davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1935-12-30

1IldhC L1lC 4LdI4h
expression of gratitude in the simplest
and most endearing form taboo.
Thank you" conveys appreciation in
the most direct way Of any similar
phrase and as there is too much hokum
about the expression of the majority
of human sentiments, why not in this
instance choose the best and simplest
way of saying what we feel?
In this connection, it seems to me
that thank you" notes would be un-
dertaken far more willingly and
promptly by the younger generation If
the procedure was simplified in this
manner. 1t is undoubtedly one OF the
most important things in a child's
training that he be taught to express
his gratitude Immediately and ade-
uuately, Presents should be carefully
listed by some older member OF the
family as they are unwrapped, with
the donors name in one column and
the gift opposite in another. AS the
notes of acknowledgment are written
and mailed, the child should be told
to draw line through the ones which
have been attended to--in this way he
sees the actual progress in his work,
and is spurred on to finish the job
quickly.
X y Il X
MY STAND with my own children
A'A has always been that unless they
can take the trouble to write nice
note of thanks for a gift-then other
people cannot be expected to take the
trouble to send them something next
wear. There is a certain nobleSSe
oblige about receiving presents, which
NAV not be overlooked by the we'll
bred person. We regularly go through
Evening star., 1935-12-30
Psychology
BIZ DIR. JESSE w. sPRowLs.

ID Ons JESSE W. Ok nOVv AA0s
TN THIS article I attempt to answer
letter from fond mother. She
says in part: my son, now 10 years
old, has lost all interest in school
work. In the first four grades he
stood at or near the top Of his class
What can be wrong with him? There
is something strange about his whole
attitude"
This "strangeness" is after all not
so strange. Teachers and parents
have commented on the same situa-
ton time after time. OF course, diff
ferent reasons might be offered, but
the most probabl- thing t. look into
Is the boys dream-life I mean by
dream-life the very common flights
of imagination called phantasy.
1t all Gomez about this way. AS
children grow older, they must do
battle with what we may call social
adjustments. Such adjustments are
not generally easy to make. Disap-
nents are bound to come. When these
disSatisfactions arrive, facts and fan
cies fight it out for supremacy. One
frequent attitude on the part of the
frustrated youth is to take the road
of phantasy and withdraw from real
life. His entire nature seems to
change.
This may be the explanation. Ordi-
narily they outgrow 1t. The situation
might be helped by devising schemes
for new and different interests for a
while. Let the school work be mere
attendance for the time being.
(Copyrtsht, 1850 - .
Evening star., 1935-12-30
can transform you
Sketched in Washington Shops.

high front fullness. These dresses are
from a group of new models. all with
interesting details and priced at S29.75
All of them are black; some have
touches of French blue instead of
white for trimming contrast.
If you need one more dinner dress
with jacket, we found couple CT black
ones that might help you out. One
has a short Eton jacket over a finely
pleated lace blouse, the neck frill of
which shows above the jacket. A
bright red velvet bow at the neck
matches the red velvet belt and jew
eled buttons trim both the front of the
jacket and the sleeves, with button
holes bound in red.
The other dinner ensemble has a
small round collar and two large
frogs on the jacket done in small
rhinestones that is most attractive.
The jacket has long, plain sleeves.
Upon investigation, we discovered that
the collar is really a part of the
formal black bodice under the jacket.
and thai it is slashed to the waist in
the back with deeply cut armholes.
This is very smart as well as
practical dress.
A black pleated chiffon at $1e.75 is
awfully good. Its plain pleated high
necked blouse and. short puff sleeves
are finished with bands and bows of
steel ribbon, like the belt with square
rhinestone buckle The sunburst skirt
has the pleats stitched to yoke depth.
This is Just the kind of thing the
college girl would love to take back
with her for sorority teas and special
dates.
THE shops are beginning to show
a good many clothes for Southern
wear, which we expect to talk about
next time. Vivid prints for daytime
and evening begin to make their
appearance at this time Of the year
and forecast the next seasons color
combinations to a large extent. Dark
blue and peacock green in a scrool
pattern is one of these, used with
loose panels of plain dark blue.
Beige satin is another new note
among the light frocks. 1t is COM
bined with wide black suede belt
and a conspicuously bold bar pin of
dull gold.
A gray matelasse crepe suit has q
long Russian tunic coat with frog
fastenings placed close together from
collar to belt, and wide straight sleeves
banded in gray fur. The smartness of
this model seems to indicate that
gray will continue its popularity for
some time to come.
For information concerning the
items mentioned in this column, call
National 5000, Extension 396 between
10 and IL am.
Evening star., 1935-12-30
True Beauty
More Than
"Skin Deep"
IT'S the Smiling Spirit
That Shines From
Within.
BY ELSIE PIERCE.

