Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-10-02
/ WOULDN'T SAY A WORD TO IN
JURE ANYONE, BUT

Libiting charitable nature by re-
straining the utterance Of words calcu-
lated to cause another injury or pain,
even when the restraint is accom-
panied by an inunendo worse in effect
than the outspoken words of calumny.
A shrug of the shoulders, wink, an
ambiguous gesture, may be more po
tent for harm than spoken words. To
insinuate that the speaker could, if he
would, unfold story which would
prove the person spoken of unworthy,
is more insidious but none the less
reprehensible proceeding than to
blacken his character by imparting
the damnatory knowledge one claims
to possess.
And the admission that it is unfor
givable to assail another behind his
back, without giving him the oppor-
tunity of defense, an admission i'm
piled by the PREDATORY words: IL
wouldn't say word to injure anyone"
stamps the inuendo with greater in
fanny.
To speak evil Of none, to be gentle
in judgment and careful in the avoid
ance of backbiting, to give ones fell
lows the benefit of the doubt and to
assal neither by word or action the
character of another, these are good
rules for everyday observance. Times
come when it is necessary, when duty
compels, to tell the truth Of an &C
quaintance that others may be warned
of the danger of association with him,
and then it is cowardly to shrink from
doing it. But until that necessity
arises, the man or woman who refralns
from slanderous utterance and is
known to be CONSTANT in avoidance
of inuendo, deserves and receives kind
ly consideration of all other men and
women. 1t evidences the possession of
qualities which demand respect and
proves the Individual to be free from
the browning sins of envy and malice.
The vice of SANDER is growth of
idleness. The well-occupied mind has
no occasion for it, but the people who
read nothing, have no system of men
tai improvement, find themselves driv-
en- to it by the exigencies of converse
ton. When there is nothing else to
be said it is SO easy to turn the current
in the direction of belittling others
and it is natural that mutual acquaint-
ances shall form a subject for talk be-
tween friends. Then the danger of
overstepping the bonds of charity and
of filling in" with that most detestable
"gossip" is so pronounced.
There is room for discussion as to
how far it is necessary to listen to
slanderous utterances and retain po-
likeness. 1t is task requiring cour-
age to stop another's utterances with
the statement that one does not care
to hear words that reflect upon the
character of an acquaintance, and yet
to do it is perfectly allowable. No one
has right to poison the mind OF
friend against another who may be-
come friend if the process be dis
tasteful to the recipient of the SANDER
Gus statements. No lady would lose
her right to be considered lady ifshe
gently told mischievous gossip that
her malicious conversation is unwel-
come and the lesson would perhaps be
productive of great good For SANDER
is habit which becomes fastened up
on the individual insiduously. To
paraphrase the poet
ISLANDER is monster of such fearful mien
That to be hated needs but to be seen,
But seen too oft, familiar with it's face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.
More lives have been wrecked, more
sincerely penitent souls have been de-
MED the opportunity of heaven-born
penitence and reformation, because
idle gossip has delighted in keeping
constantly alive the knowledge of their
previous lapses from grace. Thousands
of men and women have been driven
to wrong doing because malicious
SIdAucIcIS Lave given UH0H U1O IOPu-
tation of being what they ought not to
be. eff have the reputation of being
FAST" too many young woman has
said, Il may as well deserve it," And
the gossips who restrained the words
Of evil but by unuttered inunendo con-
veyed meaning a thousand times
blacker than words would express, in
stead of realizing that the blame is
theirs, having by their SANDER driven
others to evil courses, find their justi-
fication in those damnable words, II
told you So
Speak evil of no man. is golden
rule never more needed nor more
worthy of faithful adherence
Senator A. M Jones has been renom-
mated in the 33rd district.