hat happened to her? She forgot herself. People had told
her to do that before but she couldn't, for she felt that they were
watching to see her make the attempt. They called attention to her
shyness, her roommate ignored it. They bade her take part in
conversation and join with others in what they were doing; her roommate
gave her a part in the conversation and made a place for her in all that
they were doing. Her family and school friends said by their manner and
sometimes in words, "The poor girl is so shy, what a pity it is." The
roommate expressed calm confidence in her and in manner and words said,
"You have no idea how fine she is and how well worth knowing."

If a girl chances to read this page who is herself popular and who finds
it easy to meet people and join naturally in whatever her neighbors may
be doing, has in her circle of friends a shy, awkward, self-conscious
girl, may she see her opportunity and realize her mission. The pure
kindliness of heart and the thoughtfulness which prompts a happy girl,
free from the pain of self-consciousness, and always at ease with her
friends, to shelter, stand by and call out the best in a shy girl
suffering from awkwardness deserve a rich reward.

The very opposite of the girl who is misunderstood and undervalued
because of her shyness, is the girl who, because of her boldness and
independence, her carelessness of speech, hilarity and adventuresomeness
is misunderstood.

"She doesn't mean anything by it," said one girl of another whom she was
trying to defend in the presence of a critic, "she is good hearted,
generous and just fine, but she has been brought up in a large family
where they have noisy times together." The critic accepted the
explanation but strangers, new people whom she met, men and women upon
the street, constantly misunderstood the girl whose unfortunate manners
would lead one to believe she was a most undesirable friend. The girl
was conscious that she was misjudged and misunderstood and was growing
hard and beginning not to care when an older woman who loved her showed
her with real tact where the trouble lay. No one could help admiring
that girl as she struggled to overcome the things which had been the
cause of all the misunderstandings.

I met awhile ago, a girl whom her companions described as _wooden_. I
knew that she wanted to talk with me, that she was interested in the
people whom the group were discussing. She seemed like a bright girl an