HERE'S letter from a young girl
which carries such q powerful
message cannot refrain from pub
fishing it-and I do hope all my
readers will enjoy it as much as I did:
Dear Miss Pierce-I am Is years
old. Many are the hints mother and
have CLEANED from your writing.
Last year I received a box Of powder
my very first-because mother read
where you said it was all r7sE- for
young girl to use powder to keep tho
powder was good. This year think
there will be another box-and maybe
little perfume.
For some time we wanted to write
you, and got up the courage when
we read your article, The Smiling
Spirit 1t made us think of Christmas
two years ago, father out of work,
things not so good. The night before
Christmas mother cried. Our tree was
small one, the packages underneath
tiny ones-moStly from the and 10.
Then father read something about
love and peace on earth and good will
and gratitude for the little things
That afternoon we visited very poor
neighbor and we we're busy helping
her with her babies and dishes and
things. When we came home mother
said, See how easy it is to forget your
own troubles'-and we counted our
blessings. Today things are much
better.
II am writing you because Mother
says to tell you you are right in what
you say about the smiling spirit We
have seen it. And it makes you beau
tiful. Thank you if you read this
letter. MARIE S. c.
The thanks should come from me,
Marie. And 1, too have seen evidence
of the smiling spirit during years Of
depression, when families we're put to
the acid test and proved themselves
the bigger and better men and wom-
enable to take it," UnSelfshneSs
and indomitable spirit can keep one
more beautiful than any cosmetics in
the world can hope to.
That doesn't mean that I am de-
preciating the value Of cosmetics. BY
all means use external beauty aids.
But the best boost you can give them
is to back them with the deeper
beauty-from within. The beauty
that Marie has known. A happy and
altogether beautiful New Year to
youl May it be marked with deserv-
ing prosperity, good health, wealth
Of happlness-and beauty.
tCopyright 1850
Evening star., 1935-12-30

NOR the uCtIe 1rOcK tnaC you IKE
- to have ready for any occasion,
from luncheon on into the aft
n ernoon, black IS always smart
and will see you through with the
greatest amount of chic. Colors come
and colors go, but good black dress
will be sure to retain its place Of favor
in fashion. It is dramatic and f1atter-
ing and it is the most useful dress
that your wardrobe car contain.
In looking around for something
new and different after all the Christ
mas colors, we found the black frock
with touches of white quite refresh
ing. 1t you are planning a trip of any
sort, one black frock is almost neces-
sity. and if you are getting a dress
that will give you worlds of service for
all sorts of daytime occasions in town,
your choice of black will be wise one.
The dress sketched above at right is
particularly good combination Of
black and white, with its bengaline
gardenias like roSettes from neck to
hem on a white bengaline stitched
band. which is repeated in the collar
and flared cuffs. The puff sleeves are
slightly pleated at the shoulders and
stiffened to give them added width.
The companion frock carries a new
idea in ensembles by having two
blouses that may be interchanged with
the same skirt. If you wish to look
tailored, wear the plain black blouse
that buttons with coat closing at the
front and has long sleeves. If you
need something dressier use the white
crepe blouse with longer peplum and
shorter sleeves, and the shirred front
fullness. This frock also comes in
other color combinations. 1t Is mar
velous scheme and will save you lots
of time and thought getting things
matched up, as some one has already
done it for you.
X X X X
A MOTHER one Of those nice dull
black crepes trimmed with white
bengaline has a TERED ruching, lace
edged, just below the neckline, with
q large, odd pin studded with rhine
stones, and a facing If white on the
belt. The skirt has a center front
pleat that is only stitched down a
short distance, allowing unusually
Evening star., 1935-12-30
Adequate Expression of Gratitude Should Be Part of Chds Tran
''Thank You" Letters
Should Receive Prompt
And Careful Attention
Cliches May Be Avoided With Thought and
Imagination Parents Will Do Well to
Censor Notes Intended for Elders.

