Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-05
WOMEN WHO GOSSIP.
A HIpEOUs CREATURE HELD TO MANY A
L~ACE-COvBRRD BOSOM.
Ella Wheeler on Gossip and GosNpsrS-IyPsS Oh
Women Who Practice the Vice-hen More
Fearless in Their Gossip Than Womsn-
Ella Whssler's Resolution.
Copyrighted, ISL

bosom and entertained IN many iouh"y
circle. II stands in the parlor and goes
forth from the communion Ia lie to cast us
venom over innocent victims OF Its mallg-
nity. It whirls in the ball room and SITS
nj the table of the refined hostess.
The women who gossip are not connneu
TO any circle or locality. l have met them
in the wild prairies of the West, n tried
TO find excuses for their propensity to Cos
sip in the poverty of their existence anu
the lack of employment for their minds;
I have met them also in the circles OF
wealth and culture, and wondered how ID
the agreeable surroundings OF art, music
and literature they could stoop TO the mlre
of scandal for pastime.
| have heard ignoble gossip fall from the
lips of ignorant women, and felt pity:
have heard it drop from the brilliant lips
Of genius, and felt disgust.
The most dangerous type OF gosslper ls
not the woman who has won IA renown
in her profession. Her nOtOriety is our
protection. We are on u guard in her
presence. We speak cautiously and listen
indiferently, and she is only able to inJure
where she is not known.
Far more to be dreaded is the really
good. hearted but indiscreet and garrulous
woman who loves to impart information.
| know some excellent wives and mothers,
devout church members, and tireless work
ems for charity, who would be indignant
were they classed among the despised gos-
sips $500.
Yet these same women have related IN
nv presence the outhved errors OF people
whom | loved and respected. They have
brought out the folded aud filed away
~foilies, long hid in the dusty pigeon holes
of the past, for my eyes to peruse In tue
glaring light of the preseu& They did not
mean to be malicious; they simply lacked
the strength of mind to be silent concern
ing an old tale which could i'll no wise
benefit me to hear. 1t was the love Of i'm
parting ;uformatiOn, the impulse to as
tcnish rather than any wish to irjure.
But it's effect was perniciOus aud harm
ful.
If God forgives an erring and repentant
soul, why should men bar its progress to-
ward the heights of purity by standing
in its path and shaking an ACCUSING TN
gel?
There is no duty, CAristian or human,
which j~ustifies us in t~ountenanciDg or up
holding the deeds of immoral people.
If / live in defiance of law and deceucy,
my neighbOr is justified in warning his
friends to avoid intimacy with me. Yet
let him not he afraid to give that warning
in my hearing, else he has committed the
great evil of gossip.
We are known in a measure by the COM
paDy we keep. If people outrage the pro-
prieties or ignore the commandments, they
have no right to expect the c~ompanionship
of law abiding citizens. But we must re-
member, There never yet was noble man
but caused iguoble talk" and a sensible
and Just person should pay no heed to Cos
sip till he has investigated its Authenticity.
| define gossip as an uncOmplimentaTy
remark which We would not dare make in
the presence of the object discussed.
When we speak one d~isparaging word
which We would regret to have that person
hear, We have committed gossip, which
ought to be forbidden by an eleventh COM
mandment, since some Ofthe worst troubles
the world knows arise from it.
Gossip never reformed any soul or right
ed any wrong. II seldom arises from any
feeling of outraged propriety, although ii
may seek to assume this air. When Idle
ness WEEDS Envy, Gossip is their offspring.
Yet | am surprised to see how many busy
and Industrious minds find time to enter
tain this unworthy guest.
The small country town is supposed to
be the hotbed of gossip. BIT | have OBJ
served that the larger the congregation OF
human beings the greater the amount OF
gossip in circulation.
In small towns people ~criticise in small
matters, which pass urnOticed in the large
cities. But in the cities gossip Is quite as
prevalent, and is usually of a more viru-
lent type.
remember once leaving the house OF
kind friends who had entertained me
charmingly, and met another friend on the
street, | spoke with delight and gratitude
OF the pleasant time l had enjoyed. The
lady looked grave, sighed, and then said
she. felt her painful duty to inform Inc
that the friends that had been SO kind to
me were dangerous people to know, rs
their past history bore q shadow upon its
pages. | walked on, was joined by au-
other triend-a widOw-aiew blocks down
the street. This lady mentioned having
seen me in conversation with the person
whom | had Just left.
81 hope you are not on intimate terms
with her." she said. You know, there
are many people who believe her first mar
riage was-well, no matter, but old resi-
dents here told me the story, and | do not
care to know the story myself"
| babe the widow good afternoon and
dropped in to call on an acquaintance.
"How came you TO be walking with that
woman asked my hostess as soon as |
was seated. IL saw you from the window
and could hardly believe my eyes" she
said. Don't you know that she is not a
real widow, but a d~irOrcee, and the scandal
was in all the papers when she got her di-
vorct? l never met her, but from all
hear she is no friend Tor you"
| related my experience to a gentleman
friend later in the day. Don't mind
what that last named woman says" he
replied, she is the most cruel-tongued
woman in the world. | was in her house
once and / vowed l would never go again,
as she spoke 20 unkindly of every one
knew"
This is an absolutely truthful expert
ence which / have related, and is a sad
commentary on the prevailing evil of the
day.
Not one of these people would have
dared to say the words they said to me in
presence of tie persons criticised. Not
one of them accomplished any good by
their unkind words; not one of them
would have been able to prove their accus-
alton If called to account.
| think men are quite as much given to
gossip, perhaps, as women, but they are
more fearless in their methods.
/ have known some most remarkable
men gossips in my day.
A man came to a lady once in a crowd
ed room and warned her against meeting
any advances from n woman present. He
told her his reasons, and showed her his
proofs in black and white. 'She could
and would only iDjure yon," he said,
and therefore avoid her. | am willing
to face her with nv own words if need
be-"
She took pains to investigate the mans
statements, and proved them true. This
was Is foreign to gossip as the scarlet
fever sign hung over door is different from
a midnight attack by a highwayman. One
-,rna fhn Nfhar aooa11k,