The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-25
THE PLUCKINC OF THE FOWL

Editor Tho Washington Herald:
There is a weIl-kn0wn story. which %
many has become "a mere fable, though
Justly attributed by the more scholarly
TO noted saint Of France who lived
more than a century ago. Upon one &C
casi0n, IL Is said. "a penitert zone seeking
consolation through the confessiOnaD ac-
knowledged 20 the crime Of scandal
mongering. WhereupOn, the venerable
prelate imposed the following penance.
That she should purchase at "a nearby
market fowl. from which she should
pluck an its feathers. scattering them
as she went on her way Bidding her
return 10 him al the ending of that
task. that he might conclude the pen
ance, this being but "a portion of the
whole he dismissed her. Returning 10
the holy man, the woman told him she
had complied with his command, having
/ scattered the feathers broadcast on the
road.
Thee said he my child. go by the
path you came and gather all the feath-
ers you have so diligently scattered"
The woman In excitement Of distress
replied that ii would be impossible TO
do such a thing, for by this time they
were scattered far and wide Scattered
by The winds and by the passengers Of
the ways.
The priest then reminded her Of the
ISLANDERS she had circulated. which. like
the feathers piucked from the fowl
could never be recalled-uever while life
lass 20 De regathered md replaced,
Would not this form a subject for some
modern genius OF art that the picture
mot cartoonl might be- displayed for
public instruction.
Some excuse the crime OF scandal
mongering under the plea Of tlfoughtiess-
ness, which in many cases may indeed be
truth, for brains are necessary 10 thought
/ Thoughtiessuess. however. may not cx-
cuse malicious words aroused by jeal-
ousy and the desire of revenge. When
/ this revenge is fully developed il becomes
"a huge. widely distributed joke of cNag-
gerated proportions and vulgar excess.
then the revenge is complete and salts
! factory 20 the disseminators thereof. But
are these persons brave, or are they
towards? Time VIII give the answers.
As the wife-beater is said 20 appre-
ciate his own cruelty best when receiving
his dues at the whipping post, so the de-
tractor is induced 10 realize the fun
meaning Of the. suffering caused when
the poisoned shaft is turned in his or
her direction. The law of retaliation
seems hard and cruel. yet Il only means
adjustment It is thus shown whether
/ those vino administer such vigorous
/ tongue-lashings 10 others can. them
selves. stand under the same lash from
I their judges
a few days ago an account came from
Northern newspaper OF a sensitive
young woman driven out Of refined So
ciety because of an American joke. Are
these the pepie so noted for prodigal
hospitality to foreigners. that they
should SO insult their own peopIe2
The Malta, the Black Hand. seek re-
venge. Dynamite and vitriol are used
( by some as expressive of sentiment. vet
the scandal-mUngers Of this country are
not Of low type or illterate They
are educated. but they seek revenge.
How pitiful
Homes, families, men, women. and
children are destroyed. Men and women
are degraded; driven to death: children
are rendered homeless by the curse OF
the scandal-mOngers. who have greater
power in the United States than else
where on the globe. They have some
thing upon which TO ponder: they are
capable Of crushing out of existence
human life. If they have not charity
and know not where TO seek it never
having heard Of St Paul., let them AT
least fear to suffer what they have forced
upon others
II they would seek the result of their
work they must go 20 the sanatoriums
and, yet beyond, into the lunatic asylums.
and, father still, into the graves of
earth and water,
ESMERALDA BOYLE.
Washington, December a.