The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-04-07
UNFAIR CRITICISM.

Envy is Fixed only on merit; and like
q sore eye, is offended with everything
that is bright"
Idle curiosity-that inquisitive
and meddling spirit which leads
others to pry into the affairs OF
their neighbors-is censurable in
many ways. 1t interrupts the good
order, breaks up the peace of socie-
ty and draws men aside from a due
regard for, and proper attention to,
the discharge Of their own duty
and business.
In this work-a-day world we are
more or less linked together by
many ties. We are bound by duty
and prompted by interest to render
mutual assistance to each other,
and those friendly Offices are per-
formed to the greatest advantage
when we avoid the uncalled-for in
reference in the concerns of our
neighbors. Every one has his own
part to act, has his own interests to
consult, his own affairs to manage
which his neighbors are not called
upon to scrutinize, much lass criti-
CHE. Attend to your own bust
ness" is one of the paramount
rules for the preservation of har-
mony and order.
A set of men exist in every place
who, by an unhappy activity of
spirit, oftener than by any design
Of doing i'll, or any motive of am
bition, like to intermeddle in affairs
with which they have no concern,
to inquire into the private bust
ness of others and from the in
correct information they collect to
form conclusions in regard to their
circumstances and characters. Such
people are tattlers, and busybodies
in other mems matters. Persons
of this description who are prompt
ed by nothing but vain curiosity,
are dangerous troublers of a COM
munity. While they imagine them
selves inofensive, they are at the
same time sowing dissention among
their fellow men. Crossing the
line on which others move, they
create confusion and awaken i'll
will. When a person makes it an
almost daily practice to long with
grudging eyes" for that which a
neighbor has become possessed Of,
or with pleasing utterances dwells
upon the depressed condition of
another, such an one can be put
down as a meddler and busybody
in the community in which he lives.
Every man, when he thus con-
ceives himself to- be injured, when
he finds another intruding into his
affairs without any cause, claims
the right of disturbing in his turn
those who have wantonly maligned
him. Many friendship has been
broken; the peace of many fam
lily has been overthrown by the
spirit of meddling curiosity. The
mind Of man must have some
food to nourish the activity of it's
thoughts, and hence the idle who
have no nourishment of this char
acter within themselves feed their
thoughts with inquiries into the
conduct and business affairs of their
neighbors, and Of this class the
curious are the most talkative.
What they fancy they have learned
concerning others, they are gener-
ally in haste to publish. A story
about this one or that one which
has been maliciously invented and
the credulous have propagated-a
rumor arising among number and
transmitted by one to another
has in every instance gained new
additions. and has finally become
the foundation of bold assertion
and of severe judgment.
The scrutiny of others by such
persons is generally prompted by
q spirit os jealousy and rivalry. A
constant desire exists to discover
something that will bring down
their neighbours character or cir
cumstances to the level Of their
own; that will flatter them with an
opinion of their own prominence.
A secret malignity lies at the bot
tom of all their inquiries. It may
be concealed by an affected show of
candor; it may be yelled with the
appearance of a friendly feeling for
the interests of others and with
affected apologies for their failings,
but the hidden rancor Of their mo-
tive is easily discovered.
THERE &c a vast diffnrarco IN Tho