San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-14
Listen, World!
Pride Saves Us
BY Elsie Robinson

Inc Palmers are trying to bring
Ellie "to her senses"
Ellie, it seems, hasn't been making
use of her senses for the last few
months. Ever since she got in with
that crowd of fast young people where
she works.
At first Ma and Pa Palmer didn't
worry much. 1t was Ellie's first job
she just graduated from High school
last June. And they thought the
new freedom had gone to her head.
Pretty soon she'd see how silly and
vulgar and wrong it all was-all this
drinking and smoking and these doubt
full dinners at road houses, the ex-
treme dresses, the conspicuous snake
up" the "hard-boiled" manner. Yes,
pretty soon Ellie would turn against
all that, for she hadn't been brought
up that way. She'd been brought up
to be a nice girl.
But pretty soon Ellie didn't turn
against all that. In fact she fell for
it harder and harder. She discarded
her blue serge suit and blossomed
forth in a rose georgette that barely
swept her knees. She laughed at sis
ter Alice's Empowered cheek, and
daily her lashes grew heavier with
mascara and her cheeks more wildly
tangerine. A month ago, Mother dis
covered a pack of cigarette in her
vanity case. And then-last week
there was that terrible scandal when
Tony's place was raided and Ellie was
called up, along with the rest of the
party, to account for the booze on
their table.
Of course it was hushed up-but you
know how it is. All the neighbors
are talking and the Palmers are sim
ply heart-broken. TO think that Ellie
should bring disgrace like this on the
family. when they've always been so
respectable.
SO they're trying to bring Ellie
to her senses"
But it doesn't seem bit Of use, 5"
walls Mother Palmer. I've scolded
ans scoldcd her. I've prayed over her
and cried until my eyes feel like burnt
holes in blanket. We've tried TO
shame her in every way we could and
make her see what a wicked girl
she's been. We've tried to think Of
some way TO punish her. but it's hard
to End ways Of Furnishing l9-year'
Csf girl. And it's all no use. She
ut grows harder and more reckless
n the time. She's openly threatening
TOW TO run away the first chance
she gets. Isn't it awful, Elsie, after
we've done the very best we could
for herr"
Yes it's awful, poor dears. But you
haven't done the very best you could
for her. In fact, right at present,
you're doing the very worst you can
to her.
All these tears and threats and re-
proaches and humiliations-what do
thew do to her? They tear her down.
They cheaper her. They make her.
feel her own worthlessncss-or, az
least, that is what you hope they'll
make her feel utterly lost.
"Well, If I've got the name ! might
a we'll have the game" she retOrts,
and YOU think she is hard and wicked.
She isn't hard and wicked. She's
only a hot-headed, foolish inquisitiye
little girl who has burned her fingers.
And now you're trying TO make her
feel that shes charrcd all over. she
isn't sighting back because she's
wicked" She's fighting back be-
cause she is trying to save her own
self.respect. It's probably Nself-preser-
walton at work in her-not the devil,
rs you imagine.
OF course. IL she fights long
enough, and hates you madly enough,
she'll probably become as pitiful a
moral wreck as you think she is. But
at present she isn't a moral wreck.
She's only a laundering human, who
needs help whereby she may climb TO
her feet again.
The way to save Ellie is to build
up her pride instead Of tearing it
down. In the long run, it's our pride in
ourselves which saves us, never the
tears and threats of the other fellow.
Ellic's pride will save her il you give
Il a chance. Begin to tell her how
fine and sensitive and sweet she is,
instead Of how coarse and CallOus.
Help her TO sec how much richer life
e. for fastidious people who put q
price on themselves, than for fools
who throw themselves away. Cali up
3he aristocrat that is in her-appeal
% the nobility. Make her proud of her
elf instead Of ashamed Of herself and
rou'll be giving her something TO live
or and strive for. That's the way to
ave Ellie. That's the way to save
ny human being.
Copyright 1926, King Features syn, Inc.