The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-25

Several years ago spent a few days in a very
attractive city of the Middle West. l met there
many ladies of charming appearance, of excep-
tional taste in Dress and of delightful social graces
But among them l noticed one characteristic that
struck me curious and contradictory, self-as-
sertion. 1t showed itself in the way they held
themselves. in the way they talked both in their
loud tones and in their vigorously expressed opin-
ions.
l spoke with some establishment of this char
acteristic to friend who had lived there all her
life. l asked her how she could explain it. Its
very simple" she replied. "Its the direct result of
the example of woman who came here from
New York several years ago." She then mentioned
the name of the woman, the wife of very rich
man. "She became leader here and toward
every she adopted arrogant manner that
considered very smart. The result was that
many of the other women here initiated it. even
those who were at first most bitter in their re-
sentiment. 1t became the thing. And it has
gone on ever since. Many people who come here
notice it"
The instinct to initiate is, like most instincts
highly servceable. But it has to be put under
control Before yield to it we ought to be
pretty sure that what initiate is good. One
people initiating what is unworthy under the i'm
preston that such imitation seems creditable.
l know very clever girl who takes pride
in showing her cleverness by ridiculing She
even ridicules those about her to their faces Her
victims, through courtesy through dislike of
making scene. usually suffer in silence. Some
of them take great pains to avoid her. Others
punish her by speaking i'll of her behind her back
Still others enjoy the expressions of her clever
ness, both because these are amusing and be-
cause they put people at a disadvantage. For it
is pitlful truth that some of US, those, too,
who may be most concerned about our own dig
nifty, like to see others made absurd.
This girl has SO long INDUCED herself in the
habit Of ridicule that it has become fixed 1t
would be almost impossible for any one to con-
vince her that it is disagreeable and that it does her
harm. She is simply acting up to what she be-
lieves to be delightful expression of herself
In other words, she is initiating wholly false
ideal.
1t is curious to note how differently we may
be affected by one another. With one person.
sometimes to our own establishment we behave
in one way. and with another person, also to
our establishment. we find ourselves behaving in
another way. Here, perhaps unconsciously, we
hic Initiating quality tndt we mink VIII ap-l
peal to the person
In other words, one person brings out in us |
certain set OF qualities and another person brings |
out in us another set of qualities Often by the
display of such qualities pass judgment on our
friends. Those we fall into the gossiping habit
with we judge as gossips. Those we try to ap- |
pear at our best with honor as SUI erior to our
everyday selves 1t is the initiating instinct that |
directs and often it is fairly reliable guide |
ieener than we may suspect, making us do things !
hat, to our sober reason. may seem extraordinary
And yet, however persistently we may indulge |
he initiating instinct. however we may act in our
everyday life, it is the truth we inevitably reveal
For what we long to be we essentially are And |
1ere perhaps, is the most powerful attribute in |
our struggling human nature. We may 60 wrong
n our choice of qualities to initiate, we may fol- |
ow false ideals, and where we follow good ideals
we may repeatedly fail. Nevertheless in our |
striving we tend to express noblest selves our
ruest selves. Even where we go wrong there NAV
De something of good in the animating spirit Per-
laps, through the generations this striving works
IN influence greater than we calculate Surely it |
provides us with greatest hope for the future
If the race.