The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-10-06
ISSIPPI. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1899.
Opposed to this "bright particular

ecompense OF affectionate plain-deal-
ng, memory recalls so many 'misera- =
lie mistakes" proving the truth OF the =
em,-axiom, with which this talk be- j.,
,ins, that grow sick and cy nical. :,
Half century ago aglrl asked me ;
( l thought she spoke to fast. l did, !
md answered in the affirmative. Last .
year we met after twenty years sepa- =
ration, and she reminded me that l !,
twas everlastingly twitting her rapid ,
when We were girls to- ,
gether.
"What way you had OF taking peo.
ple down in those days." she added.
~ have never forgotten your telling
me talked too fast"
l said sincerely: IL would not do 1t
now.'
bethought. myself inly that length
Of days brings wisdom in the matter
of fault-nnding and setting the world
right. A foolish (good) woman once
enlarged to me upon the necessity OF
of self-knowledge, il one would grow
in christian graces. And since this
was to be gained most surely by see
ing ourselves with our friends eye
glasses, she had entered into com.
pact with another woman, as foolish
land as good) as herself, to tell her ex-
actly what she No. p heard of her,
(No. and truthfuly what No. y
thought OF No. l. In return No. !
was deal as frankly with her part
ner in the agreement.
| 1T will not be pleasant sometimes,
perhaps, but it will be wholesome" J"
she concluded. "'Let the righteous
smite me, it shall be kindness; and
let him reprove me; it shall be an ex'
cellent oil. Faithful are the wounds
! of a friend"
Each of the righteous friends smote
, so faithfully, and the oil was such an
excellent antiseptic in preventing the
growth OF proud flesh that, at the enc
q of six weeks neither OF the christian
' sisters was on speaking terms witt
y ore out OF ten Of her neighbors ant
acuuaintances. and each was the bit
v ter enemy OF the other.i
!. In pondering the proverb when Il
o our MOTIF, my eye is caught by mar
h cinal reading of the antithetical sec
!. ond clause:
"But the kisses Of an enemy ar
+ earnest-or frequent
o The implication that the falthfu
p wounds aforesaid should be judicl0us
q ly infreQuent is obvious to my unlearn
ed mind. Wise was the author OF tn
J. Oriental apothegm, and wise the roya
r compiler, and marvellous is the same
- ness OF human nature throughout TN
n ages. The shrewd Apostle to the Gen
70 tiles reminds his disciples plthlly
n "All things are lawful unto me- ou
70 all things are not expedient. Whlc'
~ warning we do well to lay to our pei
,u p,exed souls, divided between the &c
20 sire to serve our friends, and yet t
-, he beloved by them. AS a tOuchst0n
that may help to divide the dross q
our motives from the pure ore, let mt
"a. albeit neither sage nor apostle, one
y. this common-sensible rule:
IN When tempted to admonish frien
IA. as to a fault, foible, or Tannerlsn
.t ask Yourself candidly il your wish
IN rid him OF it be inspired by the beli'
that bis character or deportmeI
A., would be bcttered by the removal
". the offending member-or by the a
% noyance it causes you rersonall
S ,S Life and individual human condu
"' are full OF deceits, and upon none a
=" q, these practiced more earnestly al
M "o frequently than upon ourselves. II
"s w wounds inflicted upon friend by frie'
' are seldom dealt in cold blood, ana
=" sweet nature. This or that peculia
VI ty clashes against our taste, or Sc
w love, Of conflicts with our preJudl'
" " Ergo, it is a fault and should '
-, amended.
'"' The experiment Of opening the ey
" OF fellow being to his own imp
fections-as they appear to ours
r. always hazardous. She flask OF exc
u lent oil may prove to he a dynam
Inc cartridge in disguise. The victim
rly the explosion will find the conscl'
uld ness that he meant we'll an indill
ent salve for his wounds.
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