Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-02
Gosslp-Slander.

| These are so closely allied that it is some-
| times hard to draw line of discrimination
| between them. The animus which dictates
| the one or the other cannot always be taken
as the criterion. Often mere sewing society
gossip by the ladies, or curb-stone gossip by
the gentlemen, is innocently INDUCED in,
and yet the structures INDUCED in at the ex-
pense of some absent neighbor have a most
baneful effect on the general standing and
reputation of that person.
| Now, this thing of gossip is not confined to
| the gentler sex; but the ''lords of creation''
are equally guilty. The ladies have their
| societies for different noble and cOmmenda-
BILE objects; and there congregated, and the
hands busy, the brain must likewise be en-
ployed, and so the general status of the diff
ferent members of society is taken up and
sifted-and woe be to that poor absent one
who is unfortunate enough to be the object
of the afternoon theme!
1t is an old saying that everybody must
talk about something. The poor fellow who
| was told not to talk for fear that the people
would find out that he was fool, made
nothing by the experiment; he was consid-
cred fool because he did not talk ON some
subject or other.
Everybody must have something to say or
give up society. would not have them seal
their mouths and sit like stool-pigeons; but,
of course, the topics of conversation will re-
late to the subjects of knowledge. If man
is interested in science, he will talk about
science; if he is familiar with literature, and
is an intelligent and persistent reader, he
will naturally forward literary topics in his
conversation. So with social questions and
religions. Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh.
That of which the mind Is full-that of
which it is furnished-will come out in ex-
preston. The very simple reason that the
world is full of gossip, is that those who in
dulge in it have nothing else in them. They
must interest themselves in something; they
know nothing-or but little else-but what
they learn from day to day in interviews with,
and observations of, their neighbors. What
these neighbors do; what they say; what
happens in their social and business affairs;
what they wear, and whether or not they
can afford it-these become the questions of
supreme interest. The personal and social
life around them-this is the book under
| constant perusal, and out Of this comes
that pestiferous conversation which we call
gossip.
Now, what is the cure of gossip? Simply
| culture. There is a great deal of gossip that
has no malignity in it. Good natured peo-
pie talk about their neighbors because-and
only because-they have nothing else to talk
about. Gossip is always personal confess
sion either of malice or imbecility; and the
young should not only shun it, but by the
most thorough culture relieve themselves
from all temptations to indulge in it. 1t is
low, frivolous, and, too often, dirty bust
ness.
Gossip is not always directed against the
deserving and guilty; and right here Is
where it becomes twin brother to one Of the
basest crimes known to the law-slander.
One who comprehends this fact has writ
ten:
Twas but a breath
And yet a woman's fair name wilted,
And friends once warm grew cold and stilted !;
And life was worse than death.
One venomed word,
That struck its coward, poisoned blow
In craven whispers hushed and low,
And yet the wide world heard.
Twas but one whispered-one-
That muttered low, for very shame,
That thing the s1anderer dare not name,
And yet its work was done.
A hint so slight,
And yet so mighty is its power
| A human soul, in one short hour,
| Lies crushed beneath its sight.
| Right here one Of the idioms of Don
Quixote is applicable: ''Whoevsr is ignorant
is vulgar"
| Let all bear in mind that gossip is "soft
buzzing slander' and ''silky moths that eat
| an honest name"
Shun it asEou would the tabled deadly upas
! tree. y.
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