The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-07-05
Bound in Honor.

"There is Jeanie PAUL. She has been
visiting at Lulu Hardy's," said Con.
stance STACY to Eleanor Ames. "Now
we shall find out whether Lulu's father
is as stern as he looks, and why Mrs.
Hardy always has such a sad, woe-be-
gone face"
The two girls joined Jeanne, who
greeted them very pleasantly. They
walked on together, and presently Miss
Constance, bent on gaining information,
inquired after Lulu.
''Lulu is well, and sent her love to all
the girls. said Jeanie. e.t
"And did you enjoy yourself in Ar
lington P" asked Eleanor.
Every much, indeed. Lulu's homo
is lovely, and she is SO very thoughtful
of her friends. 1t seems as though she
can not do enough for guest"
"Isn't her father awfully queer and
cross ?" pursued Constance. He
! frowns so in church, and never seems
to be enjoying himself Icannot imag.
inc how you dared to stay in the house
with him"
Jeanie's face was quite a study ; her
dark eyes almost flashed as she turned to
Constance, saying: ..... .....
"Mr. Hardy is {. kind good man, and
Lulu's father besides but if he were
what you seem to fancy, do you suppose
/ would tell you L could not be SO
mean. Mother has always told me that
what | see or hear in friends house
is sacred, and that to chatter things
which friend might not wish to have
known would be unworthy of lady"
At the corner the girls separated,
Constance and Eleanor looking rather
ashamed, and Jeanie walking down her
own street with very stately step,
holding her head high. That she should
be supposed capable of tale-telling was
great annoyance to her, for her moth
er had trained her to be honorable.
Children, dear, may / whisper to you
that we are sometimes bound in honor
not to gossip about persons or occur
rences, even when nobody has for
hidden us to speakp
Should you happen to be sitting, you
little Susie, or you, Walter, as quiet as
a mouse, in corner of the parlor with
your book, and mamma coming in with
a friend holds u conversation not meant
for your ear, you should either get up
and go away, or if you can not go away,
you should forget all about what has
been said. Above all, never 90 around
looking wise and dropping mysterious
hints, which curious people may take
up, as pegs to hang their questions on.
Curiosity, when it leads you to study
carefully Gods wonders in stones and
flowers, is good thing 1t is good
thing where it sends you to the library
to find out everything the cyclopedia
can tell you .aboutva subject. When it
is only an idle desire to peer into some
body's home life it is very bad thing.
In fact, l hardly know of any way in
which trouble is so surely made in this
queer world of ours, as by foolish peo-
pie who go from one person to another
thoughtlessly carrying wicked little bits
of gossip. ..
If Nanny OF Lucy tell you that Mag
gle says you are awkward, or slow, or
vain, or any other thing which is I'M
complimentary, you are not very likely
to feel pleased with Maggie. She
should not have spoken unkindly about
lyou, for her part but if you will blame
any one, the needless takers who car
ried her comments are worse than she.
The Bible says that: "a whisperer
separateth chief friends" 1t was true
in the old Bible times, and it is just as
true to-day.
A private and confidential note should
never be shown to second pair of
eyes.
If you ever have reason to think that
friend does not wish matter to be
repeated, make it your business to be
silent.
"By thy words shalt thou be iusti,
fled and by thy words shalt thou be
condemned, This is another bit of
wisdom from the best of books. We
can not always control our thoughts,
children, but we can control our lips
Margaret b. Sangster, iH S. s Times,
u c.ix. Ia anil .oxaa.a..1al f..1a.., xr;1