Evening star., 1934-06-01

he may Calculate just how long the
logs will burn, and not pile too many
on when the fire begins to die down.
Thus he can have the fire about out
when the family retires, and there
then will be no need for the dramatic
gesture of the fire extinguisher.
In many other ways the individual
who has a careful streak may do a
great deal toward the common-sense
prevention, not only of unwanted fires,
but also Of accidents which occur be-
cause Of thoughtlessness.
One OF the most common of the
latter, according to statistics, is the
fall on a flight of steps, due to some
article which has been left on them
The careful person looks first, in
no matter how great hurry
There is still another piece of care
lessness in regard to flights of stairs,
and that Is in running up and down
them by persons who scarcely ever
run on the level.
Stairs seem to have the same ex-
hilarating effect upon such natures
that bridges do upon most automobile
drivers. 1t is noticeable that 80 per
cent Of car owners increase their
| speed when crossing a bridge.
This may be due in part to the
plain fact that they know no cars
can come at them from either side,
but there can be little doubt that
there is something about the bridge,
its sweep of fresh air, its increased
| light, which has an exhilarating ef-
| feet on motorists.
| Now it is the same with stair steps
to great many people, especially
women.
They insist on running up and
down 'em, when they walk sedately
enough elsewhere. The mere con-
struction of steps, of course, helps to
account for it, in some measure, es-
pecially in going down, for descending
a flight of stairs or steps is merely
an arrested falling.
The bulk of women do not like
steps. at the best, SO perhaps their
hurry to get up and down them Is
by way of protest.
Still, this will not make such action
anything but careless, in the majority
OF cases. The careful person. who
values his own skin, and especially
bones, does not, and will not, run on
stairs, except in an emergency, and
| even then he often will do better to
| slow down
| CarefulneSs is tWofold in its re-
suits; it helps him who is careful,
and perhaps many another who will
never know anything about it, but will
be helped just the same.
Its best effect is on the mind and
neart OF the careful person himself.
1t Is himself. To be careless is lust
as impossible, to him, as to be careful
Is to the other type.
In being careful he is being true
TO his own nature. This NAV not
seem a very big matter, to some
minds, but when one stops to think
how very many persons there are in
these United States who are not at
all true TO their own natures, but try
TO Wrest their own likes and dislikes
TO mt the likes and dislikeS of others,
1t may be seen, without any great
strain, that he who is careful. simply
because it is his nature to be that
way, Is rather a great man. after all
although often he is the very last
man to realize it. with the exception
OF his own family and his own friends.
If every one, in private and public
matters, were to follow his patient
example, the world would be a much
cleaner and better place in which
to live. and thousands of persons
would be saved untold sums of money
every year which at present are being
thumped and bumped away by those
who simply don't give a Whoop.