River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-06-02
SOCIETY PAUL PRYS.
H-Bred ouestioners Who Manufacture
Gossip

n-Bred Ouestioners Who Manufacture
Gossip.
Like most other things, curiosity may
be either ne or vice. With its
proper use W nave no present concern.
We are only to consider one of its most
disagreeable manifestations.
There is an old proverb to the effect
that those who ask no questions will be
told no lies. 1t 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 il difficult for them to re-
fuse to answer even an impertinent
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-nonger,
but his occupation would be gone with.
out the aid ~ 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
crush it, Parents should use every eff.
fort to divert the natural curiosity OF
their children into useful and elevatine
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 Wee away from
home last week. Mrs. NJ. Where did
you go? Whom did you goto see? What
did you go for? Did Mr.. NJ. go with youf
Why didn't he go? Why did you stay SC
long?"
And so on and on. The visitor, mean.
while, making frantic efforts to main
tain conversation with the child's
mother. who herself had 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 close, and the visitor es.
capped, eongratulating herself on her
skill in avoiding direct answer to the
one telling question: what did you &c
TO - for?'' which had been repeated
again and again.
Having returned to her own home
Mrs. NJ began examining herself il re
gard to her own methods with her chill
dren.
"Have / ever suffered them" she de.
rnanded 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 OF
less direct, about things which had nc
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 | have not asked useless
and sometimes even impertinent ques.
tions of my own family and intimate
friends, even if | have not been thus
impolite to chance acquaintance
If more of us listened as frankly &c
the accusation of conscience, the num-
Der of Inbred questioners would speed.
" diminish. 1t is worthy of note that
some of the most persistent Paul Prys
Of aaiafxy rae moot CtrAr1 ~ xv the Of
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.