ONE SWEET SMILE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19014, 9 November 1923, Page 8

ONE SWEET SMILE.

The ability to smile is (say? an exchange) one of the distinctions between man and the. animals, for there is soul behind a smile. The first sign of the da-wn of intelligence in the infant is its smile, and proud and glad is the mother when she sees that first timid smile of babyhood. A smile costs nothing, but it, menus much, and shows much of the character; it is wonderful to see the change wrought in a plain face by a pleasant smile. There are happy, friendly smiles, and those which are but meaningless contortions of the face They are cold, callous smiles, and cruel. gloating ones, like that of the I.orelei as she sat combing her golden hair and luring sailors to their doom. The sneering smilo belongs to the cynic. There is the irritating, superior smile, and the one that is haughty and condescending. They are grimaces. The feeble smile shows a shallow, bored nature; the pitying smile can be sympathetic or merely indifferent. The conventional smile conveys nothing, but an understanding smile is wonderfully consoling. The infectious, merry smile that "loves io live in dimpled cheeks" wins all hearts, and the slow, affectionate smile shows an indulgent good humour that makes allowances for failings. There are grudging smiles that lack charity, and enigmatical, baffling smiles like that of la Oiuoonda. The smile of ri-Mg-nation is sad ; but when one has ccascvl to smile then indeed has the glory departed from life. "We never saw her with a smile" lamented the maidens to the. Prince who came "too late for love, too late for joy." The story of the King who never smiled has come down through history, and the chronicler wlio. in simple verse, told of the shipwreck of tho King's son. oypressed the sorrowing father's utter misery and desolation in— The barque that held a Prince, wont down, He never smiled again.