Who among my readers (and I am tempted to believe they are all more sensible than the above young woman) has not, during a summer passed with agreeable friends, made a thousand pleasant little plans with them for the ensuing winter, - the books they were to read at the same time, the "exhibitions" they were to see, the visits to our wonderful collections in the Metropolitan Museum or private galleries, cosy little dinners, etc.? And who has not found, as the winter slips away, that few of these charming plans have been carried out? He and his friends have unconsciously fallen back into their ruts of former years, and the pleasant things projected have been brushed aside by that strongest of tyrants, habit.
I once asked a very great lady, whose gracious manner was never disturbed, who floated through the endless complications of her life with smiling serenity, how she achieved this Olympian calm.
She was good enough to explain."I make a list of what I want to do each day.Then, as I find my day passing, or I get behind, or tired, I throw over every other engagement.I could have done them all with hurry and fatigue.I prefer to do one-half and enjoy what I do.If I go to a house, it is to remain and appreciate whatever entertainment has been prepared for me.I never offer to any hostess the slight of a hurried, DISTRAIT 'call,' with glances at my watch, and an 'on-the-wing' manner.It is much easier not to go, or to send a card."This brings me around to a subject which I believe is one of the causes of my correspondent's dilemma.I fear that she never can refuse anything.It is a peculiar trait of people who go about to amuse themselves, that they are always sure the particular entertainment they have been asked to last is going to "be amusing." It rarely is different from the others, but these people are convinced, that to stay away would be to miss something.Aweary-looking girl about 1 A.M.(at a house-party) when asked why she did not go to bed if she was so tired, answered, "the nights Igo to bed early, they always seem to do something jolly, and then Imiss it."