Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-05-08
the. Evils OF eosslPIRs.


Miss Mag Mobiles, society editor of the
New Orleans Daily Ststes, gives the fol-
lowing Sensible lines on the evils of Cos
siping. OF course this doesn't reach any
body in Tensas Parish--our people never
do any gossiping Wegive it simply as
space-filler.-
There is a quality of mind and spirit
in every man and woman, however hon
ored or degraded, however sanity or
devilish, but there is one unusual instinct
in human nature, the love of peeping
into other peoples windows and hearts.
Charles Kingsley wrote 81 draw men as
find them," and so truth colors truth.
Everybody, even jurists, priests and
ministers, do not despise little chat
sweetened with scandal. If scented with
woman's laces and ruffles, it has special
flavor Some sanctified men have sub
missive marty-like way of listening to
scandal talk, but their pepper vinegar
radiates in their eyes, their open lips,
their bent heads with ears on parallel
with the voice of the speaker Their stir
of blood at peeping into other peoples
windows and hearts is like the prohibit
ton gobble of whiskey,-out of the bot
tie, behind the door, exhilirating, but
not intoxicating.
Women have been crowned as cham
pion gossipers since the time of Adam
and Eve. Eve told everything she knew
to Adam, and even told about her little
confidential chat with the devil behind
the garden wall. Eve was no doubt a
great chatterbox and very foolish wo-
man to betray the DEVILS secrets, but it
awaited man to be the first betrayer of
woman's faith and renegade of honor.
Ewes penalty was to stay at home and
talk about home affairs. Adams penal
ty was to wander and talk about every
bodies affairs. Adams sons have been
wandering and talking ever since. His
clubmen sons intoxicate their own senses
with their witticisms, epigrams and sat
Tres of wreckless gossip. Club rooms are
markets beyond all competition for
tongue whipping traffic.
The wantonness of woman's gossip has
no subterfuge or screen of charity. 1t is
a dainty exilir, rally of new thoughts.
Society women gossip from morning un-
| til night. The hairdresser registers tit
bits of gossip with every stroke of the
brush and hair pin puff. The hairdress-
er knows the requisites of her trade.
She has learned under the inductive
teaching of her ladies. Their questions,
suggest and teach the art ef gossiping.
The hair dresser go:sips about her pat
rons' bedroom affairs, family quarreIs
and fake hair switches and puffs, and
even repeats the echoes of words whis-
pered in jealousy of anger.
Manicurists talk of luncheon's gossip.
They talk of paints and powder and love
letters, while they cut and polish my
lady's nails. They really have no incli-
tnation to gossip, but they just have to
fentertain the ladies and keep trade on
paying basis. Thus the play of gossip
goes on until it reaches bridge whist
parlors or neighborly evening chats. To
want to know what our neighbors or
friends are doing Is natural, it is sort of
paternal or fraternai like, even when the
knowledge tells CT strife, struggle and
debts. When we go to the gutter for our
news it defles and degrades, That's
gossip,
Hundreds of women revel in the ma
licious talk and vile interpretations of
servants, who gossip about the families
they have worked for. The slightest in
cident of discord, confusion or impru-
dence is perverted and exaggerated be-
yond all semblance of truth. This is pc
culiarly true of colored servants. De-
Egraded in their own characters and
thoughts, their every effort of untruth is
to drag white folks to their level Every
housekeeper who listens knows the key
note of their stories.
Many story of shame, many name
hasbeen thrown into the shadow of dis
honor over the stewpot of negro cook.
Some housekeepers have constitutional
wsy of listening to their cooks talk,
while dishingf out the days provisions.
Not to silence her they often sit down
and with owl looks incite her gossip talk !.
with Is that SOP" 81 can't believe it,
These housekeepers do enjoy their negro
cooks talk and do not hesitate to repeat
it, often starting witches brew that
poisons public opinion against an inno-
cent victim.
All gossipers, all evil takers, chapter
their stories. Some chapters tell one
story and some another. 1t all depends
upon who is listening. No one is exempt,
no one is sacred from the conscious or
unconscious Icing of gossiper.
Some men and women defy public
opinions and morals. To speak the truth
OF such, is not gossip. 1t is a vindication
OF the moral sense of community. To
tell of the little foibles and instincts of
men and women, smiles a new zest of
lie. No one could call these laughing
words-gossip. Gossip is bitter. poison
Gus fungus that brushes hope and strength |