Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-03-07
Misftllantons. q
Gossip.

The soJourner in great cities. return
ing 10 his native place probably some
country town Of more or less lmpor-
iancc, is almost always. We may say.
al first amazed aud then distressed by
the tone OF the daily conversation
which awaits him. He has been accus-
toine'i-in Washington Tor instance
10 hear the nobler sort OF politics dis
cussed. politics that have sloughed oil
their primary hasencss OF caucasses
and frauds. and have risen into LOFTY
attitudes; he has been pre-occupied
with measures and affairs of state. his
mind has been illuminated with wide
considerations Of public good. and Of
Justice, the opening Of new lands, the
welfare Of old races or, in New York,
he has been part OF immense enter
prises, or mas, at least touched their
outskirts he has been link in the
golden cnain of commerce which binds
all the people of the earth together {;
or, in Boston, his talk and that Of his
neighbors has been OF art and philoso-
phy and music or if it is not precis, ~
such themes, in these or other places,
which have kept his attention it is
themes Of 4 singular magnitude.
He returns 10 his birthplace and the
people whom he loves, only TO find
them taking
The rustic marmur Of their burg
For the great wave thai echoes round the world y
and lie hears hardly anything else men
toned than tho peculiarities OF this
one, the peccadilloes Of that one, the
characteristics, crimes, and clothes of
all the rest-quite as if there were no
absorbing interests, no entlcing sub
jects or speculations. ready for the lips
of these heirs Of all ages.
He finds the universe narrowing
down on him like the man Who saw his
prison walls daily contracting to crush
him his world becomes vacuum, his
thoughts mere baroness. For the love
of Heaven, he presently cries, talk OF
things. not persons!' What to him
and what to them is the relation OF
Mrs. Grey's bonnet 10 the back of her
head: Why shall he be glad or sorry
that Mrs. Blacks India shawl is dis
covered, after all, to be imitation
Does it afford him pleasure to be told
that this entertaining gentleman starves
his wife. that that one can we'll dis
pense his elegant hospitality when he
ch, ated widow and her orphans Out
of house and home in settling the es
tate! Why can he not be left to his
enjoyment in sdmiring handsome wo
man without being instructed in ghast
~ secrets Of her toilette? Why mus
the innocence Of youth. the lovelines.
of beauty, be perpetually spoiled t6
him by hints of evil temper. Of bac
blood. of corrupt habits? Are lies {
healthy diet? And since all these pee
pie are of the same human flesh anC
blood, are not such statements more
likely to be false than true! And
whether false or true, are they able Il
help him on in life toward the goal o
ambition, or Of chosen work, or th,
great tax Of making his own soul whit
for the searcher's eye? This simple
village. that he supposed 70 be . mino
Already, he would find peOpled, if b
could believe half he heard, with rsc'
of idiots, pro1igates, speculators. Hi
soul revolts within him. He asks j
the charm of virtue, " and for itsel
alone, be strong enough 70 keep an.
one clean who knows that, let wha
will be done, slander shall follow It
And aware that presently, in the na
ture of things, the fangs must be II
his own flesh, he either flies the plac'
or drifts into deserving the worst.
We do not mean TO say that g0ssiI
and scandal do not exist in the larg'
cities, and sometimes in more viru
lent form than the rural centes ar'