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A SUGGESTION FOR THOSE WHO

TALK

SHOP

BY ALICE LANGLAND

"It's all very well to be literary," said my friend, upon whom I had called; "but it does have its drawbacks."

"What, for instance ?"

"Well, it narrows one; it keeps one in a certain groove till one is interested in nothing else. In short, a very interesting man or woman may become a bore to everybody with his or her books and articles and favorite authors."

"And have I caught it?"

"I'm afraid you are catching it."

"But isn't every one likely to talk mostly of whatever lies nearest her heart and mind? And aren't other lines of work equally narrowing?"

"No, I don't think so."

This struck home, because my friend could never hear others out in patience, as she was so full of her new greenhouse and her special plants, and talked of nothing else. Her criticism, however, set me to thinking and I started out to prove which of us was right. I called first on a newly married friend.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you," she cried on seeing me. "How I wish Charles were at home!" "What a dear little flat!" I exclaimed.

"Isn't it? Charles is so thoughtful; he remembered everything. You must come to dinner soon."

"I shall be delighted; but I haven't seen you anywhere lately. Won't you be at the club tomorrow? Mrs. B. is to read a paper on

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began, but before I had well waded in her eyes wandered lovingly to some water color sketches on the wall.

"Very pretty," I said, interrupting myself.

"I am so glad you like them," she exclaimed; and then I was served to a minute detail of the scene and the hour of the painting, and her plans for the present and all time to come.

"I have enjoyed your visit so much," she said at parting. "Come again soon and we'll have another talk over our work."

Three points scored!

Next I tried a friend who rented rooms to piece out a meager income.

"How is business?" I began briskly. "The worst business in the world; be glad you are not in it."

"Why?"

"Oh, the men are either at war with each other, or they collect in one room and smoke up the curtains. The front parlor man is all right, but the hall bedroom and back parlor are always at outs. If I put a rug on one floor all the others must have rugs, or there is trouble. It's a continual effort to keep them pleased." And so on for the half-hour I spent with her. At parting she remarked, "By the way, what are you writing

now ?"

"O, nothing much," I answered, and went my way exultingly. I determined to try one more place; and I chose a dear little baby-eyed woman whom none of us had considered especially clever or brainy.

"Oh! my dear, how sweet of you to come," she said, in her pleasant way. "I was wondering only today what you were doing now that you were too busy ever to visit me."

"Nothing worth while," I answered. "What are you doing these lovely winter days?"

"Me? Oh! I never do anything important, you know," with a little laugh. "Marie painted that little bed of pansies; isn't it beautiful?" "Yes; very."

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"She is so clever."

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way.

"I envy you clever girls; you are always so entertaining. How I wish I was clever," she said with a regretful little sigh, as I bade her good-bye a couple of hours later.

As I sat in my room that evening looking out at the snow on the barren tree limbs, I came to the conclusion that my friend and I were both right. We all become carried away with our one enthusiasm, and it does make us uninteresting. My last call had been the most pleasant, and who shall say this little woman is not the cleverest of us all?

I have not talked "shop" since.

A LETTER FROM REAR-ADMIRAL SIGSBEE

Some months ago Mrs. A. E. Sigsbee, a relative of Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee, won a prize in a COMMON-SENSE story writing contest. She chose for her subject "The Life and Work of Admiral Sigsbee."

A copy of the magazine reached Admiral Sigsbee, at sea, while acting as commander-inchief of the John Paul Jones expedition, and he thereupon wrote Mrs. Sigsbee a very interesting letter, part of which is here reproduced:

U. S. FLAGSHIP BROOKLYN.

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I was especially fond of my grand uncle William and his wife, my aunt Elizabeth (William and Elizabeth were the parents of Dr. Wm. and B. Sigsbee, of Quincy), and remember much concerning them to this day, even about their favorite old horse, Dolly, I think her name was. Uncle William and my aunt were very genial to children, more, I fear, than my grandfather, who, however, was kind.

