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Show I Dorothy Dix Talks CULTIVATE GRACIOUSNESS j i' POgOTHVjjlX, the World's llighe1 Paid Woman Writer (Copyright, IJiO, by iho "heeler Sn-H Sn-H dlcaie, Inc.) "WpRVfl Not long ago o muii, who v. as the father of five sons, tiled and in Ms will ho gae many Instructions .is to 1hoy his bos should be brought up. Among other things he said: I wish to ln p.utlruiar stress upon my sons' belns taught gracious manners. man-ners. Boys are net liable to realize how far social qualities count In life N'o man is likely to go f?.r In th? world unless ho is popular with his fellow men and women, and knows how to get on with them. Tactful coachlag :u youth make- all the difference in this .jj. respect, and although 1 do not want rJ DJ'8 t0 make r too conscious er- ' ! ort popular I do uini thoe '1 : v'j concerned with th. ir tialning Co Keep ji jzS an 'c 0,1 tnls part of their education, ' 3 anc to aee to t,,,lt tny acquire that .'fef suavity of demeanof that will maki them pleasing to those wph whom they como In contact ' I do not know how much mpn ' 'A i this father left his boys, but J urn sure that tho most valuable bequest he made them was this udvice about acquiring ac-quiring the fine art of praclousm ki For graciousneaii in a letter of credit Y;3t tnat tne whole world honors at sight: TmSt 11 's tnt magic that opens every ooor: Jvw 11 ! ln' charm thai makes friends anci JK9 disarms enemies, and that c Lusee -wjS eery one to lend a helping hand up HB the ladder to Us fortunate possessor. What we vaguely describe as per-bwKm per-bwKm sonai magnetism, or a winning per- HHI sonality is nothing more, nor less, tnan SI gracloueness, the ability fo do .iie nice I BV, i hlnu In the nico way, and to say the K pleasing thing In the pleasing way mA NSUITIKG KIN'DNESS Hi. Without graclousm - eVcn the n-- K ' iues become as dust and ashes in our B teeth, and kindnesses to us arc an oi- Ifense against ,ua Haven't you had people do you a good turn in such an insulting way that you hated them for If Haven't ypU had people give vu things With such an ungracious manner that jow longed to throw their gifts bacli in their faces? And haven t you ha 1 people roTr. r you things With so charming n Joanner that you went away sorrier for them because they couldn't oblige you, ti-.an you were for yourself because you didn't get what you had asl;d for'.' That's the difference between grac-lousness grac-lousness and ungraciousness. There are people who carnot give you a pocket-handkerchief without mr.klng you feel that you are a pauoei who never do you a klndnes without making you realize that It Is a great Hfl sacrifice for them: who cannot usso- clate with you without palronl in you. whom you never Spend an hour HV lth wllhout their wo undine your f I - !dB; Ings or hurting your self-love in some ylW'J way. They may be at heart really good SlBi j and brutal manners makes thom ene- tSlI miefl instead of friends. They are the sort of people Who, i while they are rellelng your needs, deliver ou a lecture on your lack ot jlll thrift who feel it their sacred duty to j comlnRs, and who take credit to them- I ill selves because with all your faults they SB 9 love vou still. I ) WARMS Tin; HEART U The gracious man or woman may j not give you half so much, but they j do 11 with a sympathy that warms the l very cockles of your heart, they make I you feel that they consider It a privi- ; iegi ti knuu you Instead of Impress- lng fm you that It Is nn honor for you il to know them, and ypu neyer ko from j their presence without In some subtle I way having your own opinion of your- I" self somehow inflated. The brusk people hao to fight, tooth and nail, for everything they get. We hand the gracious all they desire on a sliver slaver. Wc go out of our v.a to help them, for we all do favors for the people we like that we J wouldn't do for those we don't like. How important, then, to teach chil-I chil-I dren graclousnes, which In Its last analysis In simply tho art of getting BkF along with our fellow creatures with out friction. To do this begin by teaching children chil-dren 1 ; always speak in a pleasant lone of voice Never let them acquire I the bad habit of snapping or snarllni? I or replying In a surly manner when I spoken to, It Is Just ,3 easy to acquire an agreeable voice as it is a disagree- able one. and the one wins', at least, a hearing while to tne otner every listener list-ener tuins n deaf ear Teach children now to get along together to-gether wllhout quarreling. Teach them how to lose, how to be good sports, hoc to play the game. Teach children chil-dren how to give und take, and not to whine and fight when another wins. FEJELINGS OF OTHERS Teach children to be appreciative oi what Is done for them. Teach them to thank every one who does a kindness kind-ness to them, and such a proper ki -tltude for eery courtesy Take t ie trouble to make them write letters ot thanks to people who send tu m presents, pres-ents, and notes of congratulations aha I condolence to their acquaintances who have Joys come to them, or sorrows :n--faii them: Teach them to consider the feelings of other people, and to avoid saying the things thai hurt and stub Jus; i il they would lefraln from physically , wounding other people Go even farther farth-er than tins, and teach them to sa plea.sanl and kindly things to peop There are Just as many men and women wom-en starving for a few kind word-there word-there are hungry for bread. "It isn't what ho said, it was Uie nasty way he said It.' complained the hero of the song, of his enemy. Teach children the pleasant way instead oi the 'narsty' way if you want them to succeed In life. (Dorothy Dlx articles appear in this pap'-r every Monday. Wednesday PhO Friday.) |