The Monitor-register., 1897-01-29
A Gossip.

a dosslp.
"Yes, thank you, l will," replied Aunt
Nell to our invitation to come In, as SHE
approached our room. 1.-THE atmosphere
Is purer than it was when I passed ar
hour or SO ago." she continued.
"What was the matter?" we asked. in
wide eyed astonishment.
"You were taking part in the evil
wrought by want Ct thought you were
doing like the child who told her mamma
every time Mr.. Smith hens W iped their
feet on our grass in other words, gos.
siping."
I'VE didn't say any evil, Aunt" pro.
tested blue eyed Constance, "we scarcely
knew what to do with ourselves, SO we
began repeating funny things we had
heard about people,"
THAT Is the secret of it, the idle hour
from the Orient to the dropping West.
But now." continued Aunt, with one oi
them expected turns which often made
the beauty Of her compensation, ''let's
have real gossip. while we are at it."
"You !" We exclaimed.
"Yes. will help this once, if you will
gossip my way. Now, each of you think.
We intend to recall quotations relative
to slander, gossip, or free use of the
tongue. Grace, you may begin"
''All Of US know what the Bible says
of the little mepber," responded Grace.
'and then there's the copy little JaDette
had yesterday, 'When will takers refrain
from evil speaking? When listeners re-
frain from evil bearing' Hare is the
author"
"a good beginning" said Aunt, "but
you insist that I'm to quote more FREE
quently as penalty for old age. SO W i'll
add one here which suggests qui,e foroi-
bly, that we attend to our oma-~Gairs, it
is from an old Berkshire ditty:
Let's you a nd 1 go our own way,
And we'll let she 60 shes'n.'"
A burst of laughter followed, and deep
in Aunt's heart she knew she gave the
amusing couplet to make the girls feel
they were having good time.
"I'll take Shakespeare for my author.
ity, ai9 Constance, answering the nod
tSa. & at, "there's the wonderful,
He that hlches from me my good name
Robs me Of that which not enriches him,
But makes me moor fndeedf
"Again, he says:
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice,
Take each mans censure, but reserve thy
Judgment"
"Yes, Shakespeare is ever a fertile
field, and we'll take another line from
him." said Aunt:
"'What king so strong
Can tie the gall up in the slanderous
tongue9'"
snow, Lettie, your turns
'1'll go back to Cnaucer." replied Let.
tie: The first virtue is to temper well thy
tongue And then, isn't it Cato from
whom we have: We cannot control the
evil tongues of others, but goodanfe
enables us to despise them.'"
Up went Grace's hand. swell, Grace a'
remarked Aunt. II read Burns during
the summer, and remember be says:
Then gently scan thy brother man,
Still gentler sister women
Sir R. Steele says, People are tunnels of
conversation. who take in something
merely to pass it to others.'"
'There are many proverbs" continued
Aunt, lettering to our subject, for in
stance, this Italian one, Hear, see, and
say nothing. if you wish to live in peace
And that reminds me of Terrence, who
says, He who indulges In liberty of
speech will hear things ia return which hs
will not like" =
"Oh, remember funny one fromi
Byron" said Lsttie:
"'That abominable little tattle,
The cud eschewed by human cattle.'"
an refer to George Elliot for one that
will fit in there" rejoined Grace, "snd
it's this, There's folks nowadays knows
what happened afore they were born
better nor they know their own busi-
ness"
Il have an oft-qaoted one from Scott"
remarked Constance:
"Many a word at random spoken,
May so0the or wound heart that's broken.'"
"Whicb," pursued Aunt, ''suits my
quotation from Thompson:
The W hispered tale,
That. like the fabling Nile, no fountain
knows"
"We would do we'll to consider the
gleanipgs from Socrates, "Such as thy
words are such will thy affection be
esteemed, and such will thy deeds as thy
affections, and such thy life as thy Deeds
Now I've an engagement, but you may
make notes. and we will gossip about
them tomorrow"
81 know few more," replied Grace,
sand dear Aunt, we thank you for
pleasant hour. think we'll endeavor to
stop gossipiDg."
"rm sure we WILL" joined in the 9TH
ers.
II hope SO. truly" rejoined Aunt.
"bnt wien people resolve to abandon idle
talk or Selaunder, as Spenser calls it,
roses will appear before the thorns."-
Eseyy SATURDAY.