My profession is of a nature that has kept me near the coast. So I have seen but little of my relatives since I have been in the navy.

A few additional honors have come to me since the Maine was destroyed. For the Maine incident, and for my fight with the Saint Paul against the Spanish cruiser Isabel II and the Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer Terror, I received promotion-for what was styled in my commission, "extraordinary heroism"; and while in Paris recently, I was made Commander of the Legion of Honor by the President of France. Within the past two years I have been commander-in-chief of the South Atlantic squadron; then commander of the Caribbean squadron; then commander of the second squadron of the North Atlantic fleet. It is with four vessels of the second squadron that I am returning from France with the remains of John Paul Jones. The second squadron is composed of the armored cruiser Brooklyn, three smaller cruisers and four armored cruisers of 13,700 tons each, the largest vessels that we have afloat-eight vessels in all. Fourteen vessels is the greatest number of vessels that I have ever commanded at one time.

I was made a rear admiral in August, 1903, and, through the turn of fortune, am the only Albanian who has ever reached that rank. I am hoping to get my son into the navy.

Now you have much of my history, so I should like to learn something concerning yourself and your family.

I send you by this mail a picture taken of me, as captain, about two months after the Maine was destroyed. The picture shown with your article in COMMON-SENSE is the one that I like least of all. It is "touched up" until all character is lost.

I am employing the typewriting machine for this letter because the sea is rather rough, and my desk is almost immediately over the propellers, all making it difficult to write with the pen.

My permanent postoffice address is to the Flagship Brooklyn, care of postmaster, New York City. I keep that postmaster constantly informed, by telegraph, of my changes of address. He forwards my letters.

Common-Sense

I have no thought yet as to what I shall do when I retire. I have now been forty-six years in the navy, and forty-two years out of the naval academy. In these forty-two years I have been on waiting orders, that is to say, inactive, only three months in the aggregate. So you see, mine has been rather a busy life.

Thanking you again for your article and sending my kindest regards to yourself and your family, I am,

Yours very sincerely,

CHARLES D. SIGSBEE.

Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy,
John Paul Jones Expedition.

LOOKING THROUGH ROSY GLASSES

BY D. MACARA

Optimism always pays. It is not a very easy thing for us always to console ourselves with the idea that everything, even the misfortunes of life, are for the best, but we can at any rate do our best to cultivate a spirit of optimism. People who are not inclined to be optimistic will exclaim, "It is very easy to be optimistic when everything is going right, but, when something happens which puts us off the even tenor of our ways, it is a difficult thing." The truth of this is at once granted, but we should cultivate a spirit of cheerfulness and look forward with hope to better times.

Nowadays in the stress of life all, and especially young people, have a lot to contend with. When they meet with many disappointments they are apt to become cynical. This should be guarded against, as a cynic can never really enjoy life.

Misfortunes, though hard to bear, can generally be made to benefit us by helping us to brace us up for greater attempts. "Sweet are the uses of adversity" when tempered with "Adversity's sweet milk, philosophy". When we cultivate the habit of taking misfortunes and disappointments as philosophically as possible, we have gone a long way towards the realization of the ideal state of optimism.

Nothing so helps one to be an optimist as good health. Nobody is so stinted for time but that he can devote a portion of each day to systematic exercise and walks in the fresh air, which, after all, is the only true way of keeping in health. Unless one knows what it is to enjoy the radiant health which results from regular exercise, he can never experience the real "joy of living." Many people are apt to laugh at physical culture enthusiasts as faddists, but for those who live in towns and have not much time for outdoor exercise, the cultivation of moderate physical culture is a

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habit which gives a new zest to life. In the end the laugh is always on the side of the physical culturist.

I see instances almost every day of people who complain of their hard lot, and yet do nothing to get out of the groove. These people have themselves to blame to a certain extent, because it is quite true that "Providence helps the man who helps himself". Looking over the lives of great men who have risen from humble stations in life, it will be found that their hard lot seemed rather to help than to retard them in their progress towards higher things.

