The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1917-01-11
THE FALLACY OF THINGS
ACCEPTED AS TRUEsMs

AIGEfI I'D AS IhGt5AS
Did you ever stop to think chat
some Of the so-eailed truisms and
/ proverbs that are gray with age are
misleading on false How many an
/ owner of a gossiping tongue, tipped
with envy, has justified its chatter by
unctiously announcing that '.where
/ there is so much smoke there must
be fire.?
This expression is as city Of ref
/ uge for every scandal monger that
has exuded meanness upon the earth
since Hannah got what was his just
due.
A few weeks, or few days ago, in
a place that might be within a hum
bred feet Of this Office and might be
within thousand miles, the following
incident took place:
There was a party or reception. At
this party there were a number of
young men and young women, and
few other men and women not quite
so young. There was some champagne
NOT much. One of the young ladies
was offered a glass of champagne.
She said she never drank champagne,
but it was holiday time and a young
man, whose brain was as dense as kid
ney material, insisted that she just
take one sip concentrating the time
and the hour. The young lady moist
ened her lips with the liquor. She did
not imbibe as much as two drops.
This was at the moment of her de-
parture, In the portal Of the home or
club or hall where the party was given
was a door mat. 1t was made out of
straw woven around ropes, and one of
the. ropes was elevated just a little
above the others. Passing over the
mat, the toe Of the young lady's slip
per was caught under this rope. She
went headlong towards the sidewalk
Two or three young men were
standing by and they quickly lifted
her to her feet She laughed from the
shock and said she wasn't hurt. The
family limousine was waiting, and a
young man on either side within four
or five seconds helped her through the
side door Of the machine. The young
lady congratulated herself that she
had not smashed her pretty little nose
against the granite sidewalk and gave
the incident no more thought.
That was absolutely all there was OF
the incident. About Sc hours later it
was reported that there were some
high doings at this party.
About 81 hours later it was reported
| that several young men and young
ladies were hilarious from liquor, and
that several veteran campaigners of
more mature years were comfortably
jagged.
About the thirty eighth hour it was
reported that a certain young lady
had filled her self with so much cham
payne that the wine color of her
cheeks made the paint color pale.
About the thirty-ninth hour it was
reported that the young lady was very
| drunk, and that she poured the con-
tents of a goblet of champagne over
the bald head Of a veteran social cam
paigner as a libation to Father Time.
And it was also reported that she was
SO very, very drunk that when she left
the party she fell sprawling into the
street and had to be picked up and
carried bodily to q taxicab, Then it
was reported that she was hauled
home as If she were so much dead
freight.
About the fortieth hour somebody
began to back-pedal upon the story.
The thirty-ninth hour person reported
that he knew nothing further except
what was stated to him by the thirty
eighth hour person. Later the thirty
ninth and the thirty eighth and the
thirty-seventh hour persons got to-
gether and they allowed" that they
had seen nothing themselves. But they
salved their souls for peddling q bit Of
unfounded scandal until 1t was caught
up by the four winds of the earth by
stating that "where there's SO much
smoke, there must be some fire."
1t doesn't make much difference
what one man says about the habits
of another man. The best man is
hardly more than fit. But it is fear
full thing to repeat what one may hear
about woman. The safest thing is
not to repeat what one may hear
even about bad woman. A little
scandal ,peddled around about "a man
doesn't hurt him. IF the man is guilt
less time washes it away, just as
bath washes away dirt from his outer
skin.
Scandal uttered against a good wo-
man sinks into the wilderness of he
skin. If she doesn't know it she does
not see lit, but those who have heard
it see it, and SO thereby may be color
blind to the pure whiteness of the
victims soul Memphis Commercial
Appeal, January 6.
nAMnER CICMAI EnR EARMEpc