Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-11-21
Liars, Expert and Otherwise.

lnere are many KINGS OF lies uIaCh
lies, white lies, polite lies, social lies,
religious lies, and lies that are told
Just for the sake of lying; and there
are as many kinds of liars as there are
kinds of lies. All ranks of society
and all business and professions have
theirs liars, expert and otherwise
The farmer lies about the quality and
quantity Of his crops, the merchant
lies about the value of his goods, the
lawyer lies about the cause Of his
client, the broker lies about the con-
dition, of the financial markets, the
editor lies about the circulation of his
paper or magazine, mothers and faith
ers lie to their children, doctors lie to
their patients, gentlemen lie TO their
servants, servants lie to their masters
ladies lie to their maids, maids lie to
their mistresses and yet all these liars
wonder why the other liars lie to them.
Tell Mr.. Brown that | am out, a
lawyer that is in says to his office boy.
The office boy tells Mr.. Brown the lie;
and, perhaps, the next day he tells the
lawyer he-and is promptly dis
charged.
"Tell tie customer that there is not
thread of cotton in these imitation
all-wool goods" the merchant says to
his clerk. The clerk lies to the GUS
toner, to oblige the merchant, sees
that it Is, apparently, good thing
and soon begins to lie to obligs him
self. The merchant is terribly shocked,
and makes haste to get rid Of the pre-
varicating young man.
81 will be back in half an hour, and
then l will take you out driving, a
father says to his little son, as he goes
out of the yard. He Is going on a
long drive, and does not want the boy
with him. The boy discovers that his
father has lied to him and, possibly
the next day, he shows how quick he
is to learn by lying to his father-and
gets thrashing for his smartness.
Tell Jones that l am out Of the
city, and shall not be back fora week,
the business man, safe behind the
opaque glass of his Office doors, says
to his clerk to get rid of an unwelcome
caller and FIVE minutes later he is
astounded at the total deprayity of a
fellow business man whose barefaced
lying has caused him the loss Of sew
eral hundreds of dollars.
"If Mr.. Black calls, | am not in, "
Miss Millionaire smilingly informs her
maid. Mr.. Black does call, and Is
told the lie. The maid has learned
her lesson, and soon lies on her own
account. Miss Millionaire catches
her at it, and is properly horrifed at
the depravity of maids in general, and
of her own in particular, and promptly
discharges "the wicked girl"
Thus the list of lies and liars might
be extended, ad infnitum. Lying is
an inherited habit which is fast be-
coming one Of the normal traits Of hu-
man nature. Adam lied to God. The
psalmiet, David, exclaimed 81 said,
in my haste, that all men are liars.
Today, we can but echo the words of
Shakespeare: Lord, Lord, how this
world is given to lying
But, after all, what does all this ly-
ing amount to? Mr.. Brown was quite
certain that the Office boy was lying
when he said the lawyer was out; the
customer seldom believes the merchant
or clerk when describing the quality
of his goods; the children soon learn
that their parents will lie to them
Jones was not deceived by the bust
ness mans "out of town." the social
and polite lies are nearly always taken
at their real value; in short, these
lies seldom accomplish the purpose for
which they were intended. They only
add a needless uncertainty to business
and social life, and do more harm than
the truth, told with tact and courage,
could possible do. All wise liars
know this; yet the sinful old world
will go right on lying just the same;
and all the liars who read this article
will smile their approval, but not one
will stop his lying, because he has not
the courage to discontinue what all
the rest of the world is doing.
Lord, Lord, how this world is given
to lying"