several days welter of ink, torn paper,
mangled copies, walls of despair and
cramped fingers, which form dreary
post Christmas period. But it has to
be, and, of course, does the children
good in that it keeps their brains on
the qui vive even though they are not
in school.
Letters intended for the critical
eye of grown up relatives or friends
should be censored by parent before
sealing. This is not necessary in the
case of epistles to contemporaries, of
course, but 1t is well to see that cer-
tain rules of English and penmanship
are observed in the letters to elders.
The properly worded, carefully written
note creates such favorable impress
sion on its recipient, and the child
gains immeasurably in that persons
esteem.
Don't let your child write the same
note to every one. simply substituting
"hairbrush" for bird cage" or what
ever the other articles may be. Teach
him to regard the letter as a little
masterpiece in itself-each one should
have a certain amount of imagina-
ton and individuality which may be
encouraged by telling the child to
think hard about the person he is
addressing, rather than about himself,
while in the throes of composition.
WHILE I firmly believe in the in
clusion of thank you" in the
note, I do abhor the use of such
cliches as ut was just what wanted"
'it was so sweet of you to think of
me-" perfectly beautiful" simply
grand" thanking you again. and
countless others. BY little thought,
substitutes for these frayed express
sions may be found, with the result
that your child's letter will stand out
as a charming and gracious bit Of
writing that cannot fail to bring pleas
ure to the reader.
But the main thing, Of course, Is
to make the child write at all! More
and more, in these days, the little
courtesies of life are allowed to van
ish from the lives of youngsters-and
this is a great mistake. Good breed
ing and good manners should be
synonymous-sadly enough. this is not
always true. Children dislike letter.
writing, as a general rule, and, unless
forced into it, will let the matter slide
into limbo as quickly as possible. 1t
is up to the parents to see to it that
their son or daughter is not to be
found wanting in one of the most
necessary arts Of our daily life-the
adequate expression of gratitude!
II YOU wish advice on your indivi-
dual household problems, write to
Betsy Caswell, in care Of The Star, in
closing stamped, self addressed en-
velope for reply.
Evening star., 1935-12-30
Social and
Business
SalutatiOns
BY EMILY POST.

nEAR MRS. POST: I am the bug
~ aboo Of many business people, sit
ting as I do at the reception desk
on the threshold of my company's
sanctum. Sometimes I wonder if I
don't seem as forbidding to outsiders
trying to get inside as the steep grade
this side Of mountain looks to the
weary traveller! Anyway. the least I
can do is offer pleasant greetings
and those most suitable for business
purposes. GOOD morning." in the
earliest hours of the day is easy,
but as the day progresses I rely on
"How do you do" because I don't
know what is right. Will you explain
these forms?
Answer: The approved forms Of
greeting for business usage have al
ways been these: Good morning said
up until IL o'clock noon; good after
noon from then on until 6 o'clock and
after that good evening. How do you
do, on the other hand, is an equal-to-
equal social greeting, although you
would perhaps say 1t to one who has
become a personal friend. Good day,
good afternoon, and good evening, are
all business forms for taking leave,
while goodbye and good night are
the social forms, proper in business
only among at least friendly ac-
quaintances.
n y X y
Dear Mrs. Post: You have written
(and to which I heartily subscribe)
that whether q man removes his hat
in the presence Of women in an ele-
vator in q public building Is optional
but that a gentleman always removes
his hat in an elevator Of building in
which people make their homes.
And which therefore rates as a pri-
vate house. can understand this.
But why then is he not expected to
remove his hat in the lobby or up
stairs corridor of hotel or apart
ment house?
Answer: Lobbies and Railways have
qualifying exactions. The lobby OF a
big hotel is a public concourse IKE
the street. The upstairs corridors OF
a very large hotel are much the same,
but the elevators rate as rooms. In
small landings in apartment build
ings, especially those furnished as
private foyers by the occupants OF the
apartments, a gentleman would in
stinctively take of his hat. On the
other hand, If the landing has many
doors and tile floor and gives no
greater effect Of an interior than the
typical corridor of an office building,
he would feel privileged to keep his
hat on. Upon leaving an elevator a
gentleman waits for Q lady to 60 first
unless it is crowded.
-tconyrishs. issks
Evening star., 1935-12-30
Making the
Dull Winter
Day Joyous
Time Passes Quickly
With Good Book or
Interesting Vocation.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

