The Yale expositor., 1911-10-19

Mildred

Mildred was astonishingly proficient
in the gentle art of self-depreciation.
She had horror of permitting people
to think herself or her possessions
better than they really were. She
could not bear that any one should be-
lieve she was trying to appear smart
er or nicer than she was in reality.
For instance, if a person casually
admired her bracelet. which was set
with tiny French brilliants that de-
fled the criticism of anyone but an ex-
pert with magnifying glass, Mildred
always spoke up hurriedly.
They aren't real diamonds, you
know" she would explain. They
look real, don't they? But they
aren't"
When visitors chanced to remark
on the beauty of the Flemish wood
work in her home she would hasten to
say: "But you know 1t isn't real oak
its just pine stained. The effect Is
exactly as good and you couldn't tell
the difference unless it was explained
to you-but it isn't real oak at ALL"
One day she said to visitors: mo.
father isn't rich enough to own an
automobile" Yet these same visitors
had been assured ten minutes before
by her father that he disliked cheap
cars and was waiting until American
manufacturers did better work before
he bought machine.
Sometimes Mildreds despairing
family would take her aside after such
outbursts and demonstrate with her.
Their words ranged from fearful sup
plication to roaring threats, but the
effect in all cases was precisely moth
ing. Mildred would turn her rather
prominent, accusing eyes upon her
mentor and say: well, but it's true.
isn't it? What's wrong about telling
the truth?"
AS time went on her family de-
SPARED of ever finding a cure for this
obliquity of Mildred's mind. They
would sacrifice much in order to jolt
her into becomingly tactful state of
conscience. They finally concluded it
was hopeless.
1t irritated Mildred's mother to sail
out in brand-new gown made from
an old one sent her by rich aunt
and then to hear her daughter chirp:
You'd never guess mother hadn't
gone downtown and bought that goods
by the yard, would you? Aunt Sarah
is so much larger than mother that
things cut down nicely for her."
In response to her mothers some
what heated remarks after this par
ticular performance Mildred retorted.
shocked: why, you actually weren't
trying to make them think it was new
when it wasn't, were you? That
would be deceiving them!"
Of course, this reply would floor
any perfectly good mother. STILL as
Mildred's mother said it was infuriat-
ing to have daughter so devoid of
common sense.
Mildred was just as downright in
regard to abstract things, too. She
carefully explained that her brothers
eyes didn't really fail him at college,
but that he was expelled because he
got into so many scrapes. She also
pointed out that, even though he did
have prominent jaw, his character
lacked decision and that he threw his
things on the floor instead of hang.
ing them up.
So when she became engaged to Ru-
fus Price her family, in spite of their
disappointment, were relieved. They
felt that henceforth Mildred would be
kept busy pointing out all of Rufus
defects and faults and sins to him, so
that they would get much needed
rest.
If there was anything Rufus had IN
abundance it was faults. If he had
stood ten miles away and let you fire
shot at him it would have been i'm
possible to escape hitting a fault or
so. The more Mildred's family thought
about it the more Rufus appeared to
them like great blessing,
They were talking it over one even
ing when Mildred was supposed to be
upstairs.
"He is so homeiy." said Mildred's
mother, "and so awkward and so
slow"
"And he'll never make dollar" in
terrupted Mildred's father.
"And his temper!" suggested MIL
dreds brother. Gee! Cross grain
ed!"
Then they all stared at Mildred,
who, apparently, had risen out of the
floor
She breathed hard. 81 should think
you'd all be ashamed of yourselves!"
she stormed. "To malign a perfectly
wonderful man like Rufus Homelyt
Where are your eyes? He has a mar.
velously strong face. And just be.
cause he doesn't hop around like
dancing master is no sign that he is
awkward! He has the sweetest dis
position on earth! AS to making
money, if he isn't ten times smarter
than any of the men in his family I'd
like to know it! He is perfectly
splendid, and you can just all apollo
gize,"
I'VE apologize, all right" gasped
her brother, who was the first of the
family to recover. "If falling in love