Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-04
PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE
BY DR.. Frank Crane

ONCE, so the story goes, mule lost, and
| J the owner, being unable to discover whittier
- it had strayed, offered a considerable reward
to any person who would find the animal. Shortly
after the reward notice was posted boy, who had
been supposed by the neighbors to be not very
bright, appeared leading the lost animal which he
restored to the owner and received the reward
When they asked him how he had been able to find
the mule when all the cleverest men in the COM
munity had failed he answered.
well, went and stood just where the mule was
last and asked myself where | would go II
mule. / went there, and there was the
mule"
Although deficient in other mental qualities this
boy had lively Imagination BY putting himself In
an animals place he was able to divine what II
would probably do.
The truth is that the imagination is of more
value in the solution of mysteries, in the detection
Of secrets and in the discovery of thoughts which
people wish to conceal, than the reason. lively
fancy outhies logic.
When we speak of womans intuition leaping
to conclusions while founders in laborious rea-
sonings we really mean that it is her imagination
that succeeds where the ping up of evidence fails
The general who put himself in the enemys
place and imagine about what he is likely to do Will
win ofener than the general who realistically pur-
sues his own plans. \
In the present war the weakness of the Germans
has been that they have guessed wrong as to how
their adversaries, the French British, and Ameri-
sans, would act. they have presumed their oppon-
ents to have German motives and to act from Ger
man impulses.
Put yourself in his place is not only motto
that is the basis of morality. but one which is
equally valuable in the efficient dealing WIN
people.
1t is the merchant who make himself feel
as the customer feels the lawyer who can project
himself into the attitude of his opponent the
teacher who enter into the soul OF the pupil,
the detective who perfectly imagine and re-
construct the fears and aims of the criminal that
succeed.
One great obstacle in the way of learning a
foreign tongue is unwillngness to initiate
the tone, gesture, and manner of foreigners 1t is
for this some persons live in a strange
land for years, and know the language perfectly,
yet always talk with a brogue; they stubbornly
refuse to initiate. They regard the aping of 9TH
ers afectation or hypocrisy, when, mat
ter of fact, all language, all manners and indeed
most morals, begin in imitation afectation If
they are to go to the perfection of spontaneity.
when l wish to find out how wise, how
stupid, or how good. how wicked is any one,
or what are his thoughts at the moment" says
the schooboy in Of Poe's tales, 81 fashion
the expression of my face accurately posi-
ble in accordance with the expression of his and
then wait to see what thoughts or sentiments
arise in my mind or heart, if to match
respond with the expression" And Poe adds,
This response of the schoolboy lies at the bottom
of all the spurious profundity which has been at
tributed to Rochefoucauld, to La Bougve, to
Machiavelli, and to Camparilla.'
Copyright, 1917, by Frank Crane)