The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-03

Caution is an excellent balance to
character, but, like all other virtues,
1t can be carried to unpleasant eX-
tremes. If ii is manifested too freely
in business, it paralyzies initiative ana
prevents a man from getting ahead 1t
is a fine thing to be a bit canny and
to look well before 0 leap, but the
ov~ercareful person devotes so much
time TO the looking that lhe never leaps
at all.
A girl has written me depicting her
trials and troubles with a young mar
whose bump of caution would seem to
be the most prominent feature of his
head,
. Il am a girl q years of age" she
writes, and | am facing a hard prob
lem. For almost three years l have been
engaged TO a man eight years my
senior. / removed from the pace where
we both lived, and at that time it was
understood that We were to be mar
led very soon.
In my new home | fell i'll and was
sick for some time. | wrote and told
aim about 1t and in his next letter he
said Please do tell me If you are on
he doctors hands very mucn, for II
you are going to be an Invalid after
We are married it would not be very
well, as | am improving my home right
along, and this takes all | am earn
ing.
This makes me feel he is selfish and
sttn9y, and thinks more of his W com
fort and home surroundings than he
will of his wife. How 90 you look
At Il?
Then, too, he wants me to come
and stay with his folks until mex,
spring, and he says Then, II we don't
want to get married, you will not lose
snything by it, for I will pay, you for
Jour time, and you can go back home
Nov, | am a stranger to his folks,
md | would be in strange surroundings.
do not want to go there unless |
I'M married, and he does not seem
willing to come and see me. So | do
lot think it. would be proper to go as
Ge suggests, and mother thinks he
same,
Your opinion of this matter will be
greatly appreciated"
Ny dear girl, the two paragraphs you
have given from this young mans let
er present a very perfect picture Of
rim. You might have written pages
4bout him, and | would not see him
DAFT rs clearly as | do in this little
ketch Of himself given in his own
words.
IN him, caution is carried to it's nth
power. You think you have a prob
lem; but just pause and consider his.
lie is tormented daily and hourly by
doubts and fears. You were foolish
enough to fall i'll, inc inconsiderate
enough to write and tell him of it. 1t
probably caused him sleepless nights.
Not worrying about you. Oh, dear, no,
But he was bothered to death for fear
you might have a bad habit of catch
ing any disease that might be going
around, and then he would have to pay
The doctors bills. 1t is poisoning his
happiness to think that all the money
he might otherwise spend in making
Ills place a good, salable property
should possibly have to be wasted that
way.
He hastily takes his pen in hand, not
to express any sympathy with you in
your aftliction, hut to find out II you
are likely to have any recurrence of
Your illness. II there is any prospect
of that, he wishes to m 1t in time;
SO that he may gracefully retire.
Then a brilliant idea strikes him; 1t
is another exhibition of his supreme
caution. He eyo.res the clever, little
plan Of asking you to visit his rela-
tives during tto winter months. You
are, so to speak. 10 be on probation.
He will have you under his own eye
during the most severe weather of the
year. II you are lucky enough to
wrcstle through it without a cold, ht
may be satisfied. Another advantage:
you will be constantly under the eyes
Of his relatives. and you may be sure
those wilt be critical eyes. His own
observation will be supplemented by
theirs. They will be able to give him
many sidelights on your character and
habits, and can decide whether you are
lazy, or e~xtravagant, or delicate.
But he is an honorable man, accord