Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-11-17
Omcious People.

IMPATIENT people who are Tuning ovel
stiff bit Of work know what an exercise
TO Christian forbcarancc it is TO have a
, dawdling body hanging about, doing moth.
ing TO help and maybe much to hinder, by
the the very. Obstructiveness Of inertia To
the quick FLOODED worker, putting out all
his energies to help him over the pinch
these fusionless idlers, who never derange
themselves for anything are simply detesta.
bic but they are not so disagreeable on
band as the actively officious negatives not
being SO bad as positives, and people who
do not do what they ought not so likely
I to make mess Of matters as those who do
what they need not.
OfIicious people can never leave things
alone No one can possess his soul in
peace or go his own way unhindcred OF
them. They stand at the cross roads Of all
mems lives, pointing out to them the path
they ought to take, and, whether in re-
ligious faith or in se-furnishing, the
choice Of wife or the pattern Of boot,
have their word to say, their advice to give,
and their fingers to dip, whatever may be
the pie that is making. Illness is one of
their strong points, and if they hear that
you are indisposed, whether slightly or
gravely, they rush off to proffcr advice
which you do not want and will not accept
and which probably would turn out mis-
take If you did accept. Your disinfcctant
is not equal TO theirs, and they have brought
| where you can get theirs. Your nurse
does not know her business: let them send
for one of their own choosing tonight.
Your medical man says you are suffering
from a certain form of illness. Well, of
course he ought to know; but to the off,
cious it seems very much like something
else; or, II they do not 60 quite 30 far, they
inquire, with the air Of knowing all about
1t, whether he had not ordered such and
such things to be done; and, If you say
no, they urge you to have their own medi-
cal man without delay, as they are sure
yours is making mistake And so on,
till they have worried you into fever !;
when they take their leave and bewail your
obstinacy to the next conner. Any calami-
ty is godsend to them, for they have their
innings when their neighbors are SO pros
tratc by distress that they can buzz about
them at their will. They are selfnatural
lied Samaritans, physicians without diplo-
mas, ministers independent of orders or the
apostolic succession; and the unlucky ones
whom il is their pleasure to assist must
either keep them off with strong arm,
which may lead to a quarrel, or yield
| themselves helplcssly into their active and
ofilcious hands.
Old maids they are great in the manage
mcnt ofchildrcn, and you may make upyour
mind to much advice on the best methods
of feeding, instructing, and disciplining
your rising family if you number an Off
cious spinster among your friends. They
do not often err on the side Of tenderness,
being generally Of a decidedly Spartan
way of thinking; but sometimes they
start of on o crusade of spelling, and inter-
! fere with you because Of your harshness,
though on the other hand they will rebuke
and even punish your little ones if they
feel called upon TO testify in that form ;
and they will tell you what they have done
quite complacently, and think they have
deserved your gratitude. Being for the
most part people of an OVERLOOKING energy,
without sufficient occupation, and afflicted
with antiring strength and activity, they
are up and about everywhere, prying out
all you wish concealed, and doing every
! thing you want left alone. On their own
account, and unasked by you, they UNI
dertakc to do your business, and
nine times out Of ten they do it
wrong. II even they have your permits
sion, and you are about to give accurate
you have TO say, but 60 off half-chargcd,
and have fired their shot before they know
what they had to hit. If intimately asso-
ciatcd with them. they reduce you to the
state of an imbecile, with no will Of your
own, no Individuality. no independent ac-
! tion--.justa manikin, to be moved accord.
ing to the will Of your offlcious friend, the
wire puller Ifyou are asked question
they answer for you, and they make ar
angementsin which you are the principal
person concerned, to save you the trouble
of deciding for yourself If you are tired
they mount guard against your door, and
defend you from the presence Of your
dearest friends whom you specially wish
to see; they buy you what you do not
want because they thought such and such
things looked like you" they commit
you to engagements you never dreamed Of
undertaking; and send you teachers,
tradespcople workers of all kinds, with
an assurance that you are GER
tain TO employ them. II they know
that you are invited by common
friend, they hustle over to his house. and
take it On themselves to inform him Of
your peculiar habits and tastes, and you
who are shy and sensitive, and hate to be
sigrilar or rive trouble, are made 10 appear
| ia CuoifskUCI Ia Os41CAo AisSne uAotiCoD-
ing to You, because your offlcious friend
chose To tetray your little weaknesses and
parade your predictions As necessities
, On journey or a drive they smother
you with supernumerary wraps, and 60
! shiverng 'or their own share. Ifyou have
arranged b accompany them on an expo
!, dition, they Judge unasked A. to the fitness
OF. tho weather for you, and either 60 of
without you because ii was not tho right
kind Of . day for you, or break up the
. party on your account and In their charac.
ter Of Watchdog guarding your interests
Ifyou decide on going, surprising the pos
Y sibility Of decision is still left you, they
dclugc you with their advice and hamper
: you with their help before you start Civ.
Ing your coachman private instructions as
70 which way no 10 TO 60, 20 that you shall
have this Wow q avoid that hill, q they
J shink best for your pleasure and we'll.
being. sls ss4ts5 .
4 Indeed, q : general characteristic, thcy
interfere not fttlo with your servants ali
round II they arc women. rcbuking tho
maids Cor their feminine vapities In dress,
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