The Holbrook news., 1911-05-12
ALL MANKIND IS VAIN
SOOTHING BALM FOR MANY
 WOUNDS IN VANITY.
Uncle Hiram Warns His Nephew Not to Mistake seIf-Esteem for Self BeIIef-HomeIy Men Think
 Themselves Handsome.

"Stevey, my boy" said Uncle Hi- ram to his hopeful young nephew, there's a terrible difference between vanity and self-belief.
 I've known plenty of men who were fairly saturated, soaking with vanity, but who didn't have real cour- age enough to scare away cat They drought they were the hand somest men alive; but there were plenty of homely men that they'd let walk right over them. They had no end of vanity, but no real self-belief.
 "As matter of fact, Stephen, think you are about as homely a young chap as I know; but it doesn't fol- low from that that you're rugged And as far as that goes I never yet knew a homely man but what thought he was handsome; and that thought does a man no harm unless he lets his vanity satisfy him so that he's content to rest on that without further effort.
 'Our vanity is a soothing balm for many wounds; it helps us much to bear life's buffetings. When some body treats us rudely we say to our selves we know what he is and we know what we are, and humphl and SO on; and under such exasperation our vanity is very soothing to us, and that's all right.
 And there are millions and mill ions of people, Stevey, who never get anywhere in the world because they haven't got it in em, but who still are vain; people who never get chance, and who wouldn't try if they did get one, because they are too timid, but who still are filled with vanity, vanity that is to them a bless ing, for it is all they have or ever will have; and these may be, you un- derstand, good, hard working people, good people; the only solace they have is their own harmless vanity But 1t is a great solace; it makes life easier for them and it makes them hopeful, cheerful.
 Sometimes when I think of 1t think our vanity is our. greatest bless ing, and I am not sure now but what 1t is SO. Good thing to remember, Stephen, that all men, all men, are vain. Every man, whatever his lot in life, high or low, is vain and easily wounded. Never wound anybody, Stephen.
 50 have no objection to your be- ing vain, Stephen. You may think you are handsome if you want to or you may admire your own clothes or your neckties; you may think you're, the finest fellow on earth; but don't mistake your vanity for self-belief- Above all things you want really to believe in yourself, and this belief must be not a mere fancy. It must be true. rugged, 100 per cent plus belief. something very different from vanity; it must be a real belief that inspires you to do things and that sustains and fortifes you; that in- vigorates and constantly strengthens you in whatever you undertake.
 And you must do things. You can't be content to sit down and admire yourself You must butt into things and buck 'em, and If you're thrown on one side advance on the other. growing bigger and stronger all the time with the exercise of your grown invincible; finally in your blood, tissue and bone belief in in yourself
 That's what you want, Stevey, whole hearted, thorough, complete, 100 per cent plus belief in yourself; with that you'll get on in the world and have little time left over to indulge in harmless vanity"