The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-03-15

"The story about Mabel Courteuay IS
Just as true as all the rest Of it. hap
pen to know of my own knowledge that
it ie utterly and entirely false. Miss
Courtnay has not done one thing in the
matter which her most intimate friend
would dissapprove. 1 would advise you
to be little careful what you gay about
the affair, as Judge Courteuay is not
the man to sit down tamely under such
an Injury. You would feel rather un.
comfortable to find yourself prosecuted
for SANDER"
Mrs. Wentworth was very old lady.
She was also very rich aud fashiona-
bic lady, and person of great weight
and influence in the community where
she lived. She did not often 60 into
society, and it had not been without
design that she had come with her
grandnice, Mrs. Barnaby, to the gather.
ing at Mrs. Flowers. Mrs. Bush looked
a good deal alarmed.
II am sure 7 only repeated what l
heard" she stammered "aud I heard it
on such good authority. Are you sure
that it is not true, Madam Wentworth p
GAS sure as can be Of auything;;"
and Madam Wentworth proceeded to
give her proofs, which were perfectly
satisfactory.
"Well, to be sure. Poor girl! how
she must feel. But then the story has
been in every ones mouth, and one so
naturally repeats what one hears"
"Does one don't know about tha:,"
said Dulice.
"Do you think it right, Mrs. Bush,
to repeat what one hears to the disad.
vantage of another, without knowing
anything more of the matter 2" asked
Madam Wentworth, mildly.
"Well, I dent know. Every one
does"
"Eue,y one don't, 1 am happy to say"
interrupted Blanche Rose.
"Suppose every one does, does that
make it righsy" asked the old lady.
awe are not to folloN q multitude to
do evil, and what every one does is not
the rule for Christians. Make the case
your OWL, Mrs. Bush. Would you like
to have any one repeat scandalous tale
of yourself or your husband, on no bet
ter authority than they say !"
81 don't give any occasion for scan
dal, hope," said Mrs. Bush.
"No more did poor Mabel. l have
been listening to the conversation all
this afternoon" continued the old lady,
with gentle dignity, "and must say |
have been both surprised and grieycd
at what have heard. l heard an emf
nent orator mentioned, aud forthwith
some one declares that he is very i'm
moral man. He may be, for ausht l
know, though do not believe it; but
1 cannot, for the life of me, see how
moral and virtuous ladies can possibly
be sure it." said Aunt Wentworth, with
a slight smile. "But suppose it had
been your own husband, Mrs. Bush
could you have been pleased to have
such remark made about him ?"
Mrs. Bush was sileut, but Mrs. IIol-
ly said "nobody likes such things when
it comes to their own turn
Exactly so, my dear !; and that is a
very good argument on my side; for
what ye would that men should do to
you, do ye even SO to them,' is rule Of
the highest possible authority and BY
the same authority We are told that as
we mete to others so we shall be mea.
sured again. Moreover, We know that
the sin of lying is one Of all things
abomiuable to the Lord, inasmuch as we
are told that there shall in noaise en-
ter into the holy city any one that
loveth or maketh lie.'
"I will thank you not to accuse me
of lying" said Mrs. Bush, angrily. 81
have told nothing but what l heard on
very good authority"
"Yet you see you repeated what was
false in both cases. You did not know
that the stories were false, you say !;
but then you did not know they were
true; aud yet you helped to give cur.
reucy to them. Was that right? Tell
me honestly, my dear, ifyou had been
the individual talked about, would you
not have thought the person who pro-
pasated tie slander almost as bad as the
one who invented it ?"
Mrs. Bush was silent.
al can't see the use Of repeating
scaudalous stories, even if they are
true" said little Mrs Flower. "Sup-
pose it is all so, what is the use Of
spreading the story any further? It is
bad enough as it is. 1 remember the
answer my mother once made to lady
| about that. Mamma was at Newport
when there was a terrible fuss about
| Mrs. Wall-you will remember her,
Mrs. Holly-she really was imprudeut,
though don't know that she meant any
harm. Well, after We came home, We
were out somewhere, and Mrs Wallis
case was brought up. Here is Mrs
Champion said some one; 'she was
there cad can tell all about it. Was it
really as bad as they say?' my dear
said mamma-you know she always
spoke the plain language, as: Friends say,
my dear, thee knows that whatever We
do, We are cmmanded to do all to the
glory of God. Now if thee can tell me
any way 10 which the Glory Of God
will be promoted thereby, I will tell thee
all / know about the matter There
was no more said about Mrs. Wall that
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