Then was the time to begin the campaign.
The mother, with a happy face, called the three children to her, and said "Now listen, children.

Do you suppose I like Uncle James's irritability any better than you do ?" "No," came in a chorus; "we don't see how you stand it, Mother." Then she said: "Now look here, boys, do you suppose that Uncle James likes his snapping any better than we do ?" "If he does not like it why does he do it ?" answered the boys.
"I cannot tell you that; that is his business and not yours or mine," said the mother; "but I can prove to you that he does not like it.
Bobby, do you remember how you snapped at your brother yesterday, when he accidentally knocked your house over ?" "Yes!" replied Bobby.
"Did you feel comfortable after it ?" "You bet I didn't," was the quick reply.
"Well," answered the mother, "you boys stop and think just how disagreeable it is inside of you when you snap, and then think how it would be if you had to feel like that as much as Uncle James does." "By golly, but that would be bad," said the twelve-year-old.
"Now, boys," went on the mother, "you want to relieve Uncle James's disagreeable feelings all you can, and don't you see that you increase them when you do things to annoy him?
His snappish feelings are just like a sore that is smarting and aching all the time, and when you get in their way it hurts as if you rubbed the sore.

Keep out of his way when you can, and when you can't and he snaps at you, say: 'I beg your pardon, sir,' like gentlemen, and stop doing what annoys him; or get out of his way as soon as you can." Uncle James never became less snappish.

But the upright, manly courtesy of those boys toward him was like fresh air on a mountain, especially because it had become a habit and was all as a matter of course.

The father and mother realized that Uncle James had, unconsciously, made men of their boys as nothing else in the world could have done, and had trained them so that they would grow up tolerant and courteous toward all human peculiarities.
Many times a gracious courtesy toward the "trying member" will discover good and helpful qualities that we had not guessed before.