The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-06-25

disgust which appeared on tie coup-
tenances Of several ladies occupying
seats in street car, when man made
use of profane language in their hear
ing, emphasized the fact that !. is
now very rare for men Of any station
in life to swear in the presence of re-
spectacle women. If the stories of
past generations are to be depended
upon it was formerly regarded as
rather gentlemanly accomplishment
to interlard ones conversation with
highsounding expletives, and some
even thought it sign Of wit to invent
new forms of profanity which they
preserved for their own private use
with as much care as though they had
been copyrighted. 1t is to be sup
posed that the clergymen Of those
deys preached upon the Third Com
mandment as they still do occasion
ally-and condemned such breaches Of
it as were all too common even in their
presence; but we fancy the reform
that has gradually taken place was
largely due to the example Of many
Christian gentlemen, who disapproved
of the practice, and did what lay in
their power both by example and
frank reproof to show what stupid
and vulgar custom it is. While the
gentleman Of the old school," such
model for our admiration and imita-
ton in other respects, did not hesi
tate to express his feelings in profane
language in the bosom Of his family
when things did not go to his liking,
the gentleman Of the present day has
80 far improved upon him in one re-
apect that he will not swear even in
the presence Of his wife, no matter
hew much he ia given to the practice
when in the company Of men. And
it shows how good influences as we'll
as bad ones can extend through all
ranks OF society, that it is rare
thing now for woman to hear pro-
family on the streets, or in public con-
veyeaces, the most ignorant laborer
and the ve-iest loafer alike restrain
ing his tongue in her hearing. This
fact alone is sufficient to account for
the fearlessr ess with which women go
about their occupations in places that
were once thought unsuitable for wo-
men to enter. They have perfect
confidence that oar men Of every rank
and condition will respect and treat
them with Difference so long as they
respect themselves and act with mod
esty and dignity.
OF all foolish and useless practices
quite aside from religious view Of
tin which men indulge profanity is
perhaps the worst. The habit is
probably contracted by most of them
In early youth when they imagine it
makes them sound grown up and man
y 70 swear cn I'll occasions; and then,
the habit being formed, there never
comes time when they realize the
stupidity of il. If mans word is
not sufficient to convince any one that
he is sleaking the truth he certainly
adds nothing to its credibility by
calling down all sorts Of condemnation
on himself if it is not true; or by TAX
ing in vain sacred names that should
never be spoken by poor. weak human
beings except with reverence and awe.
He who does not respect himself
enough to speak the truth on every
occasion would not hesitate to confirm
an untruth with an oath, or by cur
sing and swearing like the cowardly
disciple who denied his Lord. And
the man whose simple yea or nay is
not as good as his bond or his oath is
but poor sample Of humanity. Again
there are men whose sense Of humor
is SO deficient that they cannot see
anything amusing III an anecdote
which is not intcrlarded with pro-
fanity-just as an audience in the
theatre will shrek with laughter over
the utterance of an oath upon the
stage, that they habi.uaiIy hear in
daily life without fading it in the
least funny. i.vcu sons Of those V no
are not accustomed to swear seem to
find sort of pleasure in repeating the
profanity of others. as though its be-
ing merely a quotation freed them
from the responsibility of using such
language.
There is one aspect Of the habit of
swearing that is worthy the considera-
tion of those who are deaf to other
arguments against it, aud that is, it is
certain to weaken their influence with
every one whose respect they would
command or from whom they would
E..I