Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-31

tender hearted that they would not hurt
fly. yet they do not hesitate to blast
woman's reputation by setting afloat evil
stories about her-stories that are the
merest hearsay. and which they do not
| take the trouble to investigate.
Every day we see people who shudder
with horror as they read tales Of how
savages amuse themselves by torturing
their prisoners to death. yet these human
itarians pass a pleasant evening together
by crucifying the reputation OF everyone
they know who has the bad luck to be
absent.
| Every day YOU see good. moral people
who really believe that they have the
welfare OF their fellow creatures at heart,
who do not hesitate to disseminate scan
| dalnus stories that break up homes and
wreck the careers of men and women
Every day you meet honest people who
would not dream Of stealing a pin from
| you, but without a moments compunc-
ton they will rob you Of your good name
| And the gossiper is not only more dan
gerous that the thief, more cruel than
the savage, he or she is also more cow
/ ardly. The thief takes his chances of
detection and punishment. The savage
comes out into the open when he sticks
his darts into his victim. but the gossiper
works under cover, hidden and safe
Your gossiper never says, Il know
That Mr.. X. is in love with his stenor.
rapher because I saw him kiss her" or
Mrs q. has an affair with young B..
for / have seen them repeatedly together
and met them fox trotting around at a
dozen afternoon tea places" or II know
Sallle Jones writes love notes, because I
| have read them"
Not at all. The gossipers never back
up story by personal knowledge for
which they could be sued for libel. on
the contrary, they take refuge in hear
say.
They say" is all the authority they
give for taking away a womans honor.
or destroying a mans standing in a com
munity. Sometimes gossipers VIII even
go so far as to say that they do not be-
heve word of the very scandal they
are telling. and having thus saIved their
consciences they proceed with their
nefarious work of knitting a fellow
creatures reputation-and knitting IL in
the back.
| There can be no justification for gossip.
1t is the most despicabe phase of mans
inhumanity to man, and seeing how we
! are all alike weak and human. and all of
us stumble and fall, we might at least
cover with silence the faults and frailties
OF our brothers and sisters. Heaven for
give us if We set upon any trail the
wolves of gossip.
But II the picture printed upon this
page has In II a lesson for the gossiper,
1t has no less a pertinent one for the
individual And especially 1t has lesson
for girls. and it is this: Be so discreet
In your conduct that you need not fear
the gossiper. Keep your skirts immacu-
lately clean Never forget that the
tiniest splash of mud from the gutter
on girls petticoat is like the scent of
dead carcass that sets these wolves OF
society on her track
They will follow her swapping and
snarling and tearing at her until they
tear her to pieces. Many a girl who has
not been bad, only foolish, has been
bounded into her grave by these cruel
beasts. Ware of them, girls, and re-
member that your only protection against
them is not only to be good. but to look
good, and act good.