The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-09
HEaRT
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HONE |
TALKS

Seems to me there is u lot of mis-
directed kindness in the world. |
certainly appreciate kindness 1t is a
/ beautiful thing. But / must say / dc
rot always appreciate the results OF
kindness. They are not always beau
tiful 1t Is a pity that a thing SO
lovely in itself should produce such
warped offspring. 1t is simply be-
cause some people whose hearts bub-
BILE over with Kindness have heads
bubbling over with obstinacy or bossi
ness. or to put IL more politely, toe
much individualism. They do not
want any individualism 10 crop out
in others. They believe III it for them
selves, but IL is an unpleasant quail
ty in somebody else. SO though they
may have all the kindness in the
world. while this opinion rules then
headworks. their kindness is apt to
be misdirected.
wanted some shelves put up.
Papa-in-law offered to come and put
them up, having heard me remark
that never could hit a nail or make
any Impression upon screw. /
thought this was lovely in him, for
he is farmer and knows all sorts
of things and / meditated getting
various odd jobs done which | felt
sure he would know exactly how to
do.
When he arrived he announced that
/ hadn't any tools suitable. and forth.
with went and bought various saws
and hammers and chisels and screw
drivers and other complicated look
ing things. | regarded this some
what obviously, for I didn't ever ex
pect to go into the carpenter bust
ness. Still [ consoled myself with the
thought that if / had hired q man to
do the work he would have charged
me as much as the tools cost, and
not done anything the way / wanted
ii.
l wanted a shelf over the kitchen
sink. but papa ~in-law waved the sue-
gestion aside and said. NO, you don't
want 1t there. 1t will be in the way
of washing Dishes | didn't see II.
But he paid no attention to me.
mounted step ladder and fell to
work. How he expected me to reach
a shelf up there. | do not know.
Hand me the hammer, Barbara. -
Get me some nails. too. And / need
l7-inch screw" or something of the
kind, was the way the orders flew
/ scurrted around and handed him
up what seemed to me hardware
shop, the While the pie burned and
the baby fell down the front steps
AS I took the black ened pie from the
oven, l could hear him thinking, MY
wife never burns her pies, but OF
course"
The shelves | wanted in the kitchen
cupboard he insisted upon putting in
the celiarway, where | shall bump
my head on them every time | 90
down cellar. The one / desired in the
bathroom he put in the hall outside
the bathroom door Far more con
venient,' he insisted. He rehung
most of the pictures and entirely re-
arranged the plates in the plate-rack
He sawed and hammered and pound.
ed merrily. scattered shayings and
sawdust all over the house. and was
SO satisfied when he was done and
so sure he had helped me so much
| that, OF course. ] couldn't say much
especially as he is papa-in-la law.
/ His kindness is all right. He has q
| great big heart But he can't see any
| way but his own way, which shows
| his eyesight Is defective. and thus his
kindness, so beautiful in itself, is mis-.
directed. And the worst of it, he
never knows 1t, He says he is com
! ing again to do some little jobs for
| me. But he won't IL | know it, IL
| take his intention for the deed and
/ quietly sidetrack any further efforts
! on his part in my behalf.
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