The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-03-10

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Ny mother taught me when little
boy, to improve every opportunity. of
learning something; if older persons
were talking, to be a listener; if 9TH
ers were reading, to pay attention;
and especially to regard what should
be said to ms with a-speciaI design to
inpart instruction. 1 have tried to
live up to these rules, and Though in
listening to other takers I have often
I been compelled to take in heavy dose
Of garFality, which, alas 2 is a favor
ite dish of chat with too many, 1 have
seldom failed to learn. When no val
liable instruction was to be drawn
from the conversation, to sit and con-
template the physiognomy of the talk
ers, and join the features with the
chat, and these with what was posi-
lively known of the persons eharac-
ters as revealed in everyday life, has
been interesting; and painfully so, Of
ten, for many a case oftotal ,depraYity
has thus been made out, which it was
fearful to contemplate. As the thin,
flexible lip has been noted, now NOV
ing rapidly in conversation, and then,
during an emphatic pause, closing
over a filthy pipe-stem, the eyes dila-
ted with feeling and expression Of
selfimportancs, and the whole face
wearing a ludicrous affectation of
mysterious solemnity, as it is an
nounced in a confidential under-tone
that "Mrs. -. is really said to have
done so and so," with the injunction,
"Don't you for the world let it be
known I told you," 1 have almost
fancied the face and form of the
"Prince of Devils" himself lowering
behind the bag of tattler, and laugh
ing maliciously over the story she
was vending and its more than proba-
Bile dire results. As Dean Swift said
Of certain characters to him unbeara-
BILE, "I heartily wish the breed were
at an end" SO would I say Of these
village black-mail carriers.
e. Wherever three or four houses, a
store and blacksmith shop, are COL
lected, and from that up to cities and
large towns like the metropolis of
Highland, there this species of bipeds
may be found; the male members of
the fraternity lounging at Che much
frequented loafng- places, and speci-
men or so of the female division, with
a breakfast shawl pinned over the
head, in complete Kitchen disha5ille,
fitting from one to another of the
ne;ghbor's houses, and sitting in con-
6dential converse from ten minutes to
m hour and half, dealing out fresh
items of rumor, with no lack of spice
and cOloring to make them palatable
and pleasant. When the caller says
she must go, perhaps the lady of the
house favored with Che visit, through
mere politeness says, "Don't be in a
hurry" Bat Dyes she must hurry
back, for she cleft the bread in the
oven, ana expects it is burnt before
this, and would MT be surprised any ,
minute to hear the baby cry, for she
left it sleeping in the cradle"
Then she starts off on new train,
and talks for ten minutes, standing at
the door, when little Nellie bawls out q
across the street, go ma ma ! I sag, !
ma-Gb come home quick; Billie is
walked up an cryin'." "Well, in a L
minute" says ma, and talks FIVE min
ltes longer, when Nellie bawls louder
han before, and tells her, "pap's come, D
and wants his dinner" At last she h
goes, finds the baby screaming, the Il
bread burned, husband vexed because q
linner is not ready, and everything b
n a muss generally. Worse than all, il
3he has brought all this on herself, to +
'ob her neighbor, the subject Of her a
scandal, of what are dear to aII-rep- A
ltation and the friendship of a neigh is
Dor. II
Now, dear reader, 1 have not found o
hat place where this detestable kind h
If tongue-wagging is not carried on,
u all circles and grades of social life, -
among young and old, rich and poor, = =
fashionable and rustic; and though it :.
IS a pity, seeing what Nature has L
lone for this "Highland Home" d a
nesting among the picturesque hills . .
that surround it, yet what sheuld be
-he free, pure air here, is an atmos- :: :
phere stained with the foul breath of . .
this class of Satan's miniops. Many,
from example, slide into this class un- :
and before they are aware " "
are breaking the ninth commandment
Neither shalt thou bear false wit :
ness against thy neighbor." May all . :
young opening minds be kept unstain- : :
ed, is my wish, especially because e7- =
sry one ushered into the world and1 u
surrounded by its good and evil infu- a
ences, is, in one or both Of two oppo- 0
site courses of moral instruction, Just
what 1 now sign myself, 81, !.
DISCIPULUS-A PUPIL. b
. THE BIEER BIT say, neighbor l'
sneBbs, if you don't keep yont hens F