Litchfield enquirer., 1861-03-07
G0ssips.

| Who would have thought that the baue ofLitch- field could have become its gossips! This place once so distinguished for its high-toned society, has degenerated into community of scandal breathing gossips. And it is the laughing-stock. the dread of all who visit it, except some few who find them. It is popular error that gossips are confined to the single portion of the population. Here, though we have enough of these, we super abound in slanderous heads of families" men and women whose time ought to be spent within the home circle, whose words and thoughts ought
 to be directed to the ediGcation of their own fam flies. They might, even at home, indulge their vein of curiosity to considerable extent, by sit ting at their windows, especially if they fronted on the Parks, and watching the movements of the public, wondering where people are going, what they are going for, and if they expectt meet any body when they get there if that man did not wait on somebody's steps, or on some corner, ex- pressly to meet some woman who might possibly come the same way during the day. Perhaps some single lady happens to see two intimate friends meet on the street, who not aware that the argus eyes of gossip are upon them (though she is they must fee! her scrutinizing gaze) chance to pass with nothing more than a friendly nod. An, "she Is not to be caught with such chaff, she saw the hidden meaning of that recop- nition!' Let her give herself no uneasiness.- The {. fowler" had no intention of setting snare for her, and she had not felt obliged to enter it.
 He well knows that there are some rough old
 birds (suck birds! ready enough to be caught
 with less than chaff, but that nobody would care
 to catch. Let them remember that shvest
 choicest, most beautiful of all fsh, the trout, may
 be deceived by an drtjfcial fly, while clumsy
 codfsh is easily caught by the more su5stantial
 far less elegant bait, piece of pork
 Now let gossips stay at home. They might
 send their children from one window to another
 or to the door, to see if Mrs. .-, did not go into
 Mrs. -'s house without knocking. This would
 give the children exercise, and also tend to de
 veop that "inquisitive" disposition, which is ssd to be the formation of general information."-
 We know a female who said in the most selfsat isfed tone, that " she had trained her daughter "a child of six years) so thoroughly, that she a could now tell everybody who passed, eeacty how j. 'hey were dressed, and where they vent"
 : some are engrossed with general news others !, "''h the affairs of individuals. Those are bad |, enough these despisable.. Men whose business a '''ros ana signs seem to imply that they follow y some honorable profession or trade. really snand n their time in running from one place to another
 peddlng the idle title tattle, of the v;,,age or
 else, awaiting in their own sanctums. tba .rr;r., of other such choice spirits. This latter ;s nor haps more benevolent, since it gives such wan. derers resting place, an atmosphere in which f they can breathe more freely, an opportunity of
 outpouring their pent-up thoughts. Women, who striving by conspicuous acts of kindness to win
 the name of benevolent, only make their good