Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
Like an Evil Spirit, 1t DweIIs
in the Mind
HURTS BRAIN AND STOMACH
Plays Havoc With Good Digestion
and Fine Feelings.
SULKY MOODS THE WORST
The Mad and Boisterous Form Of
Anger Better Than Morose and
Grouchy Disposition.

| Lady Helen Forbes. In London Mall
| I remember when l was "A child reading
| in magazine a story called The Field
| OF Lost Tempers." The gist Of ii was
! that tempers. when lost. disported them
selves in the form of beautiful boys in a
| field where they played cricket. The tenn
| pers whose owners were irascible were
| those who most often frequented the place
| Of relaxation. whereas the tempers of ami
able owners seldom obtained a holiday.
| About this conceit there was. of course.
| woven story in which a little boy named
Jim. baron and a whistle played parts.
The part about the whole thing which
| is worth remembering is this conception
| of tempers as spirits inhabiting earth
| ly tenement from which they are easily
| separated.
1t Is easy enough to conceive that Ger
| tain persons, who are to be met every
| day in certain classes of life. are possess
ed by the evil spirits Of old-so entirely
contrary to reason, to the dictates OF hu
| mainly. not to mention Christianity. and
| often to their own interest. does their
| conduct sometimes appear: indeed, it is
often the kindest thought possible to en-
| terrain Of them, and the only one con-
| ducive to forgiveness of their trying
ways. 1t is common to say of such per-
| sons that they have terrible tempers. and
| it IS questionable whether there is any
attribute or popularity quite as obnoX-
| ious to the human race at large. and
which causes a man to be quite as much
| hated and feared as this one'of TEN
| per-" 1t has more power than any other
| to turn happiness into misery. to ex-
tinguish youth and pleasure. TO render
| life burden. and escape Of any sort
even through the gates of death--a
| longed and prayed for relief. 1t wrecks
| more homes than all the other ills Of
which human nature is aware.
Incompatibility.
In marriage incompatibility OF means
is bad, and incompatibility of tastes is
worse: but incompatibility Of temper is
hopeless There is no relation Of life
which temper cannot ruin. no memories
1t cannot sour. And the worst Of 1t is
that when people have outgrown child
hood and cast of discipline there is no
cure save in the people themselves.
Others can do nothing. and, as rule
| What q temper" they sigh. They
either flee or remain and bear 1t weep
ing 1t would strike them as ridiculous
nowadays to say: What a devil! ana nc
For purposes OF classification tempers
may be arranged under Observation-Disclosures
the sweet. the good. the hot. the quick.
the bad the mad. the slow and the sIiky.
The sweet and the good are not the
same. though only q thin line divides
them The good temper is born with
person, but the sweet one can be made
OF the sweet temper 1t may be said thar
its owner is a true gentleman. whatever
may be his station or calling. and true
Christian; one may go a step farther and
say he 10 q saint: and certainly we have
it on the best authority that he Is great
Il lob n aif ~ IN n
| have been. born possessed Of a devil. but
| he has learned to cast it out and TO feel
amiable until 1t becomes second nature.
The good temper is born in natures or
| low vitality iron nerves and thick skin.
These are insensitive to changes Of moral
atmosphere and what would wound an
other soul MORALLY barely inflicts
scratch on them. The rest OF their emo
tons are usually on par with the tenn
Those incapable Of the passion of anger
must be incapable of any other great pas
| sion.
Hot and Quick Tempers.
The hot and quick tempers are not dis
tinguishable by the other attributes OF
their possessor. They are both signs. OF
a temperament full of vitality. capable
Of enthusiasm and strong feeling. But
the hot temper is compatible with weak
mind and a cold. sometimes even a cruel.
heart. The hot-tempered person flares up
like a straw rick in flames. and is al
most instantly cool again. He seldom, II
ever. cherishes any resentment as soon as
he has said his violent say. A hot temper
is supposed TO be lovable. and the hot
tempered races to be more romantic than
their more sluggish brethren. But 1t is
usually sign of weakness OF character
The quick temper, on the other mana,
may go hand In hand with strong
lo ne NJ
trolled, which the hot temper Is not. The
|quick-tempered man may be swift to take
fire and slower to strike: In the hot tenn
pered man the two are simultaneous
The quick temper Is far more likely to
be really generous. not because he feels
less but because he has larger outlook.
The actually bad temper is the attribute
Of very strong character and decided
feet control of its possessor. and Is
smoldering volcano under smiling green
fields. But when the psychological mo-
ment arrives and the bad-tempered man
more terrible than any other While 1t
waited straining in the leash. 1t gathered
force and concentration. and when free
Il seldom fails to strike exactly where
II meant.
The Worst Demon.
The mad and the sulky tempers are the
most thoroughly unpleasant demons Of
all, Inc nrSt is utterly OUTSIDE It's OWL
er's control so that 1t is not the emana.
tien of q very strong mind, though. I'M
like the hot temper, 1t lasts and is unfor-
giving. It Is also indiscriminate, laying
about 1t with such violence as to destroy
all that is worth having in its own life
and the life OF those around it. The mad
temper is, however. capable of good i'm
pulses, which the Sulky temper Is not.
The mad temper may be pitied and some
times. though rather rarely, loved But
no one genuinely loves a sulky temper,
which, indeed, is widely unpopular on ac-
count of the gloom 1t throws on its sur
roundings to the eclipse of all gaiety.
and on account Of the fact that II never
forgives and forgets. but goes on turning
its grievances over and over like a growl-
ing dog with bone.
As to the slow temper. II Is the prop
erty> of the same sort OF pachy dermatous
temperament as the good temper. the only
difference being that its owners seldom
have as strong health and nerves. Their
vitality il low, and when offended they
do not hit back, but vince: theirs Is q
mean-spirited demon.
It IL impossible to be born with no
temper at all. and it would be going too
far to assert that no temper is capable
Of modification Indeed. we know that
devils can be cast out neck and crop.
But what a pity that more people are not
their own eXOrcfscrs instead Of being as