Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-05
Making Each Other Miserable.

AS If there were not troubles enough in
this world that come upon men without
human design, people set themselves to
work to diminish happiness and to in
crease misery. Phrenologists tell us that
there is in man an organ and faculty Of
destructiyeness-that when unregulated,
it inspires cruelty; that it is the root OF
that horrible pleasure which the old Ro
mans had, and their modern descendants
still have, in murderous gladiatorial
shows, contests of wild beasts, bull fights
etc.
But there runs through modern civil.
lied society a vein of the same quality
People who would faint to see a gush OF
blood, and who think themselves Chris
tians, have a lively enjoyment in witness
ing pain, and cultivate the art of infiict-
ing it. The mention of a few of the
methods employed will make good my re-
marks.
The delight with which many report
bad news, the eagerness with which they
report to people evil sayings which can
not but lacerate the feelings, show amor
bid love of suffering. This is not the
trait of villainous natures. 1t exists in
people of real kindness of disposition. 1t
IS not anomalous, because it is so widely
extended as to seem normal.
Some people scatter producing
elements thoughtlessly, and are surprised
and sorry when they witness the suffering
produced. Others do it for momentary
pleasure, without meaning any serious
results But now and then we find per-
sons who love to torment a victim.
They enjoy anether's suferings. 1t is
their happiness to see some one made
keenly miserable by their lance-like
tongue. They will smile and talk in low
sweet tones, and shoot cut quivering SEN
fences, poison-tipped, and cast a look
sideways to see if they strike, and at
every sign of pain their face grows
bright
In part this is a latent ambition. Peo-
pie assert their power over others. 1t
raises one in his own estimation to per-
ceive that he can control the moods of
another
But there is still more common exhi-
bition of the love of suffering. 1t is seen
in the ignoble but universal Art of Teas
ing.
We see it in its most unregulated form
among children who nip and pinch each
other, make up mouths, twitch each
others clothes, run off with toys, push
and "joggle," point with insulting fin
gers, and in hundred ingenious ways
strive to make each other miserable. AS
they grow up, it often happens that
young people carry on campaign OF
teasing, each one vying with another
which shall be the sharpest.
1t does not cease with youth. Grown
folks, good-natured, kind-hearted, we'll
meaning and full of benevolence, often
show this perverse spirit in the midst OF
all their kindness By sharp speech, by
yelled sarcasm, by exciting curiosity
which they will not crafty, by narratlng
pretended frauds, by sinister compliments,
by rallying one when circumstances Tor
bid areply, by equivocal praise, by blunt
telling of some truth that had been better
left unsaid, and by hundreds OF ingenious
ways which time would fail to tell people
int1ict pain upon each other
EThose who in the main are striving to
make friends happy will have one black
thread in the web of white. Those who
| really love each other have a strange
| fondness for stirring each other up.
There is an innocent and even pleasure
producing method of rallylng which, ii
| deity and gracefully done, helghtens the
enjoyment of society. One may touch 6
discord if it lapses into a true chord
Sometimes, when we have good news t.
tell, we are bewitched with q desire t.
| open the matter as if 1t were a grea
| trouble that we were ABOUT 10 break
There is gentle badinage, an lnnocen
arrow-shooting, which hatters ant
charms. But life is full of that other sort