EVERYBODY’S “AUNT SOPHY.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16455, 17 June 1921, Page 9

EVERYBODY’S “AUNT SOPHY.”

It is true that Aunt Sophy is a kindly disposed person ami a good housewife. But her propensity for overstatement is a source of disaffection in the family. There are nephews and nieces who invent ingenious excuses for refusing Aunt Sophy's hospitality. They say she is “ too frank.” Her sense of sincerity and candour expresses itself in perverse exaggeration. For example, if a, child whimpers, Aunt Sophy says, “Now don't bellow like that!” If the children shout at their plav she declares that she lias “never heard such a frightful din ” in tho whole course of Tier experience of tho nursery. When a table is littered she describes the room as “ a perfect pigsty.” Aunt Sophy’s headaches are always “ exorueiatmg ” or “blinding.” She never has a common, ordinary sort of headache. When she is tired she is absolutely exhausted ” or “tired to deail'i.” li yon are five minutes late in coming iu trio breakfast-table Aunt Sophy says, in a ton© of austere reproach, “ We have been waiting half an hour Every household assistant employed by Aunt Sophy is tho “ uritidiest ” or “the laziest ” she ha s “ever seen or heard of.” Tf the joint is not piping hot it is “ positively stone cold.” When the temperature of the parlour is about <lO degrees Aunt Sophy asserts that “ the. room is like an iee-lipuse.” 1 am not affirming that exaggeration is a specifically feminine habit. Many men are addicted to over-statement and undue emphasis. But T think wo-

men excel in the cold-blooded and constant forms of extravagant, speechThis is duo partly to a love of the picturesque and the symbolic. It is also the result of defective appreciation for intellectual truth and a total disregard of logical or rational thinking. Most children are sensation-mongers and love to excite interest by grotesque exaggeration. Many women never outgrow this juvenile tendency. The motive for exaggeration may b© mainly unconscious, but it is a desire to make an “effect” upon an audience. ■Women’s denunciations arc notably extravagant, especially when actuated by strong personal feeling. This is why women are bitter and relentless detractors and malignant enemies. The same kind of appraisal is shown, too, in a woman’s hero-worship. A quite commonplace individual is attributed with superlative virtues or transcendent talents. A little exaggeration adds a spice to conversation. But the habitual exaggerator arouses distrust(By January Mortimer).