The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-02-20
CHARACTER WRECKERS MEET.
Gossipers Fulfill Mission of Damaging
Their NeighbOrS.

Wreckers of Emporia, No. 999, af-
filiated with the National Society,
was held the other night, with the
president in the chair. Every mem
ber was present as is usual in this
enthusiastic body, and every mem
ber furnished an interesting part of
the programme, says the Emporla
(Kan.) Gazette.
This is a pleasant body-the most
representative, perhaps, of any or
ganization in town. Members of
every woman's club and every mans
club belong to it. Did you think it
was club for women only? No,
indeed; some of it's most active work
ers are men.
There are representatives of the
State normal, of the College of En-
poria, of the high school and the
city schools, of the dozens of En-
poria business houses, and each of
the churches and women's societies,
the brotherhoods, the Sunday
schools, the Endeavor societies, the
young woman's organizations. All
the railroad orders have members in
this great body, many farmers and
their wives, and the stockmen and
their families are valued owners. The
newspapers are represented, too, and
the members from these Offices are
expected to furnish plenty of adver-
tising for the order.
At the meeting one of the import
ant matters discussed was how to
keep going, the ugly talk that has al
most died out about a girl who was
indiscreet and who wasn't wise
enough to keep her own counsel. She
soon saw the error of her ways, and
has Strengthened up and probably
would provide no further work for
this society did it not keep the talk
going. But depend upon the mem
bers for that! And if this girl ever
is able to hold up her head again, it
won't be their fault.
Then the society took up the case
of a young couple and their first
baby. The parents were altogether
inexperienced, and as the young man
draws but a small salary; they can't
afford to keep help and they do the
best they can under the circum-
stances. This is the society consid-
cred a mighty poor "do" and set to
work to start talk" about the way
the poor little mother neglects her
child.
"Why, that baby-I know, because
l live next door-isn't bathed more
than once a week, and she doesn't
feed it regularly. 1t squalls every
night for two hours or more, and [
know the only thing on earth the
matter with it is that it is hungry.
And actually the speaker
lowered her voice and spoke in hor-
rifed accents actually, that man
spanked the baby the other night.
And it is not more than six months
old. There ought to be law.
Il try to do all can for the moth
er. but she's one of the smart kind
that you can't tell anything. When
I was trying to give her some advice
about taking care of her baby, she
said she didn't see what could know
about bringing up babies, seeing that
I'd never had any of my own. l told
her I'd a whole lot rather have none
than to bring 'em into the world to
neglect 'em, and people had no busi-
ness with babies who couldn't afford
to hire help to take care of 'em, so
that the whole neighborhood would
not be disturbed by the young ones
yelling. My remarks went home, l
Cdu tSll yOu, lOl lClI AOA VI ) ihS' eHo
told her that, in spite of her mean
talk 1 would come in again and ad-
wise her about the baby. She ought
to cry-and when l talked to her for
her own good, to be impudent to
me-"
A man came next on the pro-
gramme, and he gave quick report
ofwhat he said was an impending fall
ure of a Commercial street business
man. Il talked to him the other
night" said this faithful worker
''and invited his confidence, but ne
as good as told me to attend to my
own business. l know what people
are saying about him, and | sat down
and told him, in spite of his rebuff,
that he hadn't the confidence OF a
man on the street, that he couldn' t
borrow a dollar, and that if he didn't
brace up he would go to the wall
right soon."
There's Mrs. Would-be-rich," said