Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-15
FAULTS

1i@1S az oOiiO RIOpiO III SNSlt
! community and almost every church
who think their chef duty is to be a
watchdog. They keep the closest
watch on everybody, and whenever
they see fault in some one they will
growl. You hear those watchdogs
making remarks like this: 81 wonder
if that man is not dishonest? Did
you hear the latest report about that
church member? Did you hear the
story about Mrs. So-and-So?'' Such
persons will look at other peoples
faults with the finest microscope and
at their own imperfections with Lick
Telescope turned up SIDE down.
They will strain at gnats of their
neighbors imperfections and swallow
huge camels of their own faults.
They will spend all of their time
hunting for bull-snakes in peoples
nature instead of rocky mountain
eagles; for skunks instead of turtle
doves. Ever since woman got the
human race into trouble in the Garden
Of Eden, it does not take a very good
hunter to find the bad instead of the
good in the best christian character.
God sets his disapFroval on those
busybodies by the yisage OF their faces.
You can tell a person that sees the
/ best side of human nature by their
looks. Although such persons may
BOT have symmetrical features in the
face, yet you can tell by the twinkle
! Of the eye, the curve of the nostril,
aud the turn of the upper and lower
lip, the signature of Divine approval.
But those people, who go around
peoples nature, can be told at first
glance. Although the features of
their face may be regular; yet there
| is a sneer in imitation of their nostrils,
a bad look in the eye, a mean curva-
ture to the lip. Under the eyebrows
you will see encamped the devil of
sarcasm, jealousies and hypercriticism.
When they smile, it is a sour smile,
when they grin, it is a sour grin. Put
.hese two principles down as having
no exceptions. viz the people who see
I the most faults in other people are
/ themselves the most full of faults.
The more you see the faults in
/ yourself the more lenient you are with
tcshers
~ you invite person 70 Great
Bend ana you desire to make most
pleasing impression upon him what
would YOU dc? Do you meet him at
the depot IN an old rickety buggy and
with a jackass in the Shafts and then
take your guest out to an old frog
pond, thick sCummed, full of toads and
bull snakes, and then down in a
filthy cellar, where the air is laden
with rotten garbage and where 1t is
alive with vermin. After you have
visited these places, then you say let
US go and look at all the scrawny
| horses and cows and chickens and then
regale ourselves with all the nuisances
in town. Do you think your guest
would feel very hilarious? Is this the
way you would treat your guest?
All no. you would meet him at the
depot with the most polished carriage
and the best high stepping steeds.
You would take him to the pond
where the spotted trout played under
the white pillar of~pond lilies, to
the stalls where are the fine Durham
cattle. the Gordon settlers, and the
swiftest footed trotter. out to the park
where are the coverlet Of green grass
and the Shade of the elms. and then
to your parlor where the canary birds
in the bay window were keeping
music with the robins in yonder tree
top. When your guest would leave,
he would say, Il never enjoyed my
self better in my life"
In speaking of the character of
Your minister, of your church mem
Der, of youy ueighbors, speak of the
bloom, the music, and the bright
sprinkling fountains of their character
instead of the green scumned frog
pond and filthy cellars of their nature.
Why not learn to extol their virtues
and cover up their faults? II every
one in Great Bend would practice
this principle in every evil report they
would hear, viz Take out your note
book and pencil, take off % per cent
| from the story of the mans character
for the exaggeration of those who
first told II. 25 per cent more from
the additions to the story by being IN
the mouths of gossipers, and take OFT
/ 25 per cent more from the fact that
the man may have been placed in
Temptations he could not overcome.
This makes per cent from the
story and 1 will take off 25 per cent
l L I. !. Il