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Our Work: Finish the Course of Study

Improvement Era, vol. 2, no. 5, March 1899, p. 389

Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations

his nurse is in pain. Certainly no thought of self intrudes there; it is natural, sincere, and instinctive. The reason why the former impulse is generally so strong and the latter comparatively so weak is chiefly because the one is called so continually into action, and the latter so seldom. It is true that even at birth the tendency to one or the other may be extremely disproportionate. One child will be naturally warm and loving, another cold and self-centered. But if the sympathetic impulse exist ever so faintly it is capable of cultivation, and will richly reward the effort by its growth. IN LIGHTER MOOD. It is not always safe or wise to rebuke too strictly or too openly the shortcomings of others. The danger of such procedure is well illustrated by the following incident: A Catholic priest was displeased with what he considered the backsliding of a young girl in his parish. He met her one day in a crowd, and thought it well to rebuke her for neglected duty. Looking at her severely, he said: "Good morning, child of the evil one." "Good morning, father," she answered sweetly.


Here is a good story of Mark Twain's first and second meetings with President Grant. At their first interview Mr. Clemens was a negligeable literary quantity, and, when the introducing senator said, "Mr. President, may I have the privilege of introducing Mr. Clemens?" "the President," relates Mr. Clemens, "gave my hand an unsympathetic wag and dropped it. He did not say a word, but just stood. In my trouble I could not think of anything to say; I merely wanted to resign. There was an awkward pause, a dreary pause, a horrible pause. Then I thought of something, and looked up into that unyielding face and said timidly, 'Mr. President, I—I am embarrassed. Are you?' "His face broke, just a little—a wee glimmer—the momentary flicker of a summer-lightning smile seven years ahead of time; and I was out and gone as soon as it was."