Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-23
miscellaneous.
From the New York Ledger.
LUKE WHARTON'S LESSON.
A SKETCH FOR EVERYBODY.
By sYLvANUs COBB.

BIZ sYLvANUs COBB.
II think he would sell himself cheap,
said Luke Wharton; and he spoke yer,
warmly.
"What do you mean ?" asked Rosanna
his wife.
Il mean just what say He would sci
himself for money and I believe he woulc
sell his best friend, too"
"Of whom do you speak, my son p ask
ed his mother, looking up from her work
and raising her spectacles.
II am speaking Of Mr.. Simmons, re
! turned Luke.
"But what have you against him p the
old lady resumed.
GIVE got nothing against him. I was
only speaking of him just as / thought"
"But did not you know that we shoulc
not always tell just what we think, my
son? It is not safe"
Il believe it is safe always to tell the
truth, no matter where it hits" returned
Luke.
''Then it would be proper for me to PC
out and tell all the things I hear you anc
your wife say, and all that see you do, nc
matter what may be their character 2"
''Ah-but that would be infring ing up
on the sacredness Of the domestic circle, 2
said the young man.
$50 it would" continued his mother :
"and this shows you that there must be ex-
ception to your rule. The domestic circle
is no more sacred than is mans character.
When you must speak, then speak the
truth, and fear not the consequences; but
be careful when you speak, and how you
speak. | know that you are very careless,
at times, in your manner of speaking of
others, and l am sorry it is SO. Now an
swer me this: Would you want Mr.. Sim
mons to know what you had said about
him p
II shouldn't care" replied Luke; and
he spoke hesitatingly.
eyes, you would care" continued the
old lady. "You know that he is man of
much influence in the place, and that he has
never wronged you in any way or shape.
And your estimation of his character is
only formed from what others have said
Now answer me truly: Would you wish
that some third party should 60 and whis-
per into his ear the scandal which you have
spoken concerning him ?"
"Well-I don't know as / should; but
there's no danger"
"Ah, my son-you don't know how
much danger there may be. / am afraid
you are as free in speaking to others as you
are in speaking to us. Have you not spo-
ken against Mr. Simmons thus p
Luke was obliged to admit that he had
but he still claimed that there was no dan
ger, and that he had right SO to speak.
''You have no right to speak against
your neighbor," said Mrs Wharton. "And
more than this, it is not SAFE You will
find, as you advance in the world, that you
will have difficulties enough to contend
with without making enemies needlessly.-
If you would prosper, and move along
through life with honor and respect, let one
of your first cares be to see that you speak
no evil Of your neighbor. Speak ill Of no
man when duty does not absolutely call up
on you so to do. You will find it by far
the safestccursc."
Luke Wharton was young man, just
married, and was clerk in retail store
He meant to be honorable and truthful, but
he had contracted that habit, which so many
have foolishly contracted, of speaking very
freely and thoughtlessly Of his neighbors
In the present case, Mr. Simmons, wor-
thy and respected citizen, had made moves
ment for retrenchment in the expenses of
the town. Luke's employer had been in
the habit Of furnishing certain articles to
the town, and under the new system his
bill was likely to fall below the amount he
had received in former years. So he thought
Mr.. Simmon had meddled too much in town
affairs, and Luke took up the same strain
and piped freely upon it. He knew moth
ing Of the causes which had led to Mr..
Simmons course-he only knew that that
gentleman's character was before the public,
and he went into it. But this was not the
only case A man who can speak reck-
lessly of one individual will speak in the
same manner of others and man who
can thus thoughtlessly speak at one time,
is liable so to speak at any time.
Luke Wharton had been for some time
anxious to 60 into some business on his own
account, and the opportunity at length pre-
scented itself or, at all events, he saw a
chance to make arrangements to that end
His 'old employer, who had done business
enough, was willing to sell out. He told
Luke if he could find a partner who would
pay cash down for one half of the store,
and its good will, the other half might re-
main for several years on mortgage. So