The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-11-29
Gossip with onr Readers.

| assassin VINO uDuer cover OF tne uhrk-
ness steals upon and takes the life of
his victim, and yet society tolerates,
with scarce a rebuke, the destroyers of
reputation, the stabbers of character,
whose deeds affect not one alone but the
welfare and happiness Of, it may be,
scores of innocent persons. Slander'
ers and scaudal-mongers are as old as
history itself, and in the days Of Solo,
mon sowed strife and separated friends
as they do at this day. When declara'
tions Injurious to the fair fame and re-
putation Of others are made openly,
the law affords protection by punish
ment, but what can be done with those
who by covert sneers, by inuendoes,by
Misrepresentation and by false reports
destroy what may never be restored
again, or part friends who never after
ward may be aught to each other, ex-
cept perhaps as enemies? Dwellers in
large towns and cities are not exposed
| to the attacks of these hidden foes and
do not comprehend to what extent
they exist in smaller places. But they
do exist to "A greater or less extent in
most small towns and are serious
drawback to the advancement of the
community where they live. Sys.
| tematic gossipers are invariably mali
cous; they may not be so at first when
their conversation is confined to the
discussion of known events, but the ir-
! l. e, IL
to dwell upon the evil which arises
rather than the good, will ultimately
carry them into the vortex and from
mere takers of current gossip they
become utterer5 of scandal. 1t is i'm.
possible, we are told, to touch pitch and
not he defiled, and it is just as impossi-
| bic to mcddlo with the affairs of your
noighbors, to an uncalled for extent,a and
to remain pure in thought and speech.
The heart of man isprono to evil and to
the discussion of it and if free rein is
given to the tongue aud imagination
that which is wrong will be created if
it has no existence and spoken of
whether it has or not.
1t is a contemptible and cowardly
vice, one which invariably debauches
the true, honest and pure impulses and
suppanls them by "envy, hatred, NAL
ice and all uncharitableness. 1t is the
cause of more misery, wrefchedness
and sin than can be told, and the ever
widening circle OF its influence can
scarcely be computed. An i'll report
spreads and repeats itself, with the per.
sistency Of certain ill.favored weeds
which are well nigh indestructible,
and there is no idea to be formed as to
where its baneful influence will cease.
1t falls upon the heads of the Just, the
charitable and the good and paralyse-
their efforts in behalf of The best inter.
ests of their fellow men. No matter
how noble and praiseworthy the deed,
when enveloped in tho Shiny folds ol
misrepresentation it is as helpless for
good as the deer in the death wrap OF
the constructor. GCssips and scandal.
mongers are almost invariably liars
they may not intend to be, bat the
temptation to make as complete story
as possible will lead to changes aud en-
largement5 until the original report is
buried under the weight fermentation:
and additions, and what might have
been truth in the beginning is rotter
with falsehoOd in its completion. There
is scarcely one commandment in the
DecalOgue which is not broken by
utterers Of scandal-they have respec
neither for their fellow men nor for tht
God who created them they neithe
honor their Father nor love their neigh
Dor. This language is strong, but no
more so than the facts warrant.
Bloomsbury unhappily is not fre,
from these pests of sOciety-in fact it i,
over well supplied and strange to say
some of them, and the most inveterate
are men, full grown, able. bodied men
who have usurped a practice whicl
was of old awarded to ancient maiden
and laid to the score of blighted atfec
+ tiOns and kindred reasons. They arr
a curse to the town, drag on its mate
rial advancement, "a source of dread an(
discomfort to the decent dwelers in i
and an unmitigated nuisance which w
regret there is no law to suppress. l
would be no bad thing if the duckin,
> stool, which was formerly used for th
: punishment of scolding wives, were {
be revived for the benefit of these WI
lures.
No right minded and well maanin,
: person should lend an ear to the idlean
malicious gabble of mischief maker
but should treat them at every avail,
Bile opportunity with the scorn an
, contempt which they merit. Reput;
q ton is plant, delicate of organizatio
r and slow of growth and it is sad t
y think that lying tongue whose ownC
: may be an object of contempt, hg
i, power 10 destroy 50 valuable and costl
y a thing. There are many crimes on Il
- statute books, which receive punisl
No ment5 Of the scVerest kinds, who
- places might be filled by this scourl
= of modern life and at the Final Ds
n. there may be graver offences again
!. the law which will be weighed dow
by this sin of "evil speaking, lying al
slandering" If the Golden Rule, {
which the Savior laid such stress, mea
'e anything, it was directed against IL
> very sin-for sin it is-and if disregar
- ing the Rule carries punishment, E
u suredly it will be meted out to the
e' who have exercised neither love n
'e charity towards their neighbor, but
- the contrary have sowed strife and Sc
IT. arated chief friends, stirring up hatr,
u and malice where once love and go,
'e viii roigucd supreme.
In UGSel!i>h Act.
:. The resignation of Col Joha
Il. Freezc-who was elected Il member
ot the Constitutional Convention frC
g. Columola c0upty-in order to make
ALI | ,1aon Ia, tIot l'-t;,or;,I,., I..l.,