Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-02-06

4
stories have iailedto provoke smile !
DO no friends who once signed them
selves ssyours very affeefionateiy" now
conclude their letters with a chilling
ayonrs truly 20 Have none Of the old
nick-names and familiar expressions
been dropped. and are ali The standing
Invitations 60 Iuncheon still i'm force
Have we noa wrIllen azeciionate and
detailed epistles which after long delay
have reces buk curt foles IN reply.
i r0n1a. .ktsswa aEs6 = ssinsl5n ssiiste~ef - tlaf
friendly remarks and inqniriesi are
not oar tempting Invitations sometimes
refused with mo better excuse than re-
grets that those whom we invited are
unable TO accept theml
AZ first sight II might be imagined
that nobody would be subjected TO cold
shouldering unless he had committed
some heinous offence, or at any rate lay
under suspicion of having done so.-
Particularly, however, 1t is otherwise,
as the punishment OF which we are
speaking 10 apt 10 follow comparatively
innocent actions, while real wickedness
often escapes scot-free. Conduct which
might bring the offender into the Di-
vorce Court may possibly expose him to
the cold shoulder Of good society, but
visits to The houses Of the leaders OF
the opposite cliques, or intercourse
with respectable people whom nobody
knows" would quite certainly render
him liable to severe penalties. Again,
il is simply "sad" when a man becomes
confirmed diPsomaniac; but If he
changes his religion, however conscien-
tiously and at whatever sacrifice, he is
visited with the severest penalties OF
the cold-shoulder. Those, however,
who wish to taste the cold shoulder IN
all ITS bitterness should take an ener-
getic part IN canvassing at an election
ii possible, selecting one in which
both candidates are Of similar politics.
Instead oi being a political contest, il
then becomes purely personal affair,
and although, when il is over, there is
great deal said about letting bygones
be bygones, and although il Is general
Iy understood that no absolute cutting Is
to be allowed TO follow, the families and
supporters Of the rival candidates find
abundant opportunities for the use of
the only alternative weapon Of modern
social warfare, nor are they slow 20
use them. The two champions very
likely may shake hands, and declare
each other to be excellent fellows, and
at public dinners il t~msy Be given out
thai there is to be peace on earth and
good viii towards men; but, for all that,
il is said in private that this man has
acted like a traitor, that man like a
scoundrel. that Brown told a lie and
shall be some day made to eat his
words, that Jones represented the IA
miliar friend OF evil notoriety, and that
Robinson behaved in a manner that can
never be forgotten. It can not. there
fore, be a matter Of surprise If freezing
poliieness is the warmest kind Of in
tercourse that takes place between the
rival factions for months, if not years,
10 come; and the cold shouldenng which
follows resembles a general engage
ment rather than little quiet dueling.
Bad however, as are electioneering con-
tests in this respect, the most enduring
chilly treatment is that which a man
experiences after heavy pecuniary los
ses. AT first the sufferer meets with
a good deal Of ostentatious sympathy
and patronizing coincidence; but this is
succeeded by coldness, as surely as the |
autumn follows the summer. But hard |
est Of all to bear. to man with any
real self-respect, is the GOODNESS Of the !
poor and OF social interiors. Nothing |
can well be more humIlIating than this.
for il implies that, much as Il would be |
to their private interest to curry favor |
with him and put up with some disa-
greeableness on his part. they have
such contempt for his behavior Of
character that no accidents Of birth or
can make up for his per- !
sonaI deficiencies.
II IS sometimes scarcely less disa.
greeable to give than TO receive the |
cold shoulder. Its infection occasion
ally becomes . duty, and few things re-
quire more discretion. However me- |
cessary Il may be to administer tins
form Of ehastisement, there is no Teas-
on for making Il unduly painful. The
lesson will be far more taken TO heart |
when 10 q gentle manner than when Il
is accompanied with rudeness and sar-
casm. When we consider ourselves |
called upon to inHict little eoId-shOul-
deFing, IT Is ~ well TO remember our
own experiences under like treatment,
and we may also proftsbly recall the
ridiculous figure sometimes eUt by
those engaged in its administration; nor
should ii be forgotten that, however
wholesome this kind Of discipline may be
in moderation, il has q peculiarly hard
ening tendency when used TO excess.
Il Is desirable, too. that we should be
on our guard against being supposed to
be bent on cold-shouldering when we
are quite innocent Of any such purpose.
.I0ndon G0furd0g Repiear