TACT IN TIME OF DANGER.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 34, 18 November 1893, Page 4

TACT IN TIME OF DANGER.

Men and women who understand the art of bending others to their will give due importance to the passion of vanity, and do not scruple to play upon it. A young - French officer who was ordered to fire upon a French revolutionary mob, begged his general to first let him try to persuade them to withdraw. “It is useless to appeal to their reason,” said the general. “ Certainly,” answered the officer; ‘‘and it is not to their reason, but to their vanity, I would appeal.” The officer rode up to the front of the mob, doffed his cocked hat, pointed to the guns, and said ; “ Gentlemen, will you have the kindness to retire, for I am ordered to shoot down the rabble.” The street was cleared at once, for none could brook being classed with the scum of the city. During the agrarian riots which disturbed England in 1832, a mob of rick burners and machine-breakers appeared at the old mansion of two elderly maiden ladies. The walls of the hall were decollated with suits of armour and antique weapons—pikes, halberds, swords, and battle-axes. The mob clamoured for the weapons and for drink. The ladies courageously refused their and when the mob seemed ready to resort to violence, Miss Betty, the elder of the ladies, went up to the leader, a hideous-look-ing man, and said — “You, too, of all the people in the world! I’m not surprised at these poor, misguided creatures. But that such a good-looking, intelligent man as you should attack two defenceless women does astonish me ! You are the man I should have looked to for protection. But you are not the man I took you for. Never again will I trust to good looks !” There was no standing up against

that compliment. The man took off his hat, arid said—- “ Come, old lady, we ain’t so bad as all that! only give us some beer. We would not harm a hair of jour head!” “ No ; I know that,” retorted Miss Betty. 44 You can’t ; I wear a wig.” The mob roared with laughter, and retired without another word. Womanly tact had won the day.