The Washington herald., 1913-09-27
by FRANCES sHAFFER.

some folk tell us-and perhaps they
are riEht-that the miserable trick OF
weaving falsehoods is inborn and the
unhappy victims cannot help it, because
it is a part Of their nature.
If that is so, one can do no more than
pity, and try TO submit with the very
best grace when one happens to hear
them told pretty often. But il is hard
to believe that all the fabricators in the
world-and there are quite a few-were
cruelty skipped when the royal gift Of
truth was handed around. One prefers
to think that il is not all nature that
IS at fault but rather the manner Of
training At any rate. il is hopeful to
believe that even when the tendency Is
natural. it might be turned into some
thing better, with a bit of care to push
Il along.
Might Be Avoided.
II does seem that if early. very early.
III life the smallest of boys and girls
we're led TO see the inherent ugliness of
the habits il that and nothing worse
and where it inevitably leads its victims,
they might somehow wipe it out and
abide by the straight-ahead story. II
they could be made to know that among
their small companions the little ibber
is utterly discredited, or something worse,
the Importance Of telling the truth.
And if. when they have passed out Of
the fancy realm of childhood and into
the land OF fullgTOwn men and women,
where there are fewer TO excuse and
fewer to forgive perhaps even then they
might wake up to the Importance of
mendins their ways. if there was some
one around plainly TO tell them way.
Important Reason.
And the most important of all the
why's is the immeasurable damage to
self
For out in the world where big men
and women live-men and women with
minds keenly alert to the difference be-
tween the false and the true, II is not
possible to make up a cheap little story
and palm it of for the truth, for there
Is certain to be a twist in it somewhere
that will fnd its way TO the light, be-
cause there is something about chronic
fabricators-the shorter word is very
ugly-that Just naturally mikes them up
and sooner or later involves them in
horrible tangle.
And once the trick is disclosed, once
folk begin to suspect. then TO know the
wretched shortening, something is lost
not easily found again; for when conf
dence is gone, wit. sure lack of ground
tOnuOenCe-Nel.
left to admire and nothing at all to
trust. And the worst Of it is the word
eoon passes along, and they are discred-
tied when perhaps they may be telling
the truth,
Nobody Wants TO Re branded.
And if some faithful. mirror could flash
them back 10 themselves-them and
heir poor little stories that are trans
~ rent as transparent can be-dont you
suppose they might try to improve upon
nature. { IL really was nature that
stated them wrong? Because not even
tho mot hagrant offenders want to be
h.anded as such. But the pity of it is.
they are branded everywhere. from the
home out 10 the social life or the greater
life OF business.
And when that happens
Isn't it true that in the storm and stress
~ life. in the veal and woe that are sure
to come. we soon enough learn that what
ever friends. associates. kinfOlk. and all
may lack in gracious charm. We can over
look. forgive forget all else if only we
have reason to retain our faith in their
steadfastncss?
Because when there is a tissue of false
foods forever standing between Us and
the folk we want to like. and must meet
whether we like them or no. there is
long trail of other bad things that per-
s.stently loom up without any bidding.
Suspect Folk We Can't Relieve.
Suspicion? Well. how can we help sus-
nect the folk whom We cannot believe?
Respect? And how can we quite re-
spect with no dependable background?
For when we most want to trust, most
want 10 believe folk true. then learn, TO
our sorrow. that they will tell any sor.
ur story II they think it fts in with the /