436 Reading-Course for Farmers' Wives. 



there is a serenity that is not vacuity, a repose that is not indolence, a 

 vitahty that is not vehemence — in short, a harmonious balance between 

 the mind that commands and the body and habiliments that serve, which 

 taken together make up what we call the graceful, the very soul of 

 Greek statuary. 



The graceful still has a function to play in life, for it means economy 

 of effort and it conduces to the joy of living. Awkwardness in motion 

 or behavior, ungainliness of posture or dress, proclaim unsymmetrical 

 development of body or defect of mind. The satisfaction we feel in 

 worthy character is always enhanced when we can add the delight that 

 arises from grace of motion, form, feature and garment, and from thost 

 subtler graces of mind and heart that now adorn the few, but should be 

 the happy procession of the many. 



COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE READING-COURSE. 



In the Discussion-paper of Bulletin No. 2 referred to above, readers 

 were requested to comment on the attitude of the woman who said, 

 " There, I embroidered a lovely silk pillow, and John has gone and laid 

 his head on it 1 " 



In the comments which have been made John in the main gets the 

 best of it. The pillow is not necessarily sacrificed by remaining as a 

 rest to his head but he is made quite as comfortable on something else. 



We give a few of the answers which are suggestive of the general 

 attitude toward John and the pillow. 



" For what is a pillow if not for tired John's head? If that is the 

 object of a pillow, embroidered silk is not a suitable covering. 



" How many good magazines might have been shared with John 

 while his wife was at work on the pillow ? 



" How much will it cost for spectacles to repair the damage to her 

 eyesight ? " 



" There are a good many such women and one feels so uncomfort- 

 able in a room where things of that nature were made to be * looked at ' 

 not used. They certainly should be placed in a glass case and a few 

 soft-downy pillows with wash covers for John to lay his head on put in 

 the cozy corner." 



" I do not think the woman ever said that for, if she felt so particular 

 about her things, John would rather have gone to the barn and rested on 

 the hay mow than have come in the house and have his wife grumble 

 because he was using her silk pillow. My husband puts his head where 

 he pleases, but we have no silk pillows. Ours can be washed when they 

 are soiled." 



