The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-03-01

much more irritating than vices. Aud
there are some so-called vices! that are
far more forgiyable than certain yir-
tues.
lam thinking especially Of curiosity.
Curiosity, ! believe, Is usually placed
n the ranks OF the vices. Perhaps ]
should be bit milder and say that 1t
is considered falling. Now. to nay
| mind, curiosity has at least one foot
on the right side OF the dividing line
possibly both.
1t seems to me that curiosity is as
| necessary to the healthy Mind as'hun-
ger is to the body. One must be hun
CRY in order to eat in order to grow
physically. One must Be curious in
order to seek information in order to
grow mentally Curiosity, the thirst
Tor information and understanding, Is
behind all knowledge and all wisdom.
Suppose Newton had not been curious
to know why the apple fell. Suppose
ne had simply accepted the fact IN.
lcurlously and eaten the ample. as post
of us would have done. Then we
should have had 10 wait for our laws
of gravity until someone who knew
enough to be curious about simple
Things appeared. Fortunately, New.
toms mind hunger was keener than
ibis body hunger.
A curious child is a child with \
healthy mind. A child that never asks
aWhy?r will never amount to anything
in the world. OF course, it is some
times tiresome to try to give intelli-
gent and helpful ansYers to constant
questions. But imagtle the mother
VINO would rebel because her child
had healthy appetite and she had
10 spend SO much time preparing food
for him: And yet, answering a chiid's
"Whys" is feeding is minds appetite.
The curiosity which interests itself
in our peishbors' concerns and Dor
ders on inQuisitiveness is the variety
| most in disrepute. viii | be thought
impossible il confess that have a
kindly feeling even for that kind OF
curiosity? For myself. ! like to listen
to good neighborhood gossip II her
chat is friendly and not malicious. |
like 10 know what my friends are say
| ing and doing | like to know where
Mrs. NJ, the traveller Of the neighbor'
hood, is going to spend The winter;
which among her numerous train my
pretty little neighbQr across the way,
likes best; and just home much money
the neighborhood miscr left when he
finally had TO relax his greedy grasp.
Yes. the cat is out OF the bag now.
| insist upon calling curiosity q virtue
Ibecausc myself am one Of the curl
| Gus. Well, / am not assumed Of the
fact or the motive. Who will defend
us II we don't defend ourselves? am
curious, abominably so. can never
look down on city and see the land
scape coming oft in points of light
without thinking OF the little group OF
hearts and interests clustered about
each light. The bundles people carry
tagclnate me. | can never see q mes
senger boy carrying nice long box
that shouts ont roses" 10 all who
have ears to hear without thinking
about the someone who is going to
gladdened by that gift. can never
see two young loyers-or old ones
either, for that matter-without being
interested in their romance and specu'
lating on what they think OF each
other and how they say it.
Yes, I'm curious and I'm not asham'
ed of it. have innumerable faults,
but refuse to call that one Of them.
ECuriosRy is one OF my virtues.