Some people are born optimists, but for those who do not belong to that happy class, there is only one thing to do and that is to cultivate a spirit of optimism, when they will find that things go far better. Disappointments and misfortunes will not be so much felt, and life in all its aspects will become brighter.

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Common-Sense

CARRY THESE FACTS IN YOUR

MIND THROUGHOUT

THE YEAR

Most people waste time remembering useless, fruitless, resultless trifles. Here are points worth space in your memory chest. Profit by them.

Sully's Success and Failure

Daniel J. Sully, the cotton "bull," made his first great success by thoroughly familiarizing himself with the crops. He made regular tours through the cotton belt and mastered the situation "geographically, botanically and commercially." He was able to foresee when crops would be heavy and when short, and he bought accordingly. There was nothing haphazard in his earlier speculations, and he made tremendous profits as the result. He failed later, because he did not understand Wall street methods. He undertook to compete in a strange field.

One more proof that one must thoroughly understand all the ins and outs of whatever he undertakes to do, if he hopes for success.

Thomas F. Ryan, Financier

The head of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, a power in national politics, mentioned. as possible candidate for President at the next election, controlling over a billion dollars, and

still a young man. Such is Mr. Ryan's record. More than this, he was an ordinary clerk in a Virginia store not so many years ago. How has he reached such a position of power? These words tell the story: "He is ambitious, tireless and persistent." He has had little to say and much to do. From a beginning of the most ordinary kind he gradually acquired larger and larger holdings.

You may be a salaried employe today, but tomorrow may find you in a far different position-it all depends upon yourself.

Frank H. Hitchcock

First Assistant Postmaster-General and an all around able man through his own earnest efforts, such is Frank H. Hitchcock. Secretary Wilson said of this notably successful young man: "Mr. Hitchcock had the energy to get a good education. When he came here he was ready to do something. A good many men start out with part of the egg shell sticking to them; they are only partly hatched."

Often a man hesitates to acquire knowledge until he knows definitely what he shall do with it. This is the most narrow and foolish view to take of education. One should learn thoroughly every detail of whatever line he may choose, and trust to an opportunity to use this

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knowledge. knowledge. There is no danger of its being wasted. It's far safer to know than not to know.

James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture

Mr. Wilson is a farmer who made a science of his vocation. He didn't consider that there was any higher or finer thing in all the world than to demonstrate what he could do with soil. He reduced farming to such a science, and made so many practical improvements and discoveries, that he came to be regarded as America's greatest agriculturist. He sums up the essentials for scientific farming in these words: "Knowledge, common sense and industry." Notice that he puts knowledge first. People often imagine that to work hard is the all important duty. Man may work hard but to little purpose, if scientific knowledge does not direct his efforts. We are not in the world to be kept busy-we are here to accomplish results.

D. H. Moffat, Builder of Railroads

Mr. Moffat has about finished the construction of a road from Denver, Colo., to Salt Lake City, Utah, which all railroad men in all times have insisted could never be built. He was confronted by the most terrible obstacles in the way of mountains of granite, which must be blown off the face of the earth; other mountains which must be bored through, one strip of eleven miles requiring twenty-nine tunnels, heavy grades, deep ravines, every difficulty that the western mountains in their rugged awfulness could provide, and yet the man has conquered; he found a way.

How often it is that while the shouts are going up all around proclaiming that "it can't be done," some one individual with clear eye and iron will, heedless of the clamoring voices, sees that the thing can be done, determines to do it, and carries out the project to successful materialization.

Never be balked in an undertaking because some doubter throws the cold water of discouragement on your plans. Keep in mind. the words of Calonne: "If it is possible, it is done; if impossible, it shall be done."

our department, "Authors and Their Books," you will find both practical and interesting works carefully reviewed. This department, appearing from month to month, is designed to be of actual benefit to our readers. We realize that COMMON SENSE people haven't time to keep in touch with the great mass of reading matter constantly being issued, therefore we present only books that we consider the best, the most interesting, and the most really helpful.

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