Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-12-28
ever where they are thrust back in their

never where they are thrust back in their
teeth.
We may, indeed, lay this down as an
unerrlng rule: Your true friend does not
near the Ill things that others say of you;
ana II by chance he has heard them he
never repeats them to YOU. If you are a
person addicted to spreading scandals,
You do not go to the mother and tell her
,lose you hear of her daughter; at
leas.' IL she IS woman of any culture
or dignity. Neither would you 90 to the
loyal husband and repeat what YOU had
heard derogatory to his wife's honor.
some estlmable people, seeing the sad
eHects Oh Sianderlng, propose to discoun-
tenance all gossip of whatever kind. But
THIS is short-sighted proposition. ITO
set saw is not necessarily to file ;ts
teeth all down" and to have conversation
harmless it is not necessary to contine il
entirely to impersonal matters, nor to re-
/ duce the treatment of every personal
| question to the dead level of inocuous
commonplace. There should be a gen-
erous latitude accorded to all general con
versation. This is natural and proper.
Inc best way, then, is to speak of your
absent friends and neighbors as though
words. If you are then accused of say
ing this or that unkind thing, though you
may not remember all that you did say.
you have the erpe15mel,tum cructs in your
own heart, and may confidently DENY that
you said anything slanderous, because
that would be contrary to the spirit you
know had actuated you.
The truth is, there is too little human
in
kittens are not unfrequently loved more
Loyalty and tenderly than the creature we
say is made in the image Of God. Love
should be assiduIously cultivated all
through the life of the young, as should
friendship also, one Of the divinest forms
of love. See how we exalt friendship in
poetry and romance How our hearts
thrill with admiration when we read in
history of the illustrious few who have
been willing to sacrifice everything, even
life itself, upon the altar of friendship |!
How we desire to win one friend ct least
who can see us good and beautiful Of soul,
as we all secretly trust we are, or instinc-
lively feel that we might become through
the ennoblihg power of love. This in
stinct is a true guide. Those who noblv
love us have quick eyes to perceive our
virtues, tardily observe our faults, and
the high estimation in which they hold
us makes us strive TO reveal our divincst
qualities, and to virtuously conceal the
ugly possibilities which opposition and
envy and ridicule might develop
The higher faculties, like all others,
grow by exercise and when for years, un-
der the influence of love- we have con
tinually yielded to the motives Of kind
ness, courtesy, and generosity, we shall
have by that time so strengthened these
qualities that they will govern ali orr
acts, as the limbs move in walking with
out sensible effort of the will
Finally, make it the rule of your life to
love your friends tenderly and generously.
In your intercourse with them. appeal
only to their noblest feelings. This law,
you see at once, would be grossly violated
by carrying them slanderous reports, as
would also your listening to such reports
from them; since this would be permit
ting them to degrade themselves in your
esteem-the greatest wrong you could do
them, if your friendship is worthy of the
name. -Iea1h and HolRe.