HOW TO BE WELCOME.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 25, 20 June 1891, Page 90

HOW TO BE WELCOME.

The secret of making one’s-self an agreeable guest, warmly welcomed when one comes and sincerely regretted when one goes, does not always lie in the possession of conversational talents or general accomplishments. The little authentic dialogue, which took place between Mr and Mrs Parkins the evening after their Aunt Sophronia Greene had ended a week's visit at their house indicates a surer means of making one’s self welcome. ‘ How lonesome it is,’said Mr Parkins, ‘now that the children have gone to bed ! I wonder what it really is that makes Aunt Sophronia’s visits so especially delightful ?’ ‘ Why, I suppose it’s because she never finds any fault,’ said Mrs Parkins. ‘ Are all our other guests accustomed to find fault with things which go on about the house?’ No, but ’ • Rut what ? Aunt Sophronia seldom says anything particularly pertinent or entertaining. In fact, she says and does very little.’ ‘That’s true; but she is always good-natured in a quiet way.’ ‘ But lots of other folks are good-natured, and yet nobody’s visits give us so much pleasure as Aunt Sophronia’s. There must be some other and positive reason.’ Mrs Parkins knitted on silently for a few moments, as if in a brown study, and then, dropping her woik, exclaimed : ‘ William, I know what it is !’ ‘ Well •’ • Whenever Aunt Sophronia opens her mouth to speak, it is almost always to bring out, either flatly or else in some roundabout way, some good quality of one of the children.’ ‘ I guess that is so,’said Mr Perkins, raising his eyebrows as if searching his recollection. ‘ And did you ever hear her so much as refer, in all the times she has been here, to any one of their numerous failings.’ • Never I’ ‘ Then we’ve found her out.’ ‘ Yes, we ve found her out, but she can’t come again any too soon !’