The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-10
GOsslPING.

GOSSlPlNG.
4 Can any of our readers think Of any body to-
whom the following extract from Miss sedQe-
wick's new work, entitled Means and Ends, y
will apply2
GossIPNG.--The most prevailing fault of con-
versation in our county, and, believe in all So
Hcial communities, is gossiping. Asweeds most
lnfest the richest soils, so gosspng most abounds
amidst the social virtues in small towns, where
there is the most extended mutual acquaintance.
where persans live in the closest relations, re-
sembling large family circle. 70 disturb the
sweet uses of the little communities by gossip
Ing is surely to forfeit the benefit Of one Of the
klndest arrangements of Providence.
In great and busy cities, where people live in
Total ignorance of their neigbors, where they
cannot know how they live, and hardly know
when they die, there is no neighborhood and
there is no gossiping. But need there be this
poisonous weed among the flowers blight
upon the fruit, my young friends
You may understand better precisely what
comes under the head Of gosspng, if give you
In certain small thickly-settled town there
lives family, consisting of man, his wife, and
his wifes sister. He has a little shop, il NAV
be jewellers, saddler's, shoemaker's, or what
we call store-no matter which, since he earns
enough to live most comfortably, with the help
Of his wife and sister, who are noted for their
We
had nothing to do but to enjoy their own com
forts, and aid and pity those less favored than
themselves. But instead of all this they volun-
teer to supervise all the sins, folies and short
comings Of their neighbors. The husband is
not a silent partner. He does his full share of
the low work Of this gossipping trio. Go 10 see
them when you will, you may hear the last news
81 every family within half mile For ex-
anaR3s, ~ 9l ave a5O
gon, and he had no need Of new one the old
one has not run more than two years
MRS. - has got new hired help; but she
won't stay long it's come and 60 there
MRS --- had another new gown at meeting
yesterday, which makes the fifth in less than
year, and every one Of her girls had new ribands
on their bonnets; it's good thing to have rich
Friends but, for my part, had rather wear my
There go Sam Bliss's people with barefoot
flour. i was but yesterday she was at the
Judges begging
None Of the widow Days girls were at meet
s ing but they can walk out as soon as the SUMS
down q
This is buta specimen Of the talk Of these un-
fortunate people, who seemed to have turned
Atheir home into common sewer through which
i all the sins and foibles Of the neighborhood run.
Yes; but their minds have run to waste, and
there is some faint, fear, at their hearts.
The noted gossip, Miss $1,000, makes visit in
town where she has previously been a stran-
ger. She divides her time among several fami-
lies. She is social, and what we think is mis-
called agreeable: for she is perpeually talking Of
persons and things. She wins too easy CONN
dence, and she returns home with an infinite
store Of family anecdotes She knoaDs that Mr..
and Mrs. So and So, who are supposed to live
happily, are really on bad terms, and that he broke
the hearts of two other women before he mar
ried his wife she knows the particulars, but she
has promised not to tell. She has found out
that certain family, who for ten years have
been supposed to live harmoniously with step
mother, are really eminently wretched She heard
that Mr.. --, who apparently is in very -four
fishing circumstances, has been on the brink OF
bankruptcy for the last ten years, DC.
Could this womanfnd nothing in visiting
new scene to excite her mind but such trumpe-
Iry? We have given you this example to show
you that the sin Of gossipping pervades some
Communities This woman did not create these
stories She heard them all, the individuals who
told them to her little thinking that they in turn
would become the subjects of similar remarkto
the very persons whose affairs they Were--e9Haa--
muncating.
What would we think of persons who went
about collecting for exhibition examples of the
warts, wens and cancers with which their fell
ow-beings were atflicted2 And yet would not
their employment be more honorable, more hui
|3mane, at least, than this gossip-monger's2
u We have heard such talk as follows between
iladles, wives, and mothers, the wives Of edu-
cated men, and persons who were called educa-
8ted women:
q Have YOU heard that Emma Ellis is going to
Washington To Washington how on earth
Rcan the Ellises afford winter in Washington 2
Il Oh, you know they are not particular about
their debts and they have six girls to dispose of
land find rather dull market.here.'
Il Have you heard the Newtons are going to the
country to livep Bless me! no, what's that
8for?' They say to educate their children; but
HHmy dressmaker, Sally Smith, who works for
Mrs Newton, says she is worn out with dinner
8partes.' He runs the house down with COM
&pany.' n. aa,s.,
= Oh, suspect they are obliged to go to econo-
mise. You know she dresses her children so
Hextravagantly. / saw Mary Newton at the thea
tire (she is not older than my Grace with dia-
Hmond ferroniere.'
4 Diamond, was it2 Julia told me that it was
IAN aqua marina. The extravaganza of some
3people is shocking don't wonder that men
Mare out of patience. Don't tell it again because
Med Miller told me in confidence. He actually has
Hooked up all his wife's worked pocket handker-
Hchiefs. Well, whatever else my husband COM
Hplains of he can't find fault with my extrava-
Hgance.' .E
8 Perhaps not; but faults far more heinous than
3extravagance this poor woman had to account
5for the pernicious 1oords tor which we must be
drought into judgment.
Il 4 hope it may appear incredible to you, my
Hyoung friends, that women, half way through
this short life, with the knowledge of their i'm
IMMORTAL destiny, with world without them and
Haworld within to explore and make acquaintance
Hwith, with the delightful interests and solemn
q psgsn!s1 pa e s6ngue, Should 81
waste their time, andpoison social life. But be
on your guard. Ifyour minds are not employed
on higher objects. and your hearts on better
things, you will talk idly about your friends and
acquaintance.
4 \ -
! have dwelt long on this topic of gossiping,
lmy young friends, because, as / said before, i,
believed il to be a prevailing fault in our young
and social country. The only sure mode of ex-
trpating it is by the cultivation Of your minds