Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-25

achievements ana stupid children. Carne-
gle hero medals are distributed for less
cause. But the reward. OF the patient
listener lie an almost slavish alteration
from his fellow creatures.
Self Is a harp of a thousand strongs
upon which we can always play with
sure hand, and that evokes a music that
will make everybody we meet go up and
follow us as long as we sing the saga
OF their own performances. The. Pied
Piper of Hamelin. was a piker compared
to talented listener.
Therefore, II you wish to be sought after
you have only to lead people TO talk
about their own affairs. Just ask Mr..
Man to tell you the details of that coup
he made 4 in the stock market or how
many miles a day he averaged on the
automobile run from here to Chicago, or
about the pedigree OF his dog. You will
see joyous light leap into his eyes, and
he viii want to take you out and buy
you food and drink. and he will follow
you down the steps and hold you by the
buttonhole and chant your praises from
Dan TO Beersheba,
More He Will be convinced that you are
one Of the most intelligent and level
headed men he ever met and with the
best Judgment and the soundest taste
and the most brilliant conversational
powers.
If you are woman and want TO be
popular with the other women the short
cut TO their liking is through the same
door. Thus, lead Mrs. Woman to tell
you all about her clubs. and her clothes,
and her children. and her servants, and
say nothing at all OF your own any more
than II you were a hermit in the wilder
ness. with q few fig leaves for a gown
instead OF an imported Paris frook, and
you will find yourself so overrun with
invitations FOR dinners and iuaeheons that
you could live on them II necessary.
OF courHe / am not denying that to
sacrifice the guperiative soy OF BLOWING
ones own horn-whioh IL without doubt
the most unalloyed pleasure on earth
is a terrific price 10 pay for popularity.
I merely state It as a fact that popu-
larlty can DO bought at this price. and
you can take II or leave L., as you like.
Besides the policy Of keeping slent
about yourself because Il borss people 10
hear about you, and listening TO thom
talk about themselves because Il uekles
their vanity TO do 30. there is very
tender and human side to this phase OF
the subject.
One Of the most popular people that
have ever known in my life was a woman
who was almost Tepulsively ugly in face
and figure. Nor had she any redeerninE
charm Of wit or intelligence. ou,wardly
she was just a plain, dull, drab. eolorless
sort Of a woman; yet she drew every
heart to her and men and women Wed
with each other in showing her such at
tention that even beauty and b:illiancy
seldom got
The secret OF this woman's charm was
that she possessed TO an extraordinary
degree the gift Of sympathy and OF be-
ing interested In other people. She had
the art Of setting every tongue a-wasSins
about itself, and making you feol that
your sorrow or soy was OF intense and
thrilling personal interest 20 her.
II you met her but for an instant on
the street she asked you some question
concerning the subject that was upper
most IN your mind. and she listened with
On expression Of ecstAtie interest while
you poured out the ihed Of your woes
or blared forth the pason Of your sue
cess.
And she paid you the compliment Of
'--rys remembering Just what your little
y was, whether you had the rheu.
OF nervous prostration whether
80. Sedsved yourself an unapprsciated
genius or the greatest literary hGht Of tins
age; whether your pet theme was tbs
marvel OF precocity your children were
~ S-hstAsr you snfovsd most pstyinl