The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-27


Now there is gossip and gossip. There
Is the pleasant little tittle-tattl" about
our friends and ueighbors which Is
nothing more than daily chapter ot the
human comedy which adds iUlneasur
ably TO the 8est OF life, II is women
faculty for collecting and disseminating
this that made Stephenson say that the
first qualification Of a good wife was
for her 20 be a good gossip
Certainly society would be dull at
fair II We should all refrain from our
favorite indoor sport Of talking about
our neighbors Whom we get down 10
brass tacks we are an far more inter
ested In the things that happen In our
block and 10 the people we know than
we are in momeutous events that take
place thousands of miles from us ana
that involve people OF whom we have
scarcely heard,
Sorry as we were for starving Bel
gium, II did not send us scurrying for
food as did the knowledge that a child
had tainted from hunger on our door
step We are more mortified TO hear
that our charwoman ceiling has fallen
on her head end bruised her baby than
we are to hear that 10000 people have
heen swallowed IN In an earthquake IN
Japan The most thrilling reports that
we got out Of the great war were those
that told Of the regiments from our own
town, and we visualize the heroism OF
battle through little Jimmy Jones, who
Used TO deliver our papers and who was
awartiea tho CrntN de Guerre.
Scandal Is Different.
OF course, scandal mongering Is an
ether affair. II differs from the In.
nocuous chatter Of new babies, and
new cooks, and new bonnets, and the
little daily happenings in our circle, but
while too much can not be said against
the gossip that turns rumors into facts
In the telling, and that hlackens inno-
cent characters with vague suspicious,
IL Ia still not to be denied that even
this sort OF gossip IL not without its
use In the general economy and Is one
or the sins that make for virtues side
For, as a matter OF fact, there Is no
ether such effective agency for morality
on earth as is gossip. II Is the fear OF
our neighbors tongues that keeps many
OF us in tho straight and narrow path
and holds us up TO our duty
Before they say we are all OF us
artant towards II is the knowledge
that everything we do and do not do Is
going to be observed and freely dis
cussed among our acquaintance that
braces us up to live the higher life IN
order that their comments may be IA
vorable instead OF otherwise, For II
Is their praise that makes our fame,
and their blame our disgrace
Mrs. Smith is naturally lazy and in
dnlRut. II no prying eye would see and
no gossiping tongue chatter about u
She would let her house be as untidy
as d pigs sty. she would feed her fam
ity out OF cans and paper bags and let
her children 20 unwashed and UNI
cnfnbed to school,
Mrs. Tompkins Is Of n romantic and
nature Her very soul
bankers after f,irtntions with men, and
Hhe secretly considers herself n siren
that no man can resist
II she could do Il without anybody
finding II out or saying anything about
1t If they did find II out, she would
indulge herself In love affairs regard
less of the fact that she has good
husband and rice children But the
fear Of gossip is more restraining than
NIL Of the ten commandments on
Mrs T.