Evening star., 1911-08-19

nHE poet Shelley begins one OF his striking stanzas
W thus:
s ss9,iss na yeuR Rt Winds g fs sf with silver dew
The botanical name OF the aforementioned bit OF
greenery Mimosa pudca and if anything in the vege
table kingdom be said to have this plant has
them 1t trembles at the slightest disturbance. The
tramp Of person the ground the breath from stray
animal is often sufficient to make it wther Il it is shaken
all its leaves droop if it is broken off it promptly
willis in the hand 1t is keeny sensitive to the slightest
rude treatment
The genus Mimosa really comprises about spe
of plants nearly all of which have ways
And what is present interest, these types
of people that meet There more than 200
varieties Of sensitive plants in the human family he
number legion OF those whose lie the surface
who wilt after fashion another III the process
Of life's rough handling.
You have doubtless met the sensitive plant in your
church or club work Washington has them to be
Every community has them. There is to deny
He, it be she, IS forever getting hurt Sllghts
taken when none are intended Neglect or oppos-
ton assumed of which the offender IS entirely
scious seems these decatey organized people al
ways about with chips on their shoulders We must
beware of any iostling whatsoever lest knock them Off
Senstiveness of course has its good side. We should
beware of .neghbors tastes and sympathies. We
should strive for his good opinion avoid giving him
pain. And only who has capacity for pain HIM
self do this. The with is apt to be
blunderng and inconsderate friend The rnoceros type
of companion is not appealing one.
But the supersensitve person is not to be admired
We are Inclined rather feel for him certain pity He
is for hard time in this rough and tumble world
He is condemned live in the atmosphere of suspicion
and unrest and to do wholly unnecessary amount OF
grieving.
1t doesn't pay be thinskinned. Some criticism
is coming your way: you going sometimes to be
misunderstood; not all of your opinions will meet with
favor the band won't always strike up when you enter
the hall Is this calamity: Far from it. Coddling does
strong character bit of opposition often does
us good 1t is the live fish that swims upstream.
The real trouble with intensely sensitive people
is selhshness They think much about themselves.
They are exclusively occupied with their states
of mind If they heart and soul in good and
engrossng work. busy gathering out stones from
pathway along which humanity is travelling, they would
be acutey dependent what people say themor
of them.
Epictetus is rated pagan, but the old thinker
often grasped truth in that has helped all sorts
and conditions of men since his day. There is utter
ance of his that every sensitive sufferer may well out
and paste the glass of his dressing table for consuta
ton each morning "If any should your body at
the mercy of every passerby you would be indignant
When therefore you set your mind at the mercy of
every chance be troubled and perturbed when any
may revile you, have you shame of tlisr
Life is battle in which each warrior must win his
spurs No is exempt from jostng in the fight. When
Paul bade his young friend Timothy endure hardness
good soldier Of Jesus Christ he laying down
requirement for ALL 1t counsel to harshness
slackness of sympathy, but simply to that self-re
lance and mira pose that every efficient life must have
Don't be sensitive plant.