Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-11-09
SOCIETY PAUL PRYS.
Inbred Questioners Who Manufactu,
Gossip.

Gossip.
Like most other things, curiosity may
| De either virtue or vice. With it's
proper use we have no present concern.
We are only to consider one of it's most
| lisagreeable manifestations.
There is an old proverb to the effect
that those who ask no questions will be
| told no lies. It would be well to bear
this surly old proverb in mind when
tempted to make idle inquiries. There
Are SO many reasons why reticence is
wise and right, and the knowledge of
| the truth might be harmful, that the
temptation to evade or deny the truth
Is very strong for those whose polite
ness makes it difficult for them to re-
fuse to answer even an impairment
question.
We may have no bad motive when
asking Mrs. A. how she became &C
quainted with Mrs. B.; we may not, in
fact, care much about the matter; but
it has occurred to us to wonder how,
why and where lady of such elegance
! and fashion as Mrs. A should have be-
come SO intimate with the humble and
unattractive Mrs. B. that the one can
rarely be met without the other.
Everyone detests the scandal-monger,
but his occupation would be gone with
out the aid of the questioner. The lat
ter's motives may be innocent, but the
results of his vulgar impertinence are
often disastrous. Everyone who feels
in himself a rising inquiry in regard to
the private affairs of others should
re oh Of
fort to divert the natural curiosity of
their children into useful and elevating
channels.
A little girl of eight years stood
squarely before visitor Of her mothers,
her large blue eyes staring unfalter-
ingly, while she asked, as if the answers
were her due: 'You were away from
home last week, Mrs. M. Where did
you go? Whom did you go to see? What
did you go for? Did Mr.. M. go with you?
Why didn't he go? Why did you stay so
long?"
And so on and on. The visitor, mean
while, making frantic efforts to main
tain a conversation with the child's
mother, who herself bad a most painful
time of it, divided as she was between
her own curiosity, which was keen as
that of her child, and half perception
of the impoliteness of the interrogatory.
AS soon as possible the call was
brought to a close, and the visitor es-
capped, congratulating herself on her
skill in avoiding a direct answer to the
one telling question: ''What did you go
to- for?' which had been repeated
again and again.
Having returned to her own home,
Mrs. M. began examining herself in re-
gard to her own methods with her chill
dren.
''Have ever suffered them" she de-
manded of herself, ''to ask questions in
regard to matters which do not concern
them?'' A low voice sounded in her
heart with painful clearness: eyes,
have, and worse, / have myself in their
presence often made inquiries, more or
less direct, about things which I had no
personal interest, and [ have many
times expressed an idle curiosity
about the actions and affairs
of my neighbors. There is hardly a
day in which I have not asked useless
and sometimes even impairment ques-
| lions or my own family ana 1ntlmaJe
friends, even if 1 have not been thus
lmpolite to chance acquaintance.
If more of us listened as frankly to
the accusations of conscience, the num-
Der of ill-bred questioners would speedi-
1y diminish. 1t is worthy of note that
some of the most persistent Paul Prys
of society resent most strongly the eff
| forts of others to lift the veil from their
own lives. Is it that they know to be
untrue the excuse of feeling friendly
interest," which they allege for them
selves? A friendly interest receives
condolences with pleasure and guards
them with care.--Drake's Magazine.