Evening star., 1928-10-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELE.

| the other side is that these touchy
men and women end up by forgetting
the good motto, do a good turn to
somebody every day." They try this
doing good business, and find 1t Is
not workable, as far as they are con-
| cerned. 1t may do all right for Tom
Dick and Harry, but not for them.
Gratitude, that precious quality, is
what most people seem afraid of in
this world. Their store of gratitude
is very small, If one may judge from
the few times they have recourse to
it. AS a matter of fact, it takes real
character to show gratitude. Many
people, both men and women. possess
an utter inability to receive and be
grateful. They can receive readily
enough, whether they be physical,
mental or spiritual gifts, but when it
comes TO the simple payment made
with genuine gratitude they fail miser-
ably. owing to a twist in their charac-
ter which keeps on insisting that graft
tude means that one has been helped.
Gratitude does presuppose help, OF
| course, that is exactly where the trouble
lies with them.
They realize that If they are crate.
full they must admit that some one else
has been able to do something fol
them. Therefore, gratitude is exactly
what they will not show. They are
| afraid of 1t. They will accept readily
enough, but they will not be grateful
Now, as almost all human beings are
baSlcally alike in regard to these in
tellectual processes, these curious per-
sons realize that the only way they
can get out of showing gratitude is
either to refuse the gift or, having
taken It, to refuse the gratitude.
So they refuse the gratitude-never
the gift. The good they will take; they
will allow the other to do his ridiculous
good turn, If he wants to, but they
will refuse him the only reward which
he asks, and the only one which they
might give. Gratitude. after all, is such
an easy thing, it is shame that more
people do not show 1t! Often its
demonstration amounts to no more
than q simple everyday courtesy This,
too, these persons recognize To be
simply courteous to the donor would be
to admit that he had done them a good,
benefit. deed worth something.
So what do they do? Why, thew
become discourteous! Nothing could
be simpler than that. 1t is one of the
very few ways in the world in which
one may eat ones cake and have it.
too Those who relish demonstrations
showing the fallacy of old maxims
ought to study this one "You cannot
eat your cake and have it, too" We'll,
you certainly can-if you know how.
1t Is very simple. Accept a gift from
some one. Thank him for it coldly, or,
preferably, make him apologize for 1t,
but still accept it. Then, after a few
days. pick a quarrel with him, or treat
him in such manner that any human
being would resent it. If you cannot
think of anything more subtle, invite
him to your home and then insult
him. Oh, yes, that is done. It is one
OF the most eff1cacious methods, and
one guaranteed to draw fire even from
the mildest of mortals. Then, when
he becomes angry, you are rid of the
sap once and for all. You still keep
the good he has done you, but are
relieved, through the quarrel (Which
you so cleverly drew him into), of show
ing any gratitude thereafter, Thus
your independence Is preserved.
II he has shown kindness to your
children, seize the first opportunity
when one of them hurts himself in
his presence to intimate that II 1t had
not been for him the child would not
have hurt himself The fact that no
one. not even yourself. could have pre-
vented the accident, makes no differ
ence. The whole idea is to refuse the
dufter the ordinary courtesy, so that
this lack of gratitude on your part viii
offend him-and when he is once Of
Tended. no matter how riehteously.
you have him! You are free!