The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-11-07
BUSY-DODIES.

BUSY B0dles nave. infested Inc world III
all oges. 10 the apostolic days they were
concerning themselves with "other mems
Matters" and very casual glance at soci
ETY. will convince any one that they are mot
all dead yet We have few things to say
of them.
l. They are very nctive and industrious
class. No matter how ndolent others may
be, and how careless even about their own
affairs, busy bodies can always find some
thing to do. Their own concerns never
press upon them so heavily that they cannot
take time to appropriate to other peoples
The physician may reach point where his
calls exceed his ability TO attend to them:
the lawyer may be applied to by more clients
than he can possibly do justice to; but never
so with the busy body. lie has time enough
for all cases, however numerous.
9. Busy bodies ARE remarkable for their
expanded views. They do not limit them.
selves within the narrow circle of their own
homes or places of business. They are con.
cious of capacity for vastly wider field
No pent up Utica can conine their powers.
No brick wall, nor doors, nor gates, can shut
them in. They must have n care for every
body in the village, or neighborhood, or con.
gregation. And is not this scriptural!-
Does not the Bible say we must love our
neghbors as ourselves! What harm, then,
in exercising kindly oversight as to the
personal, domestic, and financial interest of
ones friends and every day acquaintances!-
So, busy bodies can stand upon u text of
Scripture when they wish to look over the
fence into other peoples private affairs.
3. Busy bodies are remarkable for their
memories. They can listen to a score of
narratives, great and small, MS to "other
mems matters" in single day: and yet they
will distinctly remember the details in each
particular case. This may be owing in part,
to their not allowing what they have heard,
long TO lie dormant; inasmuch rs the news
gathered at one place is generally dispensed
at the next, and so on, until, by the time the
days round has been completed, tho same
thing has been told a score of times. Not
precisely the same thing either, inasmuch as
busy bodies falsify the old proverb, Rolling
stones gather no moss" since the further
their stories roll, the larger they grow until
one would at last scarcely imagine them to
be the same they had met at the starting
point.
a. Busy bodies are remarkable for their
wisdom. To this fine and rare quality there
seems scarcely limit in their case. Busy
body can decide exactly whether Mr. Geta.
long can afford to drive a carriage and have n
country house, whether Mrs. Getalong and
her children are not spending more money
than the good man is making; and can shake
his head ominousy when the Getalongs are
the topic Of discourse sagely remarking that
"there always will be some fast people,
Busy body is especially au tait in the con.
Germs of the minister and his family. lie
can tell to penny what the Rev. Mr.. Meek.
ness should pay a pound for beef, and 70.
potatoes by the half.peck: whether he
should have bought new suit IN the moni III
of February or the latter part of Maych
whether Mrs. Meekness' last dress should
have been silk, cashmere, de lains or calico
and also how long Mr.. Weakness ought to
pray and preach, how often he should visit
his people, and whether or not he should
venture to let any hair grow on his face.-
In sho5, there is scarcely anything in which
Busy body is not booked up even to the
extent of directing those representations Of
wisdom and neutrality-suspicious. editor.
what they ought and ought not to hav,
put into their columns.
s. The family of busy bodies is very ex
tensve one Not n country under the sun il
there, where some Of them are not to b,
found, not village or rural neighborhood il
there, which cannot point to one or more o
them among its quiet denizens. They boas
also of ancient and most honorable ineag G
claiming descent in the direct line from Kin.
| Solomon.