The Washington herald., 1915-10-07
"Pistol Shot" /"
by JOHN ID. BARRY,

/ pistol Shots"
by JOHN D. BARRY
| One night when | walking with friend
from house where several of us had been CON
cerned IN discussion, eagerly reviewed the
proceedings. IL have never heard many pistol
Shots" he said.
looked quickly at him. For a moment felt
Pistol shots" | repeated blankly.
! hadn't heard any pistol shots
He began to laugh. "Oh, I thought you knew
that expression OF mine: I'm always using it. I
mean the malicious little things people say when
they lose their sel-control or their prudence, and
the covert looks they. give to those they expect
Ito be in sympathy with them
"Oh, yes | said, and | recognized the aptness
| OF the phrase. For during the evening the mali
cious remarks. made very quietly, at times almost
inaudlbly as malicious remarks likely to
be made, fairly rcsoundcd through the room 1t
was as if the walls had purposely increased the
sound and furiously flung back the Words giving
them both the force and the fash OF pistol shots
as OF lightning ard the reverberaton of llfccling
Ill-fceling is always seeking expression. always
trying to break through restraint The obstacle
1t most frequently meets is prudence.
Most OF us are careful not to betray i'll
feeling. We know that we shall have pay. For
the suffering our ill-fceng shall suffer
in return through the creating of -fceling di-
rected against us for our lnni ishinent.
But there are moments when ill-fecng gains
the mastery and forces us, either openly
erty, TO give it expression.
Il-fccling openly expressed becomes anger.
Experience has taught all to fear the conse-
quenccs OF anger
Ill-feeling covertly expressed results in my
friends pistol shots, quite as sensational an
ger, often in their effect more deadly.
For the poison OF the malice. sent in the "pis
'tol shots" sinks deep.
The practice OF making malicious remarks is
so sensational in spite of the effort OF malicious
people to hide the malice in low voices or in whis-
pcrs in smiles. that the wonder is it goes
1t would might have had
enough to stop long ago
One explanation may be that the consequences
malicious remarks directed against them silent.
Often they are too surprised to reply. For the
malice is directly opposed to the spirit OF friend
illness that most of us try to maintain with one
another. Even after the malicious remark is made
the friendly spirit persists seems to persist
Another explanation is that most people arc
personal, and they dread being considered senSi-.
tive. Moreover. they know that if they accuse
the maker of the remark OF being malicious, he
will resort untruth. He will deny that he meant
anything unklnd. He may even deny that he
made the remark
For malicious people are almost invariably un-
truthful.
Occasionally we hear people boast OF the ma
licious remarks they have made. They apparently !
think there is something creditabc in the habit.
And vet whenever such remarks made to
them they likely to be particularly angry and
resentu.
Often the pride malicious people take in their
habit may be traced to their belief that in their !
malicious remarks there is hunor or clevcrness.
There usually is. 1t is OF the easiest things
in the world to be clever humorous at the ex-
pense of another !
Sometimes malice, daring to express itself
in words, will resort to sound. We all know those
who have way of commenting remarks they
hear with an expression "H'm!" If any one were
to protest they would either feel pretend to feel
injured and say something like, why. didn't
mean anything" And yet world OF hostile
meaning can be conveyed by "Hm!'
Chances OF the eye can be among the most dis
of pistol Shots" conveying ridicule
criticism, unfriendy comment, and many other
kinds of ill-ieeng. They are among the common
est expressions OF unkindness. But. rule, they
are unconscious. Those who indulge in them are
unaware that in nearly every instance, they are
detected Occasionally, they think that the quick
ness of the act enables them to escape. Sometimes
they arc not caught. Nearly always they give
offense ~
How shall we avoid doing such unkndness:
Shall we watch ourselves every minute? Shall we
1e continually guard =
Bv no means Such method would be sure
o fail There would be moments when we should
orget ourselves.
There is only method. That is by
,ot allowing ourselves to feel malicious, by not
,lershing unkindneSs, by wishing to protect 9th
RS from pain exactly wish to be protected
ourselves. |,