The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-24
GOOD NATURE WINS
NLIFE'S BATTLES,
SAYS DOROTHY DIX.
Shortcomings of Hus-
band or Wife Overcome
By Cheerful Smile.
b. DOROTHY DIX.

effort invested in Il, as good nature?
nature?
In a world full Of gloom and
groucheA and razor-edged, tempers'
and nerves set on a hair trigger,
We are so ALFRED grateful to
people who are cheerful, and smll-
ing. and easy to get along with that
We are ready to condone every
thing they do and don't do, and
make doormats OF ourselves before
them
Good nature is an alibi for all
Of the virtues and most Of the
talents, and an optimistic nature,
an easy laugh, and an India rub
bed disposition will carry any man
or woman farther than the whole
moral code, or anything short OF
absolute genius.
It's even a substitute for beauty.
For between Venus with prickly
temper, and subject to moods and
lenses, and Mary Jane with a snuo
nose and carotty hair, and jolly
and soothing, and agreeable to have
around, Mory Jane wins out every
time.
It is a matter of common knowl-
edge that the prettiest girl In the
community seldom makes the best
match. Very often she doesn't
even have the most beaux. That
is because living pictures are near
ly always spoiled and selfish and
catfish, and neither men nor wom-
en- like that sort Of a girl or help
her along.
The popular girl is generally
Just average as to good looks and
intelligence, but she's got the
charm of charms to conjure with.
She's good-natured. She's willing
to fall in with anybody else's
plans and do her best to make ev-
cry occasion a success. She al
mires the other girls clothes and
Is sincerely glad when any good
luck comes to her friends. She'll
teach an awkward boy how to
dance and make a shy one feel at
home, and she is always invited
everywhere because she is so
pleasant to have about, and nobody
cares whether she is pretty or
not or dressed in the latest style or
nor.
Good nature is the real secret OF
how to retain husbands love
and keep him thinking that you
are the only woman, even after
you are fat and 40 and no longer
fair. You never hear of q man
getting a divorce from a good
natured wife. You never hear of
a man finding out that wife who
is pleasant and cheerful and rea-
sonable isn't his real soulmate. or
Of a man leaving a bright. jolly
home to chase after chickens.
On the contrary we have all seen
men put up with wives who were
wasteful and extravagant and lazy
and shiftless, but who had the re-
deeming quality OF being good
natured and agreeable. We all
know homes where meals are
never on time, where the cooking
is atrocious. where everything Is
at skies and sevens, but where we
love to go because at the head of
1t is a woman who is so sweet and
joyous, so overlooking with the
milk Of human kindness, that We
go away feeling as II. for a little
while, we had tarried on a high
place and supped on the bread OF
life.
And if men rate good nature as
the chief of 10000 virtues In
wives, women place an even
higher value on 1t in husbands.
When you hear a woman envy an
other woman her husband 1t Is
never because the man is moral or
industrious or honest or a pillar in
the church, or even because he is
successful In business and be-
slows pearls and limousines upon
his spouse.
No. the paragon husband is the
Jolly, good-natured man who is
sunshine in his home, who chucks
his wife under the chin and tells
her that she gets easier on the
eyes every day; who jollies the
cook and jokes the children and
makes erybOdy feel that Gods in
His heaven and all's right with the
world.
Why, this very minute there are
thousands of women getting d.
vorces from men who are models
Of all the standard virtues but
who are so grOuchy and disagree
able that their wives couldn't stand
them, and there are thousands of
other women cheerfully taking
bcarders and making dresses and
standing behind counters to sup
mort husbands who are nothing
but lazy loafers. but who are such
amiable and pleasant and CHEEKY
companions that their wives are
willing to pay for thelr society.
In business good nature is an
asset that is better than money in
the bank. When We go to buy We
make a bee line for the most
pleasant looking clerk in sight,
Irrespective of whether he or she
knows most about the goods or
not. We never force the good
natured to be as prompt in pay
ment as we do the disgruntIed
when they owe US money. We put
M with a good deal of bad sery-
ice from an employe who is easy
To get along with. We push the
fortunes OF the sood-natured be-
cause we like them a1d want to do
them a good turn.
know an actress OF superlative
ability who has never had the rec
IGNITION that her talents 3deserye
because of her temper. shes a
drebrand in any company. We
can't afford to have her although
she is a genius" say managers.
EOf course Jones is faithful and
honest and has the whole depart
rnent at his fingers ends and de-
serves to be made superintendent
of the new branch, but he can't
get along with the men, so we will
have to give the place to someone
else" say Jones' employers.
Miss A. is q far better stenog-
rapher than Miss B.. but IL we must
lei one go we will keep Miss B.
because she Is pleasant to get
- Nth and you have 70 bapdlo