Evening star., 1932-04-07
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

one is invariably expecting better things
of him. Surely in this small matter, in
volving the expenditure Of just few Of
ones own dollars, one may expect to
be permitted to do as one pleases, espe-
ciaily since one has already done It.,
But no, one finds out differently.
This sanctimonious fellow has a trump
card up his sleeve. His egotism is hid
behind a false front OF proffered aid
and succor. How fervently he wants to
help one!
IF YOU had let me know" he goes
on. knowing full well that the deed Is
done. the fact Is accomplished, the
money is spent. IF you had let me
know. 1 could have done so and 80,
and 1 could have"
One listens politely, not because one
wants to, but because the only other
course of action would involve the hit
ting OF the fellow in the jaw with q
fist or over the head with a club
The club is not at hand, and the INST
is swathed In conventions. perfect rolls
of conventions. 1t is not the fashion
of civilized society to soak fellow
human being in the jaw simply because
he smirks slightly, and asks, Why did
YOU do that? Why didn't you do some
thing else?"
But sometimes it ought to be.
~
Then sometimes the person who real
izes the utility and cruelty OF this lead
ing question finds himself asking the
very same thing, so often has he heard
it from the lips of others, so much has
he been the victim of 1t.
1t is one of the small vicious prac-
tices of life which has become SO IA
miliar with wide usages that commonly
cne does not stop to think that 1t Is
totally unnecessary, that 1t changes
nothing, that it does no good TINT 1t
is worse than useless, because 1t leaves
an undeserved rankle in human mind
and tends to blight the day Of an in
nocent person.
Only the fact that this pernicious
custom is widespread has rendered 1t
at all tolerable. 1t is so common a
thing in all walks of life that usually it
is disregarded with all the powers OF
will the victim possesses. II he does
not possess much, he nevertheless must
make out that ne does not mind the
silly chatter of the other, and above all
he must attempt TO give the impress
sion that he Is not at all impressed
by it.
This world would be q better place
to live in if more people would assume
the gravity of expression of certain
gifted ones. when listening to an ac-
count Of something or other by anoth-
er person, and then act subsequently
as those solemn persons do.
Their action. IL such 1t may be
called, consists entirely of making no
comment at all II bubbling person
assails them with an account of the
shrubbery and evergreens he has pur-
chased for foundation planting. this
gifted man does not Immediately 6s-
clare, as many would, oh, why did
you do that? I could have got you
three times as much for that money"
No, the man of gifts the wise man
of fact and fable, listens with visible
assurances of interest, then refuses to
make any comment at all on the pur-
chase. Instead, he does the eminently
sensible and decent thing Of talking
about foundation planting. in the ab-
stract. He points out its necessity,
and its history, and its possible fu-
ture. He leaves his auditor with the
sublime feeling that he is a comrade in
the great work OF making a city look
more beautiful. He even makes him
feel that he has done q fine thing by
purchasing evergreens and shrubs, al
though the man actually has not said
as much In so many words.
There is great deal of pow-wow In
this world about being a better man,
but, as Marcus Aureiius Antoninus de-
clared centuries ago, the difficulty
comes In being such. One easy way Is
to determine to give up this very day
the reprehensible habit of useless criti-
ciSm. Of. ones fellows. II one cannot
approve, one should remain silent. That
is the only sensible course. But man,
OF course, Is not a sensible animal.