The Washington herald., 1917-12-26

can hang on TO q nickel until shs
makes the buffalo howl with asony.
Most OF the trouble parents have
in getting obedience from their. chiI-
dren. is due to the high-and-miEhty
way in which they issue tyrannicaI
commands 10 the young ones without
condescending TO explain why such
and such a thing should be done The
children resent this, as we all Instinct
lively resent arbitrary authority, and
they resist II wherever II is possible.
but they would be perfectly amend
able to guidance IL a reasonable eH-
olanation Of any course OF conduct
was given them
Issue an abrupt order 70 little John
ME that he must not do so-and-so and
he will disobey you. IL he dares, or
circumvent you IL he has the wit, but
sit down and explain thoroughly TO
him why it is wisest ana best for him
to follow the plan you suggest and
ninety-nine times out OF a hundred
he falls in with your wishes.
You can even take the sting out OF
disappointment to a child by explain
ing 10 him just why he cannot do
the thing he wants TO do or have the
thing you promised him, but merely
TO tell him curtly that you've chang
ed your mind ABOUT permitting him
TO do somethink hC had set his heart
on doing, or that he can't have the
thing he had been dreaming of pos
sessing, simply adds insult 70 in
Jury and intersifiPs the bitterness Of
his loss. Moreover. it makes him re-
gard you as a tyrant. a liar and a
breaker of promises. whereas a little
explanation would clear up the
whole situation and leave the child
svmpathizing with you instead Of
pitying himself
As for friendship, more friends are
lost through lack Of a word Of ex-
PLANTATION than in any other way, for
il is curious fact that We are as
lUath 10 ask for explanations as we
are to offer them.
We have a friend whose affection.
fidelity and loyalty We have proved
over and over again through long
years Of time. Suddenly something
happens. Perhaps it is something al
most intangible. She quits coming to
see US as often as she formerly did.
When We go TO see her she seems
aloof and does not take as lively an
interest in our affairs as formerly.
Perhaps she makes some remark that
We take 10 be cutting and sarcastic.
Very well, then, We say 10 ourselves.
We guess we can get along Just as
well without Mrs. Friend as she can
without Us, and so a coldness creeps
into the friendship that gradually
freezes it TO death.
1t never occurs 10 US TO go to the
woman and ask for, what is the
matter, whether We have done in
advertently something that has hurt
her. or whether some mischief max
ing person has borne her some false
report, or 10 ask her IL she is 20
ing through some personal anxiety
aud trouble that has made her for
the time being oblivious Of everything
else but her own sad problem. Yet
in almost every such case We could
save a friendship that would mean
joy and comfort to US as long as we
live by the simple eIpedient Of a
little explanation.
Its ineXpIiCable the aversion We
have TO explanation. but We all have
it. The real reason that families are
broken uD. children leave home. and
people fee their near relatives as they
do the plague. is so they won't have
TO tell why they do everything they
do or leave undone.
Copyright. 1917. by the Wheeler
Syndicate, Inc)