Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1865-08-05
SLA 1T Is AND HOW
1T OPERATES.

~ have abundance Of employment and
the prospect Of much more. Had people
suffered me to live karmlessly and happily
iI my humble home, and to amend my
life, where it was in error, in new sphere,
which was honestly prepared to do, I
might have paid off all my debts, and
lived many years an honest, useful, end
happy man.
1t was no. however, 50 to be. My blood
and the guilt Of it is upon those women
and men who first sowed suspicion, dis
trust, and dissension between myself and
the sveetest creature God ever gave, and
man took away, from an unhappy sinner.
My own unhappy temper did the rest.
These were among the last words Of
William Horny Herbert, a man of gifted
intellect and splendid attainments. He
had won proud name in scholarship and
literature. His talents aud labors assur
ed him an honorable independence He
seemed be endowed and surrounded with
every attribute and condition that could
insure contentment and happiness.
But he was neither contentcd nor hap
py. We need not inquire why. We shall;
not pry into all the causes and accidents
which shaped and made up his gloomy
fortunes, and led to his trnsical end -
There is much in his early career that we
do not know. l, is said that he was exiled
from homo and friends and county BY
some melancholy necessity; but We are
entirely in the dark respecting the whole
mystery Of his youthful follies and mis-
fortunes.
There is one circumstance, however, in
this sorrowful life drama-one crownrg
curse that caused his cup of afliction to
overflow just as it seemed but to settle
and clear and grow sweet to bis lips, after
many years Of tribulation-that We will
notice here fo- the sake of the solemn,
fearful lesson it reads to ell those whose
idle and malignant tongues have broken
the peace Of the world, aud sowed enmity
between loving hearts. There is class
OF persons in every community who make
1t their business to destroy other peoples
happiness. They 60 about continually
speaking evil, bearing false witness, inter.
meddlins in eveybody's affairs, end
tomenting distrust and hatred in every
| Hnu,n nd asnl -
ence is the more dangerous because it is
insiduous.
They steal into ones confidence and
once admitted, they begin q course Of
treachery aud fa!sehood and mischief.
making, which is fruitful in time of iufin.
lite misery and shame to their victims
They pick up every morsel of floating
gossip, aud carry it about from ear to ear
and house to house. until, atser repeated
coloring and exaggeration, it is rified
into biighting lie. They breathe sus.
p'cion in places where It may work in tho
brai" OF some trusting, loving spiri. like
q leprous dis,ilmen., and, 10 friend is
turned against FREUD, relatives against
relatives, and the harmony OF households
is disturbed and dissipated forever.
! Over the dissent ions aud Indebtedness
they create they do not pause to weep or
repent. What they have done they affect
they affect to have done from the kirdest
motives aud sense of religious duty. They
will tell you that sunder the dearest ties
Of life, engender jealousy aud discord
among those whose hearts literally break
in parting, was the fnrthest thing in the
world from their intention. And so they
go on in their work of detrac,ion and
scandal'mongering with. as much self.
CON placcncy rs il they were really angels
Of mercy and peace, instead Of fands in.
darnate ministering in the service Of hell
more striking and mourntnl illustration
OF what one whispering, malicious ta,,le
may do than that presented IN the case of
poor Herbert could not be cited. He tells
us that he was happy in his quiet home,
that he was blessed with The affection and
faith Of wife whom he idolized. and
whose gentle influence promised TO s,reng
| then oil tie better instincs Of his nature.
aud redeem every foible and fault, every
sin and dishonor OF the part
But this was not to be. Calumny crept
in between him aud his hopes
The s!andering tongues Of meddling
| men ard women seized on his name
| They dug down into the grave of his dead
and buried follies aud misdceds, ther drag
| gcd these forth from their concealment:
they spread them, in more than all their
real hideousness. before the eyes OF ono
until 'han, ignorant of their existence. and
they made IA husband, in whose love sud
honor she had bound up all her earthly
hopes Of happiness, so blnck and wicked
revolving in her sight, that sho literally
fled away fom him III terror never 20 re-.
tnrn, Here was a dream Of bliss blasted
in day with ruthless cruelty. Here was
an Eden into which the voice of scandal
stole like n serpent and changed all its
peace and trust and felicity to dissolution