Quit Your Worrying! | Page 6

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its usual value. The editor is worried lest his reporters fail to bring in
the news, and often worried when it is brought in to know whether it is
accurate or not. The chemist worries over his experiments, and the
inventor that certain things needful will persist in eluding him. The man
who has to rent a house, worries when rent day approaches; and many
who own houses worry at the same time. Some owners, indeed, worry
because there is no rent day, they have no tenants, their houses are idle.
Others worry because their tenants are not to their liking, are
destructive, careless, or neglect the flowers and the lawn, or allow the
children to batter the furniture, walk in hob nails over the hardwood
floors, or scratch the paint off the walls. Men in high position worry
lest their superiors are not as fully appreciative of their efforts as they
should be, and they in turn worry their subordinates lest they forget that
they are subordinate.
Mistresses worry about their maids, and maids about their mistresses.
Some of the former worry because they have to go into their kitchens,
others because they are not allowed to go. Some mistresses deliberately
worry their servants, and others are worried because their servants
insist upon doing the worrying. Many a wife is worried because of her
husband's typewriter, and many a typewriter is worried because her
employer has a wife. Some typewriters are worried because they are
not made into wives, and many a one who is a wife wishes she were
free again to become a typewriter.
Thousands of girls--many of them who ought yet to be wearing short
dresses and playing with dolls--worry because they have no sweethearts,
and equal thousands worry because they do have them. Many a lad
worries because he has no "lassie," and many a one worries because he
has. Yesterday I rode on a street car and saw a bit of by-play that fully
illustrated this. On these particular cars there is a seat for two alongside
the front by the motorman. On this car, chatting merrily with the
handler of the lever, sat a black-eyed, pretty-faced Latin type of
brunette. That he was happy was evidenced by his good-natured laugh
and the huge smile that covered his face from ear to ear as he
responded to her sallies. Just then a young Italian came on the car,
directly to the front, and seemed nettled to see the young lady talking

so freely with the motorman. He saluted her with a frown upon his face,
but evidently with familiarity. The change in the girl's demeanor was
instantaneous. Evidently she did not wish to offend the newcomer, nor
did she wish to break with the motorman. All were ill at ease,
distraught, vexed, worried. She tried to bring the newcomer into the
conversation, which he refused. The motorman eyed him with hostility
now and again, as he dared to neglect his duty, but smiled uneasily in
the face of the girl when she addressed him with an attempt at freedom.
Bye and bye the youth took the empty seat by the side of the girl, and
endeavored to draw her into conversation to the exclusion of the
motorman. She responded, twisting her body and face towards him, so
that her sweet and ingratiating smiles could not be seen by the
motorman. Then, she reversed the process and gave a few fleeting
smiles to the grim-looking motorman. It was as clear a case of
How happy could I be with either, Were t'other dear charmer away,
as one could well see.
Just then the car came to a transfer point. The girl had a transfer and
left, smiling sweetly, but separately, in turn, to the motorman and her
young Italian friend. The latter watched her go. Then a new look came
over his face, which I wondered at. It was soon explained. The transfer
point was also a division point for this car. The motorman and
conductor were changed, and the moment the new crew came, our
motorman jumped from his own car, ran to the one the brunette had
taken, and swung himself on, as it crossed at right angles over the track
we were to take. Rising to his feet the youth watched the passing car,
with keenest interest until it was out of sight, clearly revealing the
jealousy, worry, and unrest he felt.
In another chapter I have dealt more fully with the subject of the
worries of jealousy. They are demons of unrest and distress, destroying
the very vitals with their incessant gnawing.
Too great emphasis cannot be placed upon the physical ills that come
from worry. The body unconsciously reflects our mental states. A

fretful and worrying mother should never be allowed to