Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-28
,HE oUEsTtoN-AsKING HABIT,

I,ike most other things, rrr.osliy ma
he either a virtue or vice. win Its
proper use we have no pre- ent concern.
We are only to consider one OF It's most
d;sagreeable manifestations
The English have an old provero TO
the effect that those who ask no ques-
tions will he told no lies. 1t would OF
we'll to bear this surly old provero ever
In mind when tempted TO make Idle III
onir;es. There are so many reasons
phv retlcence g wise and right, and the
xnow,edge of the truth might be harm
fuI and the temptation to evade or deny
the truth is very strong to those whose
nolIteuess makes it difficult for them 10
refuse to answer even an impert!nent
question. ,,,,
We have no bad motives when asking
Mrs A. how she became acquainted
with Mrs. B.; we may not, In fact, care
much about the matter; but 1t has oc-
cured to Us to wonder how, why, and
where a lady of such sleg gance and fash
ion as Mrs. A. should have become so
intinats wit i the humble and unattract-
i've Mrs 3. that the one can rarely oe
met without the other.
So far no harm has been done. AS
ous slrmises have been set afoAt, an
no rudeness has been committed. IL
NAV be that neither women would Oh
iect to making known the origin OF
their friendship; but it also may be that
to tell il would be TO IL fold long
story OF sorrow or misfortune:
Every one detests the escandal-monger,
but his occupation would be gone with
out the aid OF the ques iouer. The Ia
ter's motives may be innocent, but the
results of this vulgar impert'nence ale
often disastrous. Every one who feels
in himself rising inquiry In re garI 10
the private affairs OF others sh' uIu
crush Il. Parents should use every ei-
fort to divert the a,uIal CURIOSITY OF
their childr en IN o u .eful and eIeVating
channels.
A little girl eight years stood squarer
ly before a vI-ltCr + her mot er's, he
large blue eyes siar'nG unfalterin2lT
while she asked as if the answers were
her due:
"You were away from home last
week. Mrs. NJ. Where did you go?
Whom did you 60 to see? Did Mr.. NJ.
go with you? Why dii'nt he go? Why
did you stay so icng?
And so on and on. The visitor mean
while making frantic efforts to main
lain a conversation with the Chi d 5
mother, who herself hal most painful
time of il, 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 WIS brought
To a close, and the visitor escaped, con-
graduating herself on her skill In avoid .
Ing a direct answer to the one telling
question, "What did you 60 t9 New
Yoik foI?" which b I'd been repeated
again and again during the "bad quar-
ter-hOur," in which she had felt herself
TO be an unwilling witness under a
crosS-examiniug lawyer or more than
usual ability.
Having returned to her own home,
Mrs. NJ. began examining herself Ill Ie-
card to her own methods with her chill
dren
"Have l ever suffered them" she de-
n anded To Il, rSelf, $40 ask Questions IN
regard 10 matters which do not concern
them?" \ low voice sounded in Ter
heart with Painful clearness: "Ye4,
have, ard worse. 1 have myself, in
L o-e, or less direct, about things with
whict had no personal interest, AMI |
have many times exp, essed an idle cur
iosity about tie actions and aft Iirs Of
my neighbOrs. There is hardly a daT
IN which have not asked useless and
sometimes even III pertinent questions
of nv own family ard intimate friends,
even If had not been thus impol,te to
chance acqu int tince'."
Ii more of US listened as frankly to
the accusaii rs of conscience, the num-
ber of i'll br, i q Iestioners would speed
lily dimini-h. l. is worthy OF note that
some of the mos persistent Paul PTys
o: society It SO Il most strongly the ef-
forts of othe To lift tie veil of their
own lives Is IL tuat they know to he
mt! ne TIE excuse OF feeling friend
I ly interest" VIII, h they allege for t. en-
selves? a friendly interest receives
condolences with p.eA>ure and guar Is
| Them with care. 1t neither demands
| nor reveals-Bazar.