Evening journal., 1897-12-30
a WAY OF rAE woRLp.
People Are Prone 10 speak Detract-
lngIy of One Another.

inRIy of One Another.
1t seems to be the hardest thing In
life for people to speak unqualified
good of one another. This is especially
true if the speaker has a reputation to
maintain for wit or acumen. It looks,
he says, so idiotically amcable to sub
scribe without q protest to all the
"gush'' which is uttered regarding
ones acquaintances.
what a lovely womanl"
YES; good looking, well gowned, a
fair talker and almost tiresomely
amlable. 1t is said that she will never
hurt her servants feelings by scolding
them, and that is probably the reason
why her house is really one Of the most
untidy In town."
Why add this little titblt OF scandal?
Could not the speaker be trusted to
find out the unsavory fact, If fact 1t
were, for himself?
"Mr. and Mrs. c. are handsome
couple"
Eyes; almost too handsome, for II
makes them outrageously jealous Of
each other. With all their admirable
traits ] am told that they quarrel In
cessantly."
''The Lofty-minded club is a rare col
lection of women"
"Yes, speaking broadly; but there
are three or four members who kill II
for me-"
Why not wait until you are asked for
advice concerning the cfhb before you
cast slur upon IL? II woman really
asked counsel OF you with regard To
joining the club, you would be justified
in giving what you believed to be the
facts regarding It; otherwise you are
not.
II think that you know Mrs. L. In
timately."
"Oh, yes; we have known each Other
for years. But, though we are on good
terms, do not approve Of her in al
respects"
That qualifying clause quite blot
ted out whatever effect might have
been produced by the rest of your re
mark. The woman was not social,
prominent. You were afraid that yol
might be confounded with her especia
| y ,
feel to be higher. You did cowardl.
thing.
Yet you may say such things as these
and pride yourself upon your freedor
from vulgar bacl1biting. You say tina
you always credit people with thei
good qualities; you simply do not thin
IL just to ascribe perfections TO theI
without making it understood that yo
do not indorse them in all respects
which might as well be Jumped In
with backbiting, for all the ditferenc
there Is between them.
The detractor-the especial especl'
of backbiter under discussion--is fir
cousin to the talebearer. Yet many
woman who would scorn TO repeat
damaging story will not hesitate TO d
clare an unfavorahle opinion, II it
!, tackled onto a word of approval, IN
will even hail such an opportunity f
VinAicsting her discrimination. o.
eminent woman recently eyaded SUI
an opportunity with grace.
Z ''What do you think OF Mrs. D.
u was asked her.
Mrs. D. was another famous wol
4 an, and was noted fop her cool tres
4 ment of her contemporaries. The gu,
n toner, who had long admired Nj
D. from afar, had recently been I
a tonished by Mrs. D--'s peculiar ma
4 ner upon closer inspection.
h The lady under tribute hesitate
v colored slightly, and replied: Il do n
q know her very well. We have lived 81
by side for years, as you know, but s
l. seems to be so absorbed with her on
Z. affairs, which am told are very p
"a picking and difficult, that have h
a very little chance to become really
quainted with her."
h Another lady, well known among
rt best circles of a large city, never,
is though she, like all Of us, has suffer
at the hands of the naughty, allo
So herself to be betrayed into the slight
d detraction. She has always an ansv
ready for every conner. 1t contains
ut drop of bitterness. Her conduct
OF furnished a model for hundreds "
long to be, if not Christians, at le
ladies.-Kate Upson Clark, in Woma
Home Companion.
lC
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