The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-03-08
HUMAN FRAILTY
Disposition Radicalys Noble and Generous COuded and
OvershadOwed by Superficial FOibles-De Quincy
C.
him, without inquiring over seri-
ously what produced it.
By Mr.. G.. r. S.

him, without inquiring over seri-
ously what produced it.
Those who have the fewest re-
sources in themselves naturally
seek the food of their self-love
elsewhere. The most ignorant
people find most to laugh at in
strangers; scandal and satire pre-
vail most in small places; and the
propensity to ridicule the slightest
or most palpable deviation from
what we happen to approve, ceases
with the progress of common sense
and decency. True worth does
net exult in the faults and de-
fciency of others; as true refine
ment turns away from grossness
and deformity, instead of being
tempted to indulge in an unmanly
triumph over it. Real power,
real excellence does not seek for a
foil in imperfection; nor fear con-
tamination from coming in contact
with that which is coarse and
homely. 1t reposes on itself, and
is equally free from envy and af-
fectation. There are some persons
who seem to treasure up things
that are disagreeable, on purpose.
The tongue that feeds on mis-
chief. the babbling. the tattling,
the sly whispering. the impertinent
meddling, all these tongues are
trespassing on the community con-
stantly. The fiery tongue is also
abroad, and being set on fire, scat
ters frebrands among friends, sets
families, and circles, of whatever
class, in flame; and like the sala-
mander, is wretched when out of
burning element. The black, SLAM
dering tongue is constantly prey
ing upon innocence, the foliage of
merit, worth, genius, and talent;
and poisons with it's filth of innu-
endos and scum of falsehood, the
most brilliant flowers, the most
useful shrubs and the most valu-
able trees in the garden of reputa-
tion. Not content with it's own
base exertions, it leagues with the
envious, jealous and revengeful
tongues; and, aided by this trio,
sufficient venom is combined to
fill it with demons. They can
swallow praying like water, digest
forgery as readily as graham bread,
convert white into black, truth in
to falsehood, good into evil, inno-
cence into crime, and metamor-
phose everything which stands in
the current of their polluted and
polluting breath.
1 can understand how boy that
had never been taught better
might carry torpedoes in his poe
ket, and delight to throw them
down at the feet of passers-by and
see them bound; but | cannot un-
derstand how an instructed and
well-meaning person could do such
a thing. And yet there are men
who carry torpedoes, and take
pleasure in tossing them at people.
"Oh!" they say, Il have some
thing now, and when l meet that
man l will give it to him!" And
they wait for the right company
and the right circumstances, and
then they out with the most dis
agreeable things. And when they
are demonstrated with, they say,
1T is true" as if that was a justi-
fcation of their conduct. Is there
no law of kindness? Is there no de-
sire to please and profit men? Have
you a right to take any little story
that you can pick up about a man
and use it in such a way as to in
jure him, or give him pain? And
yet, how many men there are that
seem to enjoy nothing so much as
inflicting exquisite suffering upon
a man in this way, when he can
not help himself. Well, You know
just how Satan feels. Whenever
he has done anything wicked, and
he has made somebody very un-