Ruth said: “I don’t believe people are ever their real self with me, and it is very annoying. They always try to seem better.” “That is,” said Marian, “because they know you have such high ideals.” “Yes,” Ruth went on, “I suppose _you_ tell them. And then they show me only their good side.” “Ruth,” I answered, “if that be true, it need not trouble you. If you can really make people always show you their good side, you should be glad to have the power. For people’s good side is a pleasanter side to see; and it is excellent practice for them to show it. I want you each to be a power and a purpose in life.” Afterward I had a little talk with Florence. I said: “I am afraid I was speaking for your benefit. Do you mind?” “No,” she answered, “but I am not going to be that sort of society girl.” I walked homeward with Virginia and Henry. Virginia told me that the club made her think, that things we said came back to her weeks and weeks afterward, and gave new meanings to life. Next week we are going to have the last meeting. Henry asked me whether we were going to speak of “Aloofness.” “Yes,” I answered, “and it will include all we have said until now.” SEVENTEENTH MEETING I read Henry’s paper: “We should not be partisan. Do not fight against any one as an enemy, but as a friend who tries to help another, by thwarting his wrong purpose. “Again we can go to Lincoln for an example. When he was president, Lincoln sent to his great political enemy, Douglas, and asked for his aid in the approaching struggle. Again, when the war was almost over, and those about him said that the Southern leaders would have to be severely dealt with, he told them that though he could not avoid the hated war, now that their end had been gained, he wanted peace, and bore no malice toward his Southern countrymen, whom he would deal with as leniently as possible.” Then I read Marian’s paper: “At our last meeting of the Seekers we took up the application of the two next-to-the-last principles of Art to life. The first, ‘do not be partisan,’ we understood easily. But how to stand for a cause without being partisan, is more difficult to understand. By this we mean being for a cause but not against another, and being broad-minded enough to understand the other side. In doing this all personal attacks are, of course, eliminated. The next principle, that art gives the impression of truth, when applied to life means being, first, truth-telling. However, if by telling the truth we unnecessarily wound a person, we had better say nothing. To tell the truth for the purpose of hurting some one is almost as bad as telling a lie.”