The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-11-02
WORDS.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.

"The foolish thingw said my aunt
Rachel, speaking warmly, Z" to get hurt
al a mere word. It's little hard that
people can't open their lips but somebody
is offended"
"Words are thingsw said /, smiling.
"very light things! A person must
be tender indeed, that is hurt by word"
"The very lightcst thing may hurt if
it falls on a tender place."
al don't like people who have these
tender places" said aunt Rachel. 81
never get hurt at what is said to me-
No-neyerl To be ever picking and min
cling, and chopping off your words-to be
a fraid to say this or that-for fear some
body will be offended! / can't abide it,
"People who have these tender places
can't help it, l suppose. This being so,
ought we not 10 regard their weakness
said |. "Pain, either of body or mind,
is hard to bear, and We should not inaict
it causelessly." 2
"People who are SO wonderfully SEN
sitive," replied aunt Rachel growing
warmer" sought to shut themselves ur
ut home, and not come among sensible,
good tempered persons. As far as l am
concerned, l can tell them, one and all
that am not going to pick out every
hard word from q sentence as carefully aS
would seeds from raisin. Let then
crack them with their teeth, if they arc
afraid TO swallow them whole"
"Now, for all that aunt Rachel wen
on after this strain, she was kind, goo(
soul, in the main, and l could see, wa
sorry for having hurt the feelings of Mar,
Lane. But she didn't like to acknowl
edge that she was in the wrong; tha
would detract too much from the sell
complacency with which she regards
herself. Knowing her character yer
well, / thought it best not to continue th
little argument about the Importance
words, and so changed the subject. Blu
every now and then, aunt Rachel woul
return to it, each time softening little t.
wards Mary. AT last she said
"Pm sure il was little thing. !
very little thing. She might have know
that nothing unkind was intended on m
part"
"There are some subjects, aunt" r.
piled, to which we cannot bear the Sigh
est allusion. And sudden reference
them is very apt to throw us Oft OF
: guard. What you said to Mary, has,
all probability, touched some weakness
= character, or probed some wound th
time has not been able to heal. | ha'
always thought her a sensible, good n
= tured girl"
/ "And so have l. But | really ca
!, not think that she has showed her go
=, sense or good nature in the present cas-
= 1t is a very bad failing this, of being o'
/ sensitive; and exceedingly annoying
2, ones friends"
a a at is, l know; but still, all of us ho
weak point, and to her that is assall'
: we are very apt to betray our feeling
s. "Well, say now, as | have alw'
9, said-I don't like TO have any thing
do with people who have these VIC
= points. This being hurt by a word, a
er words were blows, is something that d
!, s- not come within the range Of my sym
thies."
:, "And yet, aunt" said |, "all h'
"a weak points. Even you are not entlr
'' free from them"
- "Mep' aunt Rachel bridled.
m Yes; and if even as light thing
ers a word were TO fall upon them, you "
ido ito suffer pain"
" "Pray, sir" said aunt Rachel, v
=, much dignity of manner; she was ch'
nd by may words, light ms they were;
IN IN form me were these weaknesses, Of wi
md md you are pleased to speak, licp
"Oh, no; you must excuse me. 1
- would be very much out of place.
he- , | only stated general fact that ap
% tains to all Of us"
i. Aunt Rachel looked very grave. /
- laid the weight of words upon weak
up of her character, and it had given
USE main. That weakness was pecul