youths of their own age. they re- alize that it would be the most fool ish thing in the world io betray re- sentiment If one shows that he is hurt. he knows that he will be called the class booby. and teased unmerci- lu4s9. ao ie iS slHspty loiCeu 10 uIOp his foolish sensitiYeness.
 Ne see the sane thing in girls. col leges. Girls who are as sensitive as an aspen leaf. on entering college. often come out ct the end of their four years course with all their eX- cessiye irritabiiity cEYad by repeated doses of common sense
 There are many. however. who must go through life without going through