The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-07
Criticism and Gossip.

frequently Wltn Cne View VI cao'in
abroad just what they think Of book
or poem, or picture, or person
and enterprising publications ofte1
pay them large sums Of money TO
these same opinions: but it is tn
eve yday criticisms Of everyday peo
pie that really amount to most, afte
all. for we are so constantly surround
ed by them.
Do you know that it is at this sea
son-the warm weather season-tha
the critic is abroad in the land? Hol
iday time offers such fine opportuni
ties for finding listeners who are quite
ready to agree with one as to the
shortcomings Of some other one.
There is the woman who has a great
deal Of sorrow, and she laughs because
she does not want to burden the
world with her sighs; and the critics
call her heartless and wonder how
sany woman can be so Indifferent.
Then there is the woman who sighs,
and the critics say that she is unwise
to let all the world know that she is
not happy.
There is the little matron who is
very foolish, according to critics, not
to punish her children, and keep the
merry little. healthy things sitting
quietly about. And the little mat
ron's husband. who "neglects her
shamefully and she thinks worlds Of
him"
Next in line come the girls-the
girls that Airt and have too many
beaux, and the girls that are so de-
mure, and haven't beaux enough.
ALI these people, you know, are to
be met with in the days of summer
time outing, and the critics that we
can never escape are among them.
And here let me record what I have
learned is true-critics are not always
women. Aren't men more generous
than women? Well, maybe in some
things, but not mall. Men have very
fixed ideas about many things. They
are great holders on to traditions.
But if you are woman whose eye
this chances to catch, pray that you
may be even generous before you are
just. This is heresy, I know, but
though it may be often in the line of
one s just deserts to be condemned, a
little generous inclination to fail to
condemn often does more good in the
world than it does harm. There is a
lot of truth in the old saw that 'it is
easier to criticise than it is to be cor
rect
Gossip is set down as one of wo-
man Unborn traits, thing SO much
q part of her nature that she and it
can never be separated. But ever
granting this, there is cure for gos-
sip, and its occupation. The busy
woman has so little time to take note
Of the affairs Of the people. And the
busy woman has learned how much
more profitable time can be spent
than by sitting idly ABOUT speculating
as to how her neighbor across the way
can afford such regal bonnets and silk
petticoats, when she cannot, and yet
she knows that her own income is
larger than the neighbor's.
Perhaps the neighbor across the way
has a rich relative, who sends her
these adorable things, or she possesses
that rare knack of making money 60 a
very long way. These latter things
the idle woman with plenty of time to
gossip does not take into considera-
tion. The busy woman does. And
there's the difference.
Do you know, I do not believe that
men are more generous toward one
another, and the world in general,
than women are, but that they are
Just buster. If men for generations
had been the idle and aimless crea-
lures that women have been, [ believe
that they, too, would have fallen into
the way Of interesting themselves in
personal affairs that are long way
outside the confines of the individual
home circle. Therefore, am an ad-
vocate Of abolishing the old belief
that woman is endowed by nature with
a love for gossiping. And just as
you have a good family remedy for
toothache or burns, have handy this
cure for gossip-work. Particularly
if there are girls in the family apply
it early and often. For long years
boys have been taught to regard idle
ness as unmanly, and the woman OF
the period is beginning to regard idle