Evening star., 1924-09-01
THIS AND THAT
BY c. e. TRACEwELL.

Of OF all ed words Of tonsTe or pen, - -
The saddest are these: 1T might have been"
The most irritating sentences are
distinctly another story. Candidates
for first prize in this respect are put
forth for national honors as follows:
Why did you do -,hat7'
why don't you do this?"
More homes have been wrecked,
more tempers spoiled, more good chill
dren made bad children. on account of
these two questions than from any
other combination of words whatever,
l believe. 49,
Search the world Of books, old and
new. Go through the ancient records,
from the Talmud to the Bible. Take
the latest mountains of volumes which
unthinking publishers annually pour
upon the reading world.
If any one can find two worse SEN
tences. bearing more implications of
meanness and woe, than the two
pointed out, he will deserve a medal
for dragging them fifth into the light
of day.
That is what we do here. focusing
attention for a few minutes daily on
some place. thing, institution, condi-
ton. quirp Of human nature, this and
that of life and its reflections in order
that they may be seen more clearly.
BY SO doing the mental atmosphere
Is. cleared, much as the air of WASH
ington Is revivified after a thunder
storm, when thunder and lightning
have swept away some Of the heat
and sultriness generated here below.
why did you do that?"
There. are many good men and
women who, all unconsciously, ask the
above question almost every time some
news OF book purchased, or a suit of
clothes; 1T may be word of course of
action, or a question Of policy. 1t
makes no difference.
why did you do that?" is the in
variable reply. That is the first
thought that leaps into their minds, so
out 1t comes. The unfortunate part of
1t Is that those so affiicted are almost
always unaware Of their malady.
Come before them in your new suit.
You think 1t pretty nice outfit. The
man who sold it to you said so, any
way. The verdict Of the mirror was
favorable. Various astute judges of
attire have passed upon 1t.
How do you like my suit?" you
innocently ask. 'I bought 1t at the
Riggemout Shop
"Oh, why did you do that?' auto
matically asks the other. "Why didn't
you buy it at the Fixemup Store?'
This bore always brings forth these
sentences in pairs. His first reaction
is: why did you do that?" Coupled
with 1t comes "Why don't you do this?"
1t is bad enough to ask a man why
he does not do something other than
what he has done, but worse to add
insult to the injury by demanding to
know why he did not do what some
one else would have done.
And all the the devils are here.
Such is the feeling that assails one
when this Why Guy gets into action.
The impertinence of his questions
makes the blood boil. The trouble is
there is no real way to combat him.
Who can reply to a Why?
Explanation involves one in endless
debate, which is just exactly what
the other. in his secret mind. of
sires most of all. The Why Guy is
a born "argufier.' Nothing delights
him more than arguing, laying down
the law on everything under heaven.
When he asks one why he did SO
and so. he is spelling for a fight. He
is a touchy individual, too He is
like the book agent who demands for
himself the right to ask you to buy
his sets, but will not accord you the
equal right of refusal
The manor woman-with the
ready "Why?" is no first cousin to
Schumann and his "Warum?" There
is no music in this modern "Why?"
To the ears of those accustomed to
its unpleasant sound it more nearly
resembles the croak of a raven.
1t is. in fact, a perpetual croaking,
one of the habitual ways in which
such persons take out their spleen
on the world in general. 1t must
always be remembered that the per-
petrator of this outrage is the worst
sufferer from it
This is the pleasing thing for the
afflicted to recall, for if there ever was
a case where retributive justice was
more merited than this it is hard to
recall it 1t is as with the biblical
gent who dug pitfall for others and
fell in it himself first OF all.
Think Of the countless little ones
whose lives are made miserable by:
"Why?'
Little Mabel comes running in
flushed with play.
"Oh. 1 found the incest puddle"
she shouts. And I had the most fun
wading"
"Oh, why did you do that?" growls
Sweet Mamma "Why didn't you stay
out of the water, like Mary Smithers.
Mary didn't get her feet all muddy"
Poor Mabel stands abashed. Alas,
fair child, many older than thee stand
helpless before the same question
every day, and know no better how to
answer it than thou!
Mr.. Jones, I ordered the new set,
and think it will be tho very thing"
reports Mr.. White to his boss:
why did you do that Mr.. White?'
sharply retorts the boss. why didn't
you get the other set we discussed ?'
Whereupon poor Mr.. White launches
into reams Of explanation, none of
which satisfies Mr.. Jones at all, as
both he and Mr.. White know all the
time 1t will not ..-.a
In countless homes, in hundreds Of
Offices, wherever men and women
meet, the fruitless argument begun
with why" goes on, to tho ulti-
mate satisfaction Of none of the
parties involved, for it is a question
that cannot be answered. -
Dante was wrong when he said
that over the gates of hell is the
sentence: "Give up all hope, We who
enter here"
Over the gates Of hades there is en-
graved a single word, an awful word,
that sends the new soul Shrinking