Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-03-18
The Use and Abuse of Fun.

What should we do without this gift t,
brighten our existence on our earthly pill
grimage? A love of fun is most oftel
found accompanied by a cheerful and live
ly disposition. We can imagine no dreari
er state than that Of an lndivual who. dur
ing the whole of his lifetime, can obta,r
no fun or pleasure, in the slightest degree
in his daily intercourse with his fellow
creatures. But it is we'll known fact
that even of the best of things one car
have too much. Even fun has its limit
and more wearisome thing can scarcely
be imagined than an individual who, al
frain from turning the most commonplace
of conversation into fun and ridicule
This is certainly great failing; but OF
course there is graver aspect under
which it can beregarded, namely, the low
of ill natured fun. A laugh raised at the
Expense of a well-meaning person is highly
injndicious, and IN many cases rarely for
gotten. The turning into ridicule of an
ether PERSONS words and ideas is mos
unchaIitable and hurtful habit VI hich
when long forgotten by the speaker, rank
les in the mind of the victim. There il
nothi' g more disagreeble to very sensi-
tive nature than the fear of being mad
fun of and turned into ridicule, and thu
slightest inclination toward this unchris-
tianlike habit will cause the victim of i
such pain and shrinking that a less sensi.
tive mind would scarcely deem possible
We should be especially careful of thes.
sensitive ones, especially as one can neve,
tell the harm careless word leveled j,
mere jest may do. 1t rankles in the mind
of the sensitive one, and gives perniciou,
precedent to the hearers Of it, After all
this failing which happily is not general,
and brings Its punishment; for those few
who find real pleasure in giving pain tr
others by ill-natured and personal fun ar
rarely we'll spoken Of even by those VIII,
profess to see no hahn in it. A sarcastic
person may have many admirers. but NJ
real friends, as, directly personal inter.
course with them ceases, and when one'
back is turned, then one trembles fore ne's
own character. But this is spiteful an,
uncharitable fun, only resorted to by thos,
who, Disguised with and weary of tn.
world can find consolation in the endea-
vor- to convert others to their opinion
There is one more abuse of fun which it.
necessary only to touch upon. and which,
while the love Of pure and holy things ex-
lists. can never become habit mea,
the danger that one has to guard agains:
Of speaking in fun Of sacred and hol,
;hlngs. or in any way bringing them int
ridicule. 1t may be that, to really witt.
person, the inclination to this irreveren /
practice has to be more carefully guarded
against than to those whose sense of wit
IS less keen. If witty speech or joke il |
On our lips which would turn into tn;
slightest fun or ridicule things only to b
spoken or thought of with reverence let tb
words remain unspoken, let the witty sell.
fence be wasted, rather than be uttered t.
Fall perhaps on some untutored and wa
vering mind, and prove stumbling block
n that mind for years and years after thu
words We're uttered and forgotten. s, |
much for the abuse of this gift. But, OF
5he whole much more may be said for thai.
'gainst it; for though it may prove =
stumbling block and occasion of falling"
o some few, it is an undeniable blessint
o those who, with constant and ever
eady source Of cheerfulness and fun, ca,
make lighter daily trials and difficulties
nd even afford to help a less hopeful
brother or sister on their earthly journey.
-Harper's Weekly.