Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-31
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

except as they may be listening to him
Men, in the bulk, are either specta-
| tors, or actors. Only few, In any age
can be both. It Is q choice for most
people, and nothing else. One may be O
spectator, largely, or an actor, largely
but scarcely as much one as the other
The contemplative type of mind Is
given to quiet in speech, actions. even
thoughts, because 1t wants to be aware
Of everything. and is generally inter-
eSted In everything. This latter can
not be said Of any other sort of mind
The range OF genuine interest of the
noisy type of mind Is a very limited
one. Usually it reads only the novels
that are much talked about If 1t con-
descendS to read at all, listens to the
widest jazz because 1t is the noisest and
patronizes amusements which will per-
init 1t to direct its adiupcts. legs. arms,
mouths. ETC.. to the greatest noise
making efforts.
If this mind reads. we have said:
but usually 1t does not read. because
reading is perforce q quiet performance
and nothing offends this mind more
than quiet in any Of its forms.
| X y
By quiet person, 1t should be said. we
do not mean the tight-lipped person
The man or woman who never saws
anything is common enough, but that
Is more physical than mental. after all
Lack Of ready speech no more con-
notes an Intellectual person than a gift
OF CAB. Indeed. extremes Of this sort
more often speak the opposite.
The quiet, intellectual person Is like
ly to be a ready talker, one who has a
constant supply of mental ammuni-
ton, whose interests make him willing
and eager to talk to others.
| He Will, however. converse in a re-
strained manner. He will not find il
necessary to below his words so that
they can be heard for blocks in every
direction. If he has people in for din
ner 1t Is matter of no concern what
ever to him whether others know he
has them In for dinner or not.
| He Is interested. in other words, In
the actual, and the actual depends not
upon numbers, but upon facts. Perhaps
that is why fact. for him. takes on
more than a certain cold quality and
becomes warm reality.
|
The satisfaction Of noise Is elemental
compared with the keener content OF
quietneSs. The latter Is based upon
appreciation, and Of all the gifts given
to man that of appreciation is one OF
the very finest.
without appreciation human being
is little more than q pig. Even a hog
| in a good sly has some appreciation
perhaps. But q human being who e
forever creating a racket Is so busy
humping on his big bass drum that he
has no time for anything else.
Universal history. the pageant Of the
Caesars. the romance of excavations,
the thousand and one thrilling and en-
gaging artistic endeavors of man-these
and scores of other topics such a noisy
one does not even know exist.
| He is forever chasing rainbows, new
rainbowS Of the "'round the shoulder
variety. made not of tints but tones
not of colors but of EXPLANATIONS, va
rietieS of noise which flame with the
wild exhalations OF ancient hellfire.
| Amid this avalanche Of sound the
/ thoughtful man will stand back to con-
slider his ancient heritage. which dis
tinguisheS the man from the brute and
which is responsible for making him
what he Is.
His is the task Of being the torch
bearer for the race. Whether his place
is high or low makes no difference. That
he plays his role to the best of his abil-
ity makes a great deal He will have
the satisfaction of belonging to the in
teuectual ones who are quiet.