The Washington herald., 1909-06-27
FAMILY. SKELETONS.
SIR. MeGwilIer1son Thought OF Going
Into Busine -; Glad He Didn't.

Mr. McGwiiIer1sOn Thought OF Going
Into Busine 50; Glad He Didn't.
I am glad 2 Dw." said Nr MacGwil-
lerton. In the Boston Herald. that 7
didn't take Up the family skeleton busi-
ness, as I had some thought OF doing
when was younger
Youth IS hopeful. optimistic. in youth
everything seems bright and sweet and
cheerful And then as We get a little
older and really begin 20 learn something
OF men and life we begin wisely aad
solemnly 70 tafIe 2 pessimistfc view we
hear OF some man who has gone wrong
and then OF some other. and we say.
gloOmily. that all men are crooks. II
Is at this stage OF our existence when
our faith Is 50 undermined. that some
wise OF sour person tells US every family
has a skeleton in its closet.
And II seems 10 me that Y Il was
true, as they told me, there might be .
chance for me IN a business way IN fur
nishing family skeletons. II every fam
ly had q skeieton the number n use
must be enormous and the demand for
them constantly great.
We don't worry much over other
peoples skeletons. tho only one that
really disturbs us Is our own. And there
must be a lot OF people who had haif
made or imperfect skeletons harryirE
things that they kept locked up Just a.
closely. but which were not Skeletons
az al except as they made them 50.
and I thought might work Up quite a
large business supplying skeletons for
all such VINO might think they wanted
The real article.
But before had fairly laid nv
plans for snba-king in the family skeI-
eton business. sls mind was drawn IN
another direction ] found as I grew
older that I became less pessfmistlc
met more people and discovered
that what I had been pleased 10 cali
the crooks were in rhe .linoritv. and
then some even of these whom 7 had
thus considered presented 70 ne a
somewhat different aspect when seen
from a different point OF view, there
were mitigating circumstances in some
cases. and in some my Judgment had
been hasty- There were crooks ana 7
must look Out Tor them. but the world
wasn't full Of them. on the courrarv-
the world was fzu OF honest people
And then as I grew older Z ceased
20 accept the Old saying that there's 4
skeleton In every household. In soma
homes you might ind one, bur n TIA
bulk OF families none. Here and there
around you might find an imaCinsrv
skeleton made OF such fimsy material
as pride. this skeleton consisting IN the
recollection Of some ancestor who was
poor OF whose calling was far from
LOFTY. or something OF that sort: bat or
real family skeletons. grim reminders
o. really dreadful things IN the family
history. you would ind n closets but a
few
In fact the most % - 1,-s o--a-,,.
and more or less humdrum and peaceTuI
and happy lives in an atmosphere IN
which fortunately family skeletons do
not grow We may have our trials and
our sorrows, We all DO. but these don't
breed skeletons We may conjure I'd for
ourselves out OF trivial uhings. Ilttls
what you might call skeletOnettes. which
We hide away IN a closet ana bother
ourselves over for a time. but these va
are apt sInilingiy 10 discard az we 20
along.
And 50 there YOU a7e. The most OF
Us I've 1ndistuTbed by fear aid Ind ne
ar least moderately happy. And 50 the
use o. family skeletons must really be
limited. and then come 10 realize thar
you probably couldn't sell any sort OF 4
family skeleton even II you should pr1t
one on the market. for 70 be OF any real
use, Of genuinely disturbing Qualities
such skeleton must De home made.
Any skeleton that I might have offered
might never have sold at all
And 50 am glad that early learned
70 take cheerful view and kept out OF
The fsmily skeleton business"