Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-05-10
G. %respon dente.
For the Ellsworth Amcrican.I
Tattlers and Paul Prys." :"
By H..

"But the toague can no man tame, it is an
u,tyuly member, full of deadly poison"
..If YOU wish to be respected you must cease
to be Il Pry.'
There is a class of individuals of both setes
whose org,n of HpItiSH{eeHeSs Is 50 eN;e'-
sivelv developed, as to bea constant source OF
ANNOYANCE to Others, and of unca>inc's to them-
selves. 1t i, a moral inposbjlity for them TO
find rest, while any thing. no matter how trii-
ling is kept from their knowledge They seem
to imagine that no one has any right to nave Il
secret in keeping: they feel personally agrieV-
ed by any attempt at secrecy, on the part OF IN
,liyiduals or societies and consider themselves
morally bound to ferret out, whatever Is de-
signed to be concealed from them. The script
ural passage. There is nothing hid that shall
not be rereaied." they appear 10 interpret liter
ally and they often display an ingenuity, nd
perseverance in their inqui,uions researches
which would be worthy of admiration, if em-
ploycd in worthy cause. Then the posses
sion of Il secret, if they chance to discover, or
be entrusted with one, invests them with so
much importance in their own eyes, that they
cannot keep it to themselves, but must disclose
themselves appear kAotring. They will tell
all they know and more too is the old saying
Just to let folks know they are 'posted' As they
compaccntly claim to be. Ludierou', but pro-
yoking is this species of vanity. which under
lies a morbid, prying spirit of inqusitiveness.
Why should any one wish to pry into affair,
that do not concern him. What blessed
world to be sure this would be if all in it would
lust attend to their own business, and let alone
that of their ncighbors. A meddiesome indiv-
ilual must be an unhappy one. His rcstles, pry-
ing disposition is never falling source Of tor
mcnt 10 him.
4 moderate amount of curiosity, kept within
proper bounds, is well, and natural enough.
but when il is allowed TO run away with one,
it becomes an intolerable Nuisance! 1t sounds
very prcttily to talk ab,u,the virtue of charity
and we are Commanded to exercise it towards
all but it i, hard to apply it towards tatt.er>
and "Prys" The "mantle of Charity" undoubt-
ly is brodd'! but it must need be elastic a
as WE'LL
1t requires a vast amount of stretching to
make it cover the inequities of the meddlesome
"Busy-body'', The desire to investigate the
private allalrs OI OIucTs Is uoVptltSS
iRf,mity; a sort ofmoral and mental weakness.
and on that ground alone it can be palliated,
Perhap, to, su;h per sons have their use iii
society; if we could but see it like mosquitoes
and wasps who, we are told were not create
"in vain." like other necessary evils.
Alas! we are but human and patience will Of
ten fail us under petty provocation, But what
shall we say of the tattling that runs into down.
right scandal! We all relish little gossip occas-
ionally and are apt to be to ready to give ere
dcncc TO evil reports but thcyw who can Mrem
SANDERS, and circulate them in orderto destroy
the reputation of others must possess DISPOSE
tion, little short of DidbOticW!
"A slandcrcr felt 4 scrpapt,
Bite his side;
What followed from the bite!
The serpent died."
These lines convey II not unapt fepreseptiop
of the venomous poision Of the slandcrefs nat
ure; venom seceeding that ofthe serpent is
lurking there. Truely the tongue of such is an
unruly member-full of deadly poison" but a
doy of reckoning will surely come, TO those who