WINTER is trying on the children,
w especially when the cold and
the snow shut them in for days at
time. Books and games, occupations
of all sorts, must be on hand for such
occasions. Some interest that carries
over from day to day is needed to help
pass the hard days cheerfully.
Start bit of hand-work and keep
It for the day when there seems to
be nothing to do. A set Of horse lines
well started always pleaseS little boy.
A new candy recipe reserved for an
occasion always finds favor. A new
book, a new story, a new game Will
be welcomed. One of the best books
for tiding over a dull afternoon is
Family Fun" It is full of things to
do, with clear directions for the doing.
Tending some growing thing is
10y that never pals through the long
dark days. Children love to watch
sweet potato or carrot Sprouting in
the sunny window. They get great
fun out of sowing grass seed on a wet
sponge and watching it grow. A
bean or two in pot will keep child
interested for weeks. Anything that
will grow, change from day to day, Is
O tremendous help.
Give each child a paper white mar
cissus bulb, show him how to set 1t in
pebbles and water, how to start its
root in the dark, how to bring it into
the light and get it to flower. That
growing bulb will draw the owner to
its side every morning, afternoon and
night, and will teach him much more
than a lesson in nature study could
hope to do. A hyacinth in vase is
interesting, too There are many
bulbs that lend themselves to indoor
treatment, and children would enjoy
tending them.
Let some restless child make a salt
glass by putting a layer Of salt in a
tumbler and covering it well with
water. The water will evaporate and
draw the salt up with it, only to let 1t
fall back on the glass. Soon the
glass is covered with interesting salt
marking. The salt can be colored
with blueing If that makes it more in
teresting. If there are several chill
dren in the family, they like to see
which glass has the prettiest patterns,
and cheer hard for their own every
day.
Try to store up some such sugges-
ton, some bit Of newness, for the
discouraging days that come in Win
ter. They will prevent the unhappy
hours filled with complainings and Il
wishes" and What can do, mother?"
wailings Try to find the things that
have sustaining interests. especially
for the younger ones, those between 8
and IL.
Quiet games like checkers, domi-
noes and simple card games help the
older ones. And bit Of handwork
ought to be on the way so that each
child learns to I'LL his spare time
proftably as well as pleasantly.
Evening star., 1935-12-30
BY BARBARA BELL.

A N UNUSUALLY clever and
" interesting yoke treatment,
~ front and back, distinguishes
4 n this altogether lovely day
time frock With the neck opening at
the back. the V-shaped yoke extends
over the shoulder and combines with
a soft, high neckline to give a new
and hattering collar effect, equally
fetching front and back. Full set-in
sleeves drop gracefully to the wrist
and the waist portion gathers to the
yoke in the rear to provide essential
fullneSs. A fiaring panel, as fashion
dictates, features an otherwise simple
skirt which is dart-fitted at the back
and a novelty belt adds a finishing
touch.
Fashioned of soft silk, printed or
plain, in amber or green, or the
always fashionable black, this strik-
ing al-occasion frock will add zest
to your Winter wardrobe and see you
through the coming Spring. 1t will
wear well under wrap and appear
doubly attractive when the wrap or
coat is removed.
Evening star., 1935-12-30

