Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-12-04
stealing, are adding your drop to the
ocean OF gossip2 efs

stealing, are adding your drop TO the
ocean Of gossipf e'
Let me tell you something "really
So" A sweet christian, yes, really
christian woman, the wise mother Of
happy family. a loving wife, a generous
friend, altogether truly true woman
what did she do? Nothing, only spent
an afternoon with those friends. But
what did they really doY Trial was
doubled, tribled, the story OF a woman's
shame, the whisper OF family trouble,
the tarnish OF fair name? What
might have stayed in one heart was di-
vided among four, each receiving, yet
the whole; what should have been hid
behind one pair Of lips touched four,
lightly given, lightly kept. Husbands
must be told, Of course, they may men
ton 1t in some idle moment, but just
one ear will not matter.
My dears, what right had you to give
to others what was not yours? What
right to tell any one OF a poor sisters
disgraceH Did /. make you or any one
purer or better
My sisters, think The sin is not one
bit less sinful, the shame not one bit
less shameful, but it is not ones to
point the finger OF scorn,. to look with
aversion, to judge. Let be alone, II
that is all you can do. Help her up.
pity, pray for her, il you are pure and
blessed yourself. IL will not harm you,
it may help her.
But that is not all that was heard in
this social little meeting OF mothers.
Strange rumors were mentioned OF
how certain supposed upright mer-
chant had defrauded another, how a
minister Of the gospel quarrelled with
his wife; how fashionable lady never
paid her bills; how the son Of proud
old family had been carried home
drunk; how one wife's extravaganza
was running her husband; while another
husbands cruelty was killing his wife.
Oh, what feast these unthinking wo.
men spread What loathsome bur.
den each heart received to carry away
Did you ever think Of it girls, wive,
mothers? So long as you carry in your
hearts and on your lips these things
just SO long will the memory and heart
ache remain.
Suppose it is your family'r skeleton
bones are ratified? Suppose it is your
boy who was brought home drunk, OF
your husband who is breaking your
heart? Would you think it kind, OF
Christ-like for your neighbors, Alb
your friends, to talk OF, even to listen 4
it? Would it tighten the burden, Of
ease the pain? Oh, woman, take it t.
yourselves.
Talk about your neighbors, il yor
must, only talk "as unto Christ" Tel
that pretty Polite Guy is going to b
married; tell what dainty clothes sh'
has, and how happy she is; but do no
tell, even il you think, and know it
that she is miserable house keeper
that her clothes are too fine for her po
sition, that her lover is tyrannical and
bear. 1t will not make Polite an,
wiser, nor her prospective husband an!
kinder.
Talk as much as you like Of Mrs
AS. sudden fortune, OF Mr.. BIS, larg
contribution to the church, OF Mrs. CT
popularity, of the motherless little D
children and their handsome younI
father. But do not hint at busines
manners, ot Mrs. AS. husbands dis
honesty, even If your husband has toll
you. Don't wonder if Mr.. B. is hyp
ocrite, and got the contribution none
with lottery ticket; don't call Miss c
a fiirt; don't surmise that Mrs. d. wa
worried into one untimely grave, AM
Mr.. D. is looking for another wife
Foolishness hobby? 1t is not. 1t i
Christian charity. w.