The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-09-21
THE TELL-TALE

be sure. The motive is everything.
The meanness of the mere informer,
the Peeping Tom who pliers informa-
ton through keyhole and tatties it.
the cowardly telling for the sake Of
shielding ones self, or for revenge, or
10 get friend punished; this is one
thing. The schoolboy who likes to
tell on" the other fellows, and is at it
all the while, playing spy, who does it
with a pseudo-pious air before his
teacher, that he may be reckoned a lit
tie saint, and who is more anxious to
catch others in wrong than himself
to do a positive right-that is one
thing.
The gossip who smacks her-pardon
me, his-lips and gets off damaging
story with gusto that shows he would
infinitely rather report sin than
virtue; a low-browed spirit that is new.
err heard to speak we'll of any one. and
pockets all the good he hears of others,
while he proclaims from the house-top
ali the evil--that is the despicable
character The motives in these cases
are all selfish.
But there is an informant who is
: even noble in his story. My child was
, asked by me to relate what she knew
of supposed wrong desd done by her
brother. Her brother was present to
hear the witness, there was no covert
stabbing him behind his back, and he
/ was to have his turn at fefatatieH.
asked it Il, the head of the family
and lawful ruler, whose motive was
only justice, motive bound up in love
for them both. My right as ruler was
above ali other rights. 1t included the
right to punish, and both OF the chill
dren knew and confessed these rights
vested in me. l am human, and hence
limited in knowledge. did not see
the dear boy do the wrong; ! only sus-
pected it. Possibly he did not commit
the deed, and facts would vindicate
him. At all events, must have evil
dence, must ask some one, and in the
interest Of simple justice. To state the
facts under such circumstances would
not make the hesitating little witness
''tell-tale." God himself could not
see an evil motive in her precious
heart. She even pitied Charlie; her
eyes were all tears.
1t is not easy, unless parents and
others take pains, to teach these dis
tinctions. Boys won't tell, )" through
a sense of honor that is more often
false than true. Ask such boy what
he thinks of the ends Of jus tice sought
in his country's court-rooms; by pro-
cess as dignified as Judge and jury can
mako it the witness tells what he
knows. II men declined to testify be-
cause ''its mean to tell, how would
the theft ever be convicted, the traitor
known and hung. or the murderer?
Not to. tell what you know of an evil
deed will often, boys, rob you of the
chivalric power to defend the inno-
cent or rescue the imperiled. Not to
tell crime within your knowledge
makes you yourself, in the eyes of
common law, criminal by participa-
ton. 1t is itself crime to know Of a
crime, uninforming. Take counter
feiting for instance. Ifyou know and
hide the fact that any gang or person
is engaged in this, you are helping;
for concealment is absolutely neces-
sary to success, and, while the other
fellows contribute plates, printing,
and paper, you contribute conceal
ment. Boys, if they protest, tits
mean 10 tell" need to be taught that a
majestic system Of ermined dignity
and power. from the Chicf-Justice at
Washington to the police judge would
soon shake such nonsense out of
them. On the contrary it is right to
tell, to tell unasked too, If you know
any lawless deed. The great God
| will make us all tell at his judgement
seat.
The nursing OF another mans or boys
guilty secret is like taking fire, or per-
haps vitrlol is a better illustration, into
your jacket-pocket. No man has any
right to impose such a burden on me.
'.Pll tell you something" says the
whisperer. ''if you will not tell it."
All right. That implies that it is a
harmless and an honorable confidence.
But suppose he begins to secretly in
form me of high treason, or any other
wicked thing; / am not bound; on the
contrary, I am insulted by his con-
fdence. am asked to help him cage
his rattle snake. No, sir! Let him
keep his reptile to himself. am not
in that sort of business. No oath to
keep a wrong is binding. That would
be making me promise to criminate
myself. Can any other man make it
right to compel me to do wrong? To
shield the guilty Is always a wrong.
To be merciful to the penitent is one
thing, to defend the guilty from the
Just due of his deeds is quite another
thing, and no mortal on earth can make
| it right
To turn over and over in boyish
heart the guilty knowledge Of another..s
wrong, is poisonous in the extreme. 1t
| familiarizes the pure heart with vice.
1t is a heavy load that drives out sleep,
that kills laughter. It accustoms one
to concealment by schooling that
tempts little chap. II know how l
kept Toms secret Now, If want to
steal on my own account / know how
to hide it." 1t is an exceedingly i'm
moral schooling.
Parents can do their children no
more essential service than to assist
them in untangling this tissue of delu-
sion. Your boy wishes to be manly;
| he values the resDect and good will OF