The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-04-08

ingly circulates false reports it ought to
be more matter of conscience than
otherwise. | would not be understood
as wishing to favor or screen ladies, who
Gf they are so disposed) manufacture
and circulate untruths-but that men are
the most to blame for the industry they
exhibit in trying to hear rumors and scan
dalous hearsays, and then being equally
officious in telling them. Who does not
loathe and despise vile. talebearer who
goes around retailing what he has heard 7
Frequently if a person is seen to laugh
heartily or show any signs of being in a
more than usual good humor, some self
constituted disposer of character remarks
to friend-if he has one" A. is rath.
er lively % and with, a knowing look
walks of. The "friend'' goes his way,
and probably in day or two happens in
a company who are discussing AS good
and bad qualities; some one asks" does
he drink 7" The friend makes some show
of hesitation as if unwilling to tell things,
but at length half doubling, half trium-
plant, says what so and so said about
A being little "lively" one day.
This news is received with qualification,
though looks of sorrow are exchanged as
they murmur Unfortunate young man %
Yes, unfortunate indeed when such
tongues as yours have an opportunity to
blacken his character In this way the
story goes; because an exhuberance of
spirits caused him to be light hearted,
and made him laugh, may be immoder-
ately at some jest, he is first said to be
lively" from either a wilfnl or an ig-
norant msconstruction of that word
"lively," it is said he was eight" and
the next state upon which he would en-
ter, as related by these self elected guar
dams of character, would be that he was
"beastly drunk" For
GAN who tell it add something new,
And all who hear it make engagements too"
Each one though as he whispers the
slanderous tale, processes the strongest
friendship for the young man, and Won
ders if some way could not be devised to
prevent 50 much drinking
Slanderous reports and lying hearsays
are not confined to the male portion of
mankind; if young lady is seen to speak
in rather familiar manner to gentle
man-lean little too heavily on his arm
returning from church-accept delicate
offer of assistance when it is needed-or,
in short, deviate in the least from the TO-
cystic standard of etiquette, SANDER with
her thousand tongues, is ever ready to
stamp her as being "no better than she
ought to be-" and
"The whispered tale
That like the tabled Nile no fountain knows
is circulated, and the virtuous character
of the lady is questioned-perhaps ruined
forever!
| know not how | can close this hasty
scrawl better than by presenting the fol
lowing dream to those who are troubled
with cacoethes ioquendi:
Il dreamed stood outside of Hels
Dark walls; and cries. and groans, and yells
Heard family, from afar within
That dark abode Of pain and sin;
!. Louder and louder, on the ear
Those murnuts broke, and seemed more nea
To be advancing; like the roar
Of some dark storm-cloud breaking DER
A nightly forest old and still,
And rushing on Ger dale and hill,
Curses and imprecations dire,
Terms of contempt and vengeful ire,
From myriad tongues now would hear,
Each moment seeming still more near.
To where | stood the tumut drew,
And Hell's broad gates wide open flew,
Out rushed being sore in haste,
By demons, imps and devils chased
"Drive him far off," loud Satan cried;
I" And you gate-keeper, woe betide,
If e'er within these walls is seen,
Another being half SO NEAL"
A fend came near l said pray tell,
Is aught too mean, too vile for hell
Who can that wretched being be,
Whom thou hast forced so far to flee
From this dark den Of sin and shamel
r Tell whence he came and what his name
He grinned a. smile Of fiendsh mrth,
, And said ga sLANDERER FROM EARTH"
YOUNG AMERICA
MEssRs. EDITORS Dear Sirs Please be
! kind as to permit me, through the medium
, your paper, to express my sincere thanks, an
also the thanks of others, to an unknown frient
for the beautiful copy of the Bible, and also
copy of Methodist Hymns with which he has pr
:. scented the Methodist Episcopal Church, Soutl
] in Okolona, Miss.
May the promises and consultations containe
| in thasa hooks ha his fhrouuh Tasue Chret