The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-18

The words of a talbearer are as wounds.
Proverbs XVI : p


Proverbs XVI p
None of the maxims and observa-
tions given voice to by Solomon hit a
disturbing nail in the structure of hui
mainly squarer on the head than the
one to be found in the words quoted
above. If there is one really canker-
Gus growth in all levels of society 1t
is the telling of tales by one person
about another. Although the intelli-
gence of all civilized people is much
greater today than it ever was before
and is increasing with each succeeding
generation. the bearing of tales by
folk about their neighbors, their &C
ouaintances, their friends and even
their relatives. seems as general as 1T
ever was, and is as much in need OF
reproof as it apparently was in the
days of Solomon.
If appears to be an almost inherent
frailtv for an individual to repeat the
stories about others that he may nap
pen to hear. Sometimes it is done
with malicious intent. More often,
perhaps it is the result of thoughtless-
ness But whatever the reason, 1t IS
a practice that is to be vigorously
condemned, and in no uncertain terms
The harm that is done by most of it
The wounds that are made by it are
often of the unbeatable kind. They
become as running sores. growing
more intense all the time, making life
welI-nigh unbearable. And occasion
ally such tales encompass the actual
ruin of those who have been so IN
fortunate as to become their victims
There is no excuse for the kind of
tale-bearing that Injuries. 1t may
furnish food for conversation and
gossip, but it accomplishes nothing
save harm, This would not be the
case to such an extent if the tales that
are told and retold were truthful as
to their details. Truth may hurt
when it is unpleasant but it does not
kill The great trouble with the gen
era1 run of tale-telling is that in the
end it becomes a tissue of false
hoods And it surely is the experience
Of every one that the theory about lies
being without harm is a rather falla-
cious one A story is started about
some one often with no more ground
for its existence than the misconstruc-
ton of an act or the misinterpretation
of a word It does not amount to very
much in the first telling. Each person
who repeats it. though, has the habit
unintentionaI. in most instances, of
adding on something here and some
thing else there to make it a better
story" a more interesting, or a more
forceful one. Finally the original tale
is magnified to such proportions and
twisted about into such shapes that the
prison who started it on its way would
not be able to recognize it as some
thing of his own creation.
Characters and regulations, the most
priceless possessions of all men and
women, are being blighted continually
by just such tales. Troubles of all sorts
are caused by them even within the
sacred precin is of family circle.
often they break up a home AS a
matter of fact. the damage that they
do is incalculable. Nearly everybody
knows that this is so, or would realize
it if he stopped to think about it, if
he would remember the wrongs that
have been done him in just such
fashion provided he is not fair enough
to recognize the wrongs he has done
others in the self-same way. And yet
this iniquitous practice is general with
most people.
If each man and woman wants to do
his or her part, however. to make the
world better place in which to live,
they will stop it, Eliminate the tell
ing of tales one about the other, even
the true as we'll as the false, and life
would be relieved of many of its stings.