The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-01
GROUCHY MAN Is ISOLATED
one Should Lay Aside Prejudices and
Oistastes and seek Him Out in
Spirit of friendliness.

Every community has the offish, 81
lent non-communicative, apparently
Sr"rchy man. He is Stunned BY hi.
nelghbors until he gradually become.
almost as isolated as one left on &
desert island. SO far as intercourse
with his fellowman is concerned.
you know such a man. perhaps sew
eral. I've known hundreds OF tina,
Sort and |, too. in the long ago left
aim alone. But years, experience and
little of the milk of human kindness
long since made me change that pol.
icy.
Did you ever try laying aside yoLr
! preJudlces and distaste for that ST.
lrnt, grouchy neighbor and seek him
out In a spirit of real friendliness,
showing him that you had human in.
'erest In him and his Affairs, to find
10 your establishment that he wasn't
bad sort by any means?
Were you amazed and gratified TO
hhd that he warmed under your ad-
Vances and you found him a pretty
sooc chap, eager to talk and anxious
10 snow that he could be and wanted
10 be real neighbor and friend? You
were also more or less upset to find
ina he was a man OF ideas, of worth
while opinions and you wondered why
anybody could have thought him a
crouch. And then you told your neigh
Dors that you had found out that old
BIZ Jones was a good fellow and you
were 81 glad that you had talked with
him and become his friend,
The world is full of lionel, men
men shy and retiring by nature. who
respond to proper approach from 9TH
ers, but have none OF the at of seek
ing and communicating with his fell
bowman. Many man literally starves
Tor human companionskip and friend
snip because you and are too selfish,
too deeply rooted in our predjudices,
TOO sclf-centered to hunt him out
and the kink in his own makeup pre-
vents him seeking you.
Did you ever stop to think what a
friendly hand-clasp. a kindly word
might mean to some man? | have
seen a man broken, discouraged,
thinking the hand of every man
against him, break into a happy smile
at cheerful greeting and 90 away
mead uplifted and with renewed cour-
age and faith and hope after a few
friendly words. Human friendliness
and neighborliness are about the
cheapest of human assets. but are
functions too seldom invoked In this
day of rush and hurry and unthink-
ing selfishness.
| still believe there Is more human
friendliness in the world than is man.
ifest, because we are too much
wrapped up in our selfish purposes
and aims. But 1t is quality that can
die of the breast by lack of exercise.
Hunt for the lonely and offish nei III
Dor. You will help him and in help
ing him perhaps help yourself most
The farmer is Otter by nature and
environment silent, communicative,
because, unlike his city neighbor, he
Is isolated anG must of necessity live
much of his life shut off from others.
Yet there are exaggerated types of
even this sort. and this is the one l
have in mind-the loneliest Of the
lonely men.
/ want you to make one New Year
resolution, and that is to seek this
man out. Show him you are really
and humanity interested in him, his
family, his farm, his horses, cows,
pigs, all the things that go to make |
up the life of the tiller of the soil. |
You are going to be amazed to find
often that you have a good neighbor
and friend worth while in that man.
Just remember you are pretty sell
fish and offish yourself. and the job
won't be so unpleasant after all. And
The glo = you will feel over a deed well
done will more than repay you
c. s. BARRETT.
Union, City, Ga.