The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-10-20
TACTLEss PEOPLE
Errors of All Kinds Com
mitted BY Well-Mean-
ing People.
X y Y X X X X X X X X!

what would offend Oh disturb. Just
because there are SO many things to
annoy and irritate we appreciate the
efforts of those who by their wisdom,
patience,and sympathy straighten out
the tangles, smooth the rufled spirit,
and pour cooling oil on the heated
machinery.
The tactless are the Witless, who
never know they are laundering un-
til they see the cloud of resentment,
whereas the tactful may administer
a needed rebuke 20 adrOitly that IL
wins friend instead OF making an
enemy. Archbishop TAFT would often
say to his secretary, when answer
fng some prattling correspondent,
TELL him he ID an idiot, but say 80
kindly" This is just what tact is
capable of doing.
The tactful man says neither too
much nor too little. At a business
meeting the chairman announced:
Brother Skinner submits his resig-
nation d. "a member or this society.
What action shall be taken upon it,"
81 move, sir" responded one Of the
parliamentarians present, that the
resignation be accepted, and that a
vote OF thanks be rendered Brother
Skinner"
In reply to the question Of the
very talkative boarder, why do they
say as smart as steel trap? I
cannot see anything so intellectual
about a steel trap" Mr.. Pepper answ-
cred in hi sweetest voice, "a steel
trap is called smart because it knows
exactly the right time to shut up"
In which respect the steel trap
was wiser than the married man who
didn't know enough to leave his last
sentence unuttered. He had been
married several years, and his wife
said to him one night: You do not
speak as affectionately to me as you
used to, Hal. / fear you have ceased
to love me-"
Ceased to love you! There you
go again. Ceased to love you Why
I love you more than life itself. Now
shut up and let me read the paper"
There are bluff and blunt-spoken
folk whose tactlessness is simply
rudeness, sometimes almost brutal in
its frankness. Ian Maclaren tells of
a parishioner Of Dr. Norman Macleod,
who, when her husband was sick,
sent for the minister OF the next par
ish. Answering the call, this good
man did not recognize the worthy
pair as of his parish; so he asked,
TO what church do you belong?"
"Dr. Macleod's."
Then why do you not call him to
your house?"
"Hoot, mon," answered the mis-
tress, Ill We think we wad be riskin'
our Nourman wi the typhus fever?"
By the bedside OF sensitive wo-
man attacked with pneumonia a most
benevolent-looking woman said in
clear tones: There il no hope. i
see the death-mark on her face"
This is not quite so bad as the re-
mark made by Scotch wife to her
dying husband, who turned his face
from the wall to say: Lass, that
ham savors fine, Ye may gi' me a
bite,n
Tut tut, mon," was the reply,
ham is ma for the deein'; Get thee
on wi thy struggles. The ham is
for the buryin'."
a widow called to see a man who
was slowly passing from this world,
and said to him. You'll see Tom,"-
you to tell him I'm doing the best I
can. I'm trying to raise the children
right"
Her dying neighbor, being a tactfuI
man, gave her the prompt assurance
that II he reached heaven, and ever
saw Tom, and didn't forget it, he
would certainly tell him.
1t is really a Christian duty to en-
deavor to make the reserved and tim
i'd, the awkward and the ignorant,
reel at ease by ones kindly manner
and interest in them. A clergyman
was conducting testimony meeting
10 refined and cultured audience,
when q backwoodSman who had come
In by chance, arose and said: "This
is the finest meetin' l was ever in,
i feel like saying with one of old,
.Let w. make three tabernickles, one
TOT Abraham, and one for Isaac, and
one for-I forgit the name Of the
other man"
The clergyman, feeling the chill
that settled on the spirits OF those
elegant and sensitive people, and
fearing that the whole effect of the
meeting might b. lost, rising, took an
envelope from his pocket, and said:
Here is letter from my wife, ele-
gantly written, charmingly Worded,
full Of expressions or love. I under
stand her. But here" drawing forth
slip all criss-crossed with heavy
1nk-marks, blotched and crumpled, "is
one from my four-year-old son. HE
thought he was writing to his father.
He was, though there is not an in
telhgent word in the sheet. But he
loves me. I understand him"
Everybody understood the applica-
ton but the backwoodsman, whose
feelings were kept from being hurt
by the tactful clergyman, who brought
the meeting straight back to its high
and helpful purpose.
Sometimes Well-mean1ng efforts to
D. tactful may become amusing be
cause very obvious.
1t is very good of you to give me
your seat" said the lady.
Not at all, num-" replied Pat. Its
dooty we all owe TO the sex. Some
1olks only do SO when a woman ia
young and pretty; but + say the sex,
and not the individual"
Queen Victoria did a graceful thing
unostentatiously when she poured out
her c. into saucer, thereby making
the countrywoman who had done WV
feel at ease.
But It was different in the case of
Dr. James p. Angel, President of
Michigan University, who was invited
to dinner at the Chinese Legation in
Washington. The doctor sat at the
right hand OF the minister. The floor
OF the dining-rOom was waxed and
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