Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-09
BY Mrs. Wilson Woodrow

Did you ever stop to consider the
things you say? Just take a day
any old day will do-and keep tab
on yourself. The results will be a
surprise to you.
Unless some unexpected windfall
has tumbled down from the blue
into your lap, or that long
ship of yours has at last sailed
proudly into port, you will find that
you have INDUCED in a good many
more negatives than alternatives.
Here are few samples: Il am
not feeling we'll at ALL" Nothing
good ever happens to me-" Il was
born unlucky." Il am getting poorer
every day." Everything is going
wrong" And so on indefinitely.
1t is easier to think of our woes
than our blessings, easier to talk
about them; and so we do perpetu-
ally.
You may say that you do not be-
| lieve in mental atmospheres, but in
fact you do. on Christmas or New
Years Day every one is going about
with smiling face and wishing you
merriment and happiness. You feel
the inspiration; your spirits tighten.
lnsenslbly you respond to the gen.
eral gayety, and send back the good
wishes you receive with the best
will in the world.
Or, as may happen, you are with
some one who is naturally harmo-
NOUS ard light-hearted. Does it
often fail that presently you dis
cover you are looking at your own
affairs in a more rosy light?
We cannot ask everything of the
world and give it nothing. That is
greedy. And the biggest and most
precious things we can give are
! cheerfulness and courage. In pay
ing that debt, too, we are greatly
enriching ourselves; for no matter
what our own particular difficulties
are, there is always way out.
| Some one had genuine inspira-
tion when he said: There seemed
nothing to do but go to the wall; so
l went to the wall, and there 1 found
| a door,"
The first letter which I opened
this morning was written almost en-
tirely in negatives.
| Il am poor little girl who needs
help" it ran. Il am only nineteen
and the mother of a beautiful baby
But my husband objects to my ever
leaving the house, even to take the
air. He has plerty of good clothes
and goes out every evening, but he
says do not need clothes, as ]
| dOi 81 any WHeT6, ana IIlaL anynOW
a Woman's place is in the home anG
she should stay there. If 1 complain
it makes scenes. 1 am a fine stenog.
rapher ard earned a good living be.
fore l was married, but now 1 am
the unhappiest little mother in the
world"
First, my dear girl, stop thinking
of yourself as a poor little girl,
and an unhappy little mother.
You are unfortunate in that yol
have married an exceptionally stupiC
man, who is also a petty tyrant. Blu
even the stupidest person may have
few facts beaten into his head, anC
petty tyrants may be tamed-al
though not by those who consider
themselves weak and helpless.
You are not a slave. You are &
married woman and a mother, ant
the law gives you certain definite
rights. The law requires your hus.
band to maintain you. and to sup.
port and educate his child in a man.
ner commensurate with his earn.
ings
AS human being, food, sufficient
clothing and a roof to shelter you
are not the only things necessary
to your well-being.
Air, exercise, congenial compan.
ions and a certain amount of recrea.
tion are equally important factor.
in keeping up your health of mine
and body.
Then take them. Stop weepins
and wailing and imploring your hus
band to give you as privilege tha
which is yours by right. You are
not a poor, little helpless creature
You are a woman who has made {
good living, and can do it again
There is the door in your stone wall
Don't have scenes. Have one bis
ore and get it over. No one mind.
occasional gusts and spatters of rain
but we all take notice of big thun
air.
Suppose your husband had a dos