South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-13
Mean Well People
Are Pernicious
Create Discord and Unhap-
piness But Are Beyond
Reach of Censor.

initiate Charlie Chaplin, there is but
one other class OF people who in the
entire scheme OF creation have no
place. The other type Is the mean
we'll" people. Murderers are only
murderers, and frequently do the
world a good service in Kidding II of
unnecessary obstacles to progress. But
the mean well' person doesn't even
do that.
Most people have as intimate &C
quaintancas at least a half dozen
mean wells'' who can do anything
under the high heavens and not SUI
fer the consequences because "they
mean we'll" They can make life mis-
cradle for all who come in contact
with them and do II with impunity
because they mean we'll" They may
be utterly without tact and constantly
stirring up strife, but 50 long as their
Intentions are the best in the world"
there is nothing to be done.
Perhaps the most unfortunate
characteristic Of the average mean
we'll person is that he or she-and it
is generally she-has a mania for
condl cting the affairs Of others. Or
in the vernacular Of the day. has a
"penchant for butting in" OF course
il matters not the least that the pub
lie does not seek her advice. She is
ready with it and quite ready to gloat
in a dignified manner, If failure be-
falls those who fail to follow her sug-
gestions.
There was a. mean we'll person who
lived in a small town where every
body knew everybody and the mean
we'll people were on speaking terms
with every family skeleton. This par
ticular mean we'll woman had six
brothers and sisters and a score of
nieces and nephews as we'll as sew
eral brother-in-laws and sister-in-
laws She was greatly interested in
the welfare Of each member of her
immediate family and always mean
ing well, she told each relative-in-law
the things to do to make pleasant the
lives of her sisters and brothers. OF
course most of them did not do it and
the mean we'll woman went TO each
sister and brother and offered her
sympathy TO them for having married
so unSympathetic a companion. OF
course she did not express il in that
way 1t was more subtle, more kind.
So all the brothers and sisters began
TO feel very much abused and the
more abused they felt the more the
mean well woman offered her SYM
pathy. And with the best intentions
in the world" She told each friend
how unfortunate it was that Howard
had chosen such an unfortunate mate
and that Maude had burdened herself
with companion who could not un-
derstand her temperament. Because
It was a little town each neighbOr
talked TO the next and II wasn't long
before the village was Sympathizing
silently with the poor mismated be-
ings.
OF course the trouble maker soon
turned her attention elsewhere and
the families all went back to a calm
peaceful existence with the comment,
"she means WELL"
Then there were daughter-in-Iaws
and Mrs. Mean Well sympathized with
her sons for having chosen such
miserable housekeeperS, or mother-in-
laws with such narrow minds, or re-
ligiOus inclinations. And when she had
succeeded in making them sufficiently
unhappy she began trouble making
elsewhere until peace was restored
and her children sighed Mother al
ways means we'll"
Every door Of the little town was
opened to her because she was always
good and kind and meant we'll" But
in her wake was a. trail OF discord
and unpleaSantneSs. Wherever she
went with her sweetne ss, lack of har-
mony prevailed
There are >other people who mean
well, too Those who work along, per-
suing lines that are obviously foolish
and yet mean we'll" The bank clerk
who "borrows'' funds means well"
and the school teachers who applies
the same educational principles to
Emma Paul and Sam that she applied
to Mary, Dick and Harry means
we'll" Every mistake, calamity or
tragedy in the history Of the world,
from a village scandal to a world war
has with few exceptions been created
by the people who mean we'll"
There is a punishment for the peo-
pie who maliciously do wrong, but the
mean wells are beyond the reach Of
censor.-Grand Rapids Herald.