The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1886-08-05
Gbe Marietta yOurnal.
MARIETTA, GA,
THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST S, 1885.
[For the Marietta journal.
INTERMEDDLINH.

INTERMEDDLINH.
We all of US scorn busybody and
scarcely have words of contempt
strong enough to express our feelings
towards one who is constantly med
ding in what in no way concerns
him. There are some persons so un-
fortunately disposed that they can
not rest easy until they have investi-
gated their neighbours business in all
of its bearings, and even neglect their
own to attend to his. This trait of
character is directly allied to envy
on the one hand and to SANDER on
the other. Envy incites in us a de-
sire to possess the good fortune that
we discover falling to others. Med
ding is satisfied when Ii discovers
all the minutiae of others affairs, and
may be so utterly devoid of energy
as to care but little whether it can
acquire the good or not.
Meddling is directly melted by
egotism for that unfortunately leads
not only endure confidence in ones
ewn abilities, but, what is worse, to q
feeling that you are little better
able to attend to the affairs of Others
than they themselves. SANDER, too,
oft takes its rise in the curious busy
lngs OF those who are interfering
where there is no call for their ser.
vices. There is such tendency in
human nature to faunt abroad the
faults of others, that no sooner does
one who Systematically intermediates,
alspQvers some falling and he or she
is sure to do this, since it is human
to err-than they straightway hasten
to lay before others the fruits of their
investigations. And thus is given to
the public the petty defects of some
home-lite, WHICH, by constant repeti-
ton, soon assumes gigantic size, as
snow-balls rolled over by boys; and
50, at length, the happiness of some
home circIe is destroyed by the mali
clous and poison-giving officiousness
of busy-bodies. Neglecting our own
affairs and meddling with those of
others is the source of many troubles.
THOSE who blow the Goals OF others
strife may chance to have the sparks
fly in their own face. We think
more of ourselves than of others, but
spmtimeS m0re of others than our
selves. People are often melted to
meddling by the desire of having
something to tell" but, if you no
tice, they are but narrow-minded
and ignorant people, who talk about
persons and not things. Mere Cos
sip is always personal confession
either of malice or imbecility, and
the refined should not only show it,
but by the most thorough culture re-
ieYe themselves of ali temptations
to indulge in it. 1t is a low, frivo-
lous, and too often dirty business.
There are neighborhoods in which il
RACES like a pest. Churches are split
in pieces by it; neighbors are made
enemies by it for life. In many per-
sons it degenerates into a chronic
disease, which is practically incura-
BILE. Be on your guard against CON
tracing so pernicious habit. A
person who constantly meddlea
means to do harm, and is not sorry
to find he has succeeded. He is a
treacherous supplanter and under
miner of the peace Of all families and
societies. This being a maxim of un-
taillNg truth, that nobody ever prizes
into another mans concerns but with
design to do, or to be able to do
him a mischief. His tongue, like the
tails of Samson's foxes, carries fire.
brands, and is enough to set the
Whola field Of the world in fame,
To NEEDLE with another's privileges
and prerOgatives is vexatious; to
NEEDLE with his interests is injuri-
Gus; to NEEDLE with his good name
unites and aggrayates both evils.
There is, perhaps not more odiOus
character in the world than go-be-
tween, by which We mean the crea-
ture who carries to the ear of one
neighbor every injurious observation
that happens to drop from the mouth
of another. Such a person is the
slanderer's herald, and is altogether
more odious than the slanderer him
self BY this vile offieiousaess he
makes that poison effective which
else would be inert; for three fourths
of the slanderers in the world would
never injure their object except by
the malice of go-betweens, who un-
der the mask of double friendship.
act the part Of double traitor. The
less business a man has of his own,
the more he attends to the business
of his neighborS. Do not cultivate
curiosity: every man has in his own