Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-16
LIFE'S PROBLEMS
ARE DISCUSSED
BY MRS. WILSON WOODROW

There is an old fairy story, one
OF Grimm's, / believe, about two
Processes. Whenever one of them
spoke pearls and diamonds fell from
her lips; and whenever the other
opened her mouth scorpions, toads,
Tasps and snakes issued. The story
holds a moral. 1t is an illuminat-
ing bit of symbolism, and clearly
illustrates the value of lovely and
unlovely speech. And concerning
this subject q distressed mother has
written me the following letter;
Dear Mrs. Woodrow: | have a
daughter about seventeen years old
who is employed in a good position
and earning a very reasonable sal
airy. But she is very unruly. If her
father or her brothers or myself
ask her a question, she screams
at us and tells us to be quiet. The
strange part of it is that all outsid-
ers take her to be the most gentle
and affectionate of little girls.
Now ! really don't know how to
me in company, and 1, being afraid
to anger her, have to shut my lips
tight and keep quiet. Don't you
think in acting this way she hurts
herself more than she does me?
Is there any way at all to cure her
of this dreadful habit of impertin
ence? My husband and have tried
in every possible way, but it's all of
no use.
please, Mrs Woodrow, write an
article on this subject. l shall anX-
iously wait for it."
Poor little girl! She is under the
enchantment of a disagreeable habit.
And every time she speaks in the
family circle horrid little toad hops
out of her mouth. She would not for
the world have her employers know
of this sad affliction, or her business
associates or her friends.
If she exhibited these toads. and
scorpions of impertinence to her en-
ployers, she would very promptly be
asked to seek another position; and
if her friends and associates caught
Il glimpse of them she would find
the icy shoulder turned to her on
every side. Consequently she is very
careful only to scatter the pearls and
diamonds of pleasant words among
these.
But she has some way achieved
the idea, or had it thrust upon her,
that any sort of speech is good
enough for her relatives. She takes
advantage of the situation. Whether
she admits it to herself or not, she
is aware that the family is at dis
advantage as far as she is concern
ed. They cannot give her a weeks
salary and notify her that her place
is vacant, as her employers would
do. They cannot ignore her and
leave her out of their social gather
ings, as her friends and acquaint-
ances would. They have to tolerate
her and bear with her as best they
can.
AS for speaking rudely. and disre-
spectfully to her mother in the pres
ence of others, that is really a tact
teal blunder. She has been clever
enough so far to keep the toads and
scorpions strictly for the family, and
to scatter the pearls and diamonds
abroad. But murder will out, no
matter how great the effort to cor
ceal it.
If there is an irritating spectacle
on earth, it is that of the superior
and complacent young person calmly
correcting mother and supplement
ing and explaining her remarks. II
lays both mother and daughter open
to criticism. The mother is CEN
sured for rearing her child so bad
ly, the girl for taking such an un-
pardonable attitude toward her par
ent.
But no matter how one may de-
plore this unfortunate situation be-
tween mother and daughter, there
still remains something to be said
for the girl. Let us build up her
character from this letter. She
must be clever, for although still
very young she already holds good
position. According to her mothers
statements, outsiders. by which is
probably meant friends and ac-
quaintances. think highly of her.
Their commentator indicates low
able and attractive traits. She may
have dozen delightful qualities, and
npnareutly She has hut ono %iarinG
fauIt-an irritable temper to which
she gives free rein IN the home. This
is undoubtedly sheer bad habit.
One member of q family too often
Derfpjts hir' self 70 f1ll into the habit
Of being unduly critical of the others.
He gets into tho way OF saying Sar-
castle things, of calling unnecessary
attention to little faults. Almost
all of us want those near and dear
to us to be good and charming in our
wav. and are not willing to let them
develop their own individualities in
their own way.
And SO we too often censure and
correct and counsel and advise and
even nag, until it becomes a habit
What has started as tendency
grows to such proportions. that we
would be Mortified If we actually
realized the disastrous habit we had
acquired:
This girl has probably never rec
ognized the fact that she cannot be
consistently horrid to her family and
retain their love and esteem. Or
perhaps she thinks she doesn't care.
she is no doubt, too young to under
stand that, even if the family may
have the disadvantages of a close
corporation with all the members
pulling in different directions. it also