The Washington herald., 1915-03-17

N depressed. There wa, appar
emily She wa:
y happy in her home relations
! She had a great deal to live
for Alter time. however, She seemed 10 have
lost the SAVIOR OF life When she would complain
to her friends they would argue with her and tell
her that she ought to feel ashamed Many OF
them grew impatient with her and rcScntful. AT
last she was persuaded to go to a doctor. After
l careful examination the doctor said that she
was suffering from neurasthcnia. Now those I'M
patient friends could understand The trouble had
been given a 1t took reality through
beng identified with word.
! Il is true that actions speak louder than words
But words often speak louder than those who
iusc them realize. By the words VIC apply to
people and TO things tell a great deal about
ours selves | know who frequently has on
his lips such words as fool idiot "imbccilc -
! Ass" and Coward" He thinks that he is de
picting certain types OF character But he is mis-
taken. From him those words have very little
direct meaning. Most OF the people he applies
the word to arc impcrfcctIy designated or desig-
mated not at all. But the words all reveal a
quality in the mans nature.
1t is amusing to hear some people stating two
sides Of an argument. Tho side they disagree
with they describe in unfatteriug words. But
/ their own side they try make attractive with
pleasant words. Though they may be unfair in
expressing the arguments, they arc fair in cx-
rcsSing themselves.
When | was in college there WAS professor
OF philosophy that shall always remember for
tonc habit. Opinions that he disagreed with he
would state not only with fairness but with gem
crosby. In listening to him might have
fancicd that he really agreed. Aftcrward the
would quietly explain why he disagreed. Great
as the value OF his teaching was, the value OF
his example was much greater. ! don't believe
that during the whole year. when he considered
"a wide range OF ideas. he used unfricndly
Tor unpleasant word.
It would be a good practice for each OF us
TO watch the number OF disaGreeable words that
I'VE use in 4 day. We should doubtless be sur
priscd. In thinking over the words it might be
worth Our while to consider what they signicd.
III VIC were frank we should receive a lesson in
humility through finding that much less
broad-nindcd than thought much less toler-
ant and much less willing to give freedom OF opn-
ion and OF action than to take it for ourselves.
We speak OF words if they merely
expressive But they creative, too. When we
use friendly words, If they sincere, they react
in and develop good feeling. When
friendly words we develop unfriendlincss. There
are times, it is true, when explosion OF ill-feel
ing brings relief. But oftcncr instead of dccreas-
ing the ill-fecng, it creates more. Putting an
evil thought into words gives the evil greater
reality and power
Ability to resist the impulse to speak evil is
one of the finest If gifts 1t not only holds the
evil in check, keeping it from rushing out to the
world in little messengers of evil, but it tends to
destroy til. evil, provided of course that the evil
is not liveI in those silent words that tor
mcnt the mind.
There is Kind OF resistance to words that may
do mischief. Every now and then we arc called
on to speak generously. If refuse,
else may be the wiser. But know that the
fusal has done harm 1t has made shrink
ever so little. We are fortunate ii it has made