W uO tlllo 10 O4AO VA SAAS
which they lose sleep.
There are two schools Of thought on
this subject. The old to which our
parents and our grandparents SUD-
scribed was to keep their girls under
glass cases in order that they might
not he contaminated by what was
going on all about them. Virtually
everything was taboo to them. Con-
scientious mothers kept their daugh-
ters under lock and key and never
allowed them out Of sight or hearing.
No girl would have been permitted
TO do such a hazardous thing as take
a l0-mile journey alone or to go OUT
with q man without being properly
chaperoned. Girls, we're taken to see
only the most innocuous milk-and-
water plays and allowed to read only
books that had been especially written
for the young person"
THE other school Of thought on the
= subject, which is the modern one.
contends that the best way Of protect
ing a girl is not to protect her at all.
It chucks her out into the water and
lets her sink or swim as she may. 1t
buys her an automobile and turns her
loose, and 1t is up to her what hap
pens-whether she drives safely and
sanely with a proper regard for all the
traffic lights of life to her destination,
or whether she smashes through every
danger signal and speeds down to
perdlition.
Much is to be said for and against
both of these theories about how to
protect girls. The objection to the old
fashioned way of keeping girls in a
perpetual babyhood is that it left them
absolutely untitled to take care Of
themselves in a world in which
woman has to fight every step Of the
way from the cradle to the grave.
They knew nothing about men and
their arts and wiles, and had no stand
ards by which to judge them, so they
were unable to tell which was lamb
and which was wolf in sleeps
clothing.
They married under the illusion
that all men were the chivalrous
knights and the fairy princes Of their
romantic reading, and that every mar
riage invariably ended In "they lived
happily ever afterward." And so when
they came up against the faults and
foibles Of a flesh-and-blood husband
and the real hardships of matrimony,
they broke their hearts and wrecked
their lives over situations that q little
previous information on the subject
would have prevented.
X X y X
WHY, the theme Of most Of the old
novels and plays used to be the
ignorant and innocent maiden who be-
lieved every word that any cookbook
ing man told her, and so was led astray
by the handsome villain. How many
tears we have shed over these white
nuslined and blue-ribboned heroines
and their guileless sisters who STUN
bled into the pit the minute mother
let go their hands because they had
never been told Of the existence OF
any pitt
Now ignorance is not innocence
Safety lies In an awareness Of danger,
and the mother who sends her daush-
Evening star., 1935-12-30
House
On First Day
Of the Year
BY EDITH NJ. BARBER.

A FEW days ago heard housewife
bemoaning the fact that her holi-
day supplies had cost her more this
year than they did last. OF course, at
Christmas time, when all of us are
in a hospitable mood and market or
ders are large, any increase in food
costs is more noticeable.
I often hear "reminiscences of the
good old days, when food was so cheap.
I came across, however, the other day,
a list of food prices in 1916. These
were quoted in a letter which Abigail
Adams wrote to her husband, the sec
ond President of the United States.
OF course, this was in war times, but
We found nothing like these during
our own war experiences. In l776
meat was 81 to 81 a pound; corn, S25
a bushel; potatoes, $40 bushel; mo-
lasses, s12 a gallon; sugar and tea,
each So a pound. Cheese was So a
pound. In the succeeding years but
ter sold for $12 a pound and tea for
$40 pound.
In those days wages did not rise
with prices. You can imagine that
most people had a difficult time to
feed themselves and it was probably
only where people raised their own
food that Christmas hospitality could
be indulged in to any extent. Prob
ably. however, people shared what lit
tie they had with others less fortunate.
Food has always been tied up with
hospitality, especially at Christmas
time. In olden days the guests were
always offered glass of wine and a
sample of the Christmas cake. In
some households eggnog is the ia
vorite beverage between Christmas and
New Year. A hot mulled wine is the
choice in others.
There are families who still keep
open house on New Year day. During
the afternoon tea and coffee, eggnog
or punch, canapes and sandwiches and
fancy cookies may be served. If a
large group has been asked for supper
and you are not sure of the number
I suggest what I call Viennese canepes
because I found them served so often
in Vienna. They are made from split
IlllGeT Ooud4Al d4C NONCACO
with combinations of salad, mixed
with mayonnaise, and savory foods
such as smoked salmon, cold ham or
anchovy f1llets. The salad, such as
crab or shrimp, may be used by itself
and garnished with pimento or green
pepper. A great variety of combina-
tions may be used and trays filled with
a variety Of canapes may be most at
tractive in appearance.
If you like you may serve with these
a large bowl of green salad or po-
tato salad. There should be salted
nuts, olives and pickles. There may
be bits of cheese and small hot sau-
sages on toothpicks. There may be
stuffed olives or Brazil nuts wrapped
IN bacon and broiled. ~
If you prefer more substantial meal
there may be cold meat. scaIloped
oysters or chicken pie. There may be
hot rolls or biscuits or Melba toast.
There should be jellies and jams or
spiced peaches or pears.
The dessert may be a fresh or
canned fruit compete favored with
cognac, a cordial or sherry. Mince
tartS or the always popular ice cream.
There will. of course, be some Of your
best fruit cake and Christmas cookies.