Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-08-07

effeCtlally from destruction by insects.
A particular account of this experiment
was communicated many years ago to
the Royal Society, by Christopher Gull
let.
The leaves and flowers Of this plant
when sprinkled with molasses, and laid
in places infested by cockroaches and
ants, will drive them off
PRO BONO PUBLICO.
Selected from the Masonic Miscellany and La
dies Literary Magazine.]
TATTLiNG AND TALE-BEARING.
l never knew any person, whether
male or female, who was addicted 10
perpetual prating, but what was mis-
|'chief-maker and liar. Their desire OF
talking is SO powerful, that rather than
be silent, they will exert their inventive
Ia u lt;oo, and SO not ulten stay to consi-
der the miseries their folly must bring
upon others. Persons of this description
are not always actuated by bad hearts,
but they have in general very weak
heads. They arc always impertinently
curious, will use the most mean and
despicabe arts 10 obtain knowledge of
the private transactions OF families, or
individuals: and in retailing the anec-
dotes they thus fraudulently pick up,
hey make additions Of their own, or may
perhaps omit circumstances which would
give the transaction quite different APP
pearancc; and by so doing, while they
crafty their own absurd or malignant
propensity, involve society in broils and
disputes, SOW dissentions among intimate
connections, plant dasgers in the bosom
of innocence, and rob those OF reputation,
whose good name was perhaps their all.
I do not know any fault which parents
should make it their duty to correct with
more rigor in their children, than tale
bearing; and yet it is, l much fear,
Melancholy truth, that instead of cor
recting, they Encourage it, by enquiries
of what was said or done among the
servants at such or such times; what is
said OR done in the schools they attend;
what was said by Mrs. or Miss such a
one, at any visit they have been making.
The child finds there is an expectation
of some tale whenever he or she returns
home, or comes from the kitchen; that
such tales are always listened to with
smiles; and to procure those smiles,
will make a story, rather than have none
to relate. Besides, children at very
early age have more cunning and pene-
tration than they are supposed to pos
sess they soon make the discovery OF
what kind of tale will best please their
interrogators they learn that some per-
sons are more obnoxious than others ;
that any story to their disadvantage is
ever acceptable; and that others being
great favorites, any witty thing they have
said, or any good action they have done,
when repeated, is heard with delight and
rapture. A child of toleraby acute
abilities having made this discovery, will
never be at loss for something to tell
an inquisitive mother, aunt, sister. or
cousin. Nay, the other sex are not free
from tits inquisi,ive folly. ! have seen
man listen with as much attention to
gossiping children, as ever was evinced
by censorious old maid. Thus in ear
ly life, the spirit of tale bearing is i'm
bibed; and it gains further strength as
they advance from the foolish habit
which young persons of both sexes fall
into, of telling each other as in conf
dence, every triilng occurrence that
takes place. have seen two girls at
meeting, scarcely waiting for the usual
forms OF ceremony to pass, before they
Will mutually exclaim, "Oh, ! have