Make-Believe" the girl pretends at
first that she loves the man, and later on comes to love him to
distraction, and she lived happy ever after, too. When, in my fever,
I would ask about my temperature, the nurse would give a numeral
about two degrees below the real record to encourage me, and I can't
think that St. Peter will bar her out just for that.

The psychologists give mild assent to the theory that a physical
attitude may generate an emotion. If I assume a belligerent
attitude, they claim that, in time, I shall feel really belligerent;
that in a loafing attitude I shall presently be loafing; and that, if
I assume the attitude of a listener, I shall soon be listening most
intently. This seems to be justified by the experiences of Edwin
Booth on the stage. He could feign fighting for a time, and then it
became real fighting, and great care had to be taken to avert
disastrous consequences when his sword fully struck its gait. I
believe the psychologists have never fully agreed on the question
whether the man is running from the bear because he is scared or is
scared because he is running.

I dare say Mr. Shakespeare was trying to express this theory when he
said: "Assume a virtue, though you have it not." That's exactly what
I'm trying to have my pupils do all the while. I'm trying to have
them wear their company manners continually, so that, in good time,
they will become their regular working garb. I'm glad to have them
assume the attitudes of diligence and politeness, thinking that their
attitudes may generate the corresponding emotions. It is a severe
strain on a boy at times to seem polite when he feels like hurling
missiles. We both know that his politeness is mere make-believe, but
we pretend not to know, and so move along our ways of hypocrisy
hoping that good may come.

There is a telephone-girl over in the central station, wherever that
is, who certainly is beautiful if the voice is a true index. Her
tones are dulcet, and her voice is so mellow and well modulated that
I visualize her as another Venus. I suspect that, when she began her
work, some one told her that her tenure of position depended upon the
quality of her voice. So, I imagine, she assumed a tonal quality of
voice that was really a sublimated hypocrisy, and persisted in this
until now that quality of voice is entirely natural. I can't think
that Shakespeare had her specially in mind, but, if I ever have the
good fortune to m