The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-11-07

as general reputation, man iDJures ms upon
humour passion or interest, or standing in bis
way hates me because he has injured me !;
and speaks i'll of me, because he hates me"
| have beard one of these slanderers OF the
gentle sex, "who looks like the innocent How
sr, but is the serpent under it,, pour oat,
with unabatiBg yolubili,y, a stream Of gall
and NORWOOD, upon the characters of those,
to whose faces she proiossed the warmest
friendship. called one morning upon this
genilewoman TO deliver message, and while
! was there, young lady dropped in. She
was received with the utmost cordially |;
Why, bow long it is, ny dear, since you
have been TO see US how is your good moth
er and all the girls 3? I have been dying to
speak to YOU" In the next breath, "haye
you heard the anecdote about Miss -, she
has exposed herself shockingly, bu, we could
not have expected any thing better, from 30
silly girl. | was cautioned not 10 say any
thing about it, but know you can keep Sc
cret." She then took her 10 The other side
oil The loon and impaired to her the racy tale.
After little more general title tatile, in
which several of their particular acquaintance,
male and female, wers not forgotten, the
young lady Withdrew. thought now, to be
sure, TO hear some praise Of the con6dan,e,
but it was quite The reverse. Are you much
acquainted with tina, young lady, Mr.. -w
:" no madam :" that is surprising as she is TO
be seen at every place, where people 60, and
1t is said she never refuses an invitation,
whatever it may be ! wonder girl Of any
sense, will make herself 50 cheap; but il is
not the girls faut,so much as il is her mothers
They say she wants TO ealch Mr.. -, and
they give that, as a reason for her being gu,
50 much" A long TRADE in this strain, Gem
pletely disgusted me, and LET, the house, as
may well be supposed, with contemplate
opinion of the reviler. A day or two after
wards, the story, which this gestle wensn Of
exquisite ,ensibi.y, pretended 10 guard with
so much secrecy, was the towns talk. But on
investigation, il appeared TO be gross exag
gerstion, hung upon the slightest materials ::
The SANDER was bandied from one 10 another,
until a, length our good gossip was found in
the breach. Some circumstances which | az
forwards heard Of this persons character
brought forcibly TO my mind, the wisdom Of
tha, excellent bu. homely rroverb, ",hal
those who live in glass houses should no, throw
stones" Bdckbifcrs are +" ike the toad, ugly
and senomous :" from their bite, no one is
safe the more they greet you with winning
courtesy and " honied sentences" the more
distant are they from their seeming they in
sinuaie themselves into your friendship, like
the worm in the folds of the rose. bu, 10 feed
more surely on your damask reputation.
Some do not talk 50 openly as those des
cribed, but then their face is as book
where men may read strange matters :" and
they are equally dangerous. The whole tribe
of /" babbling gossips," talebsarefs and the
hackney porlers and fabrica,ors OF tea table
scsndal are alike TO be dreaded, by those who
value purity OF reputation, repose of feeling,
or the blessing Of unreseryed friendship.
SINGLETON.