South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-26

"A
not lie beneath. with their super
abundance OF imaginative faculty,
carelessness of phrase and their
readiness 10 jump no conclusions.
Men lie deliberately. wilfuliy, on
principle. as 30 were. women. on the
other hand. do so uncousciously.
Usually women love truth. especially
from their husbauds-and yet-and
vet-they are constantly giving to
things added lustre. cast by their
own Individuality. twisting facts
Httlc. a worry title, according as their
Tastes. affections. or convculerc &c in
atcg never perhaps telling q di-
rrct lie but merely prevarlcated
truth.
All this makes the fatal danger
Of gossip r. women told the abso-
lutte truth about things or kept silent,
which IA always a possible alterna-
tive. 80 would not matter so much.
81 worse. there would be few
periodical thunderstorms and then
Tie air would be clear for a time
at least. But generally speaking.
women tell OF what they seem TO
believe. Few observant characters
can have lived Ions I'm an atmos-
rhere OF women without learning
TO receive facts communicated sec
ond-haud with reservaticn-rese rva-
tons that do not necessarily label
the communication a. having told an
untruth bue merely as an allowance
COR certa Iuevitabl- variations.
Little episodes that occur. gwen
separate vlsiOn by different indi-
,lduals, discussed by a"eryDoJy. l!es
a. the base of mary a fanny quar-
rel. lost friendships cut acquaint-
anceships Rarely Is it u any great
matter. point of principle, VI 'ated
pledge, dishonest act but simply some
petty actionim some idle
word repeated or succession of
both ending for those concerned in
a total arrangement.
Matrimony. with or without that
preliminary. love. makes an excel
lent target for the gossip. What on
earth would we women do il we
had no matches to make or mar;
10 unfortunate attachments" to
tons to speculate about no engage
ments ION" and on TO comment
upon. nosiug out every little circum-
stance in each case and ferreting our
game 10 their very holes az If we
had a perfect right TO take the at
fairs of others. their hopes, trials,
faults, wrongs. and discuss them
openly for our own amusement or
for the entertainment of others?
IT 7. or any one. were TO unfold
our observation on this subject, how
many instances could we relate OF
dawning loves checked. unhappy
loves made cruelty public. happy
loves embittered and made sus-
picious, warm loves turned cold by
this horrible system OF gossiping.
The wonder is, considering all things.
that any love affair ever comes to
any climax at all for when II does
come-heavens. how IL IS talked
about Everyone learns very quick
Iv whether the girl Is marrying above
or beneath her social station. We
Immediately wonder what he saw in
her and she saw I'm him. The best
friends OF the family volunteer all
sorts OF Information such as what
her parents say or the match and
what his parents think but dare not
say and what all her relation and
all his relation said. THEREAFTER
the marriage. It IS almost sickening
10 see the way IN which some people
curioUsly regard the young husband
and wife, adjusting themselves 10 an
entirely new sort Of living. prying
some facts IOose-possibly some
sacred fact-hunting IT down and
never letting Il so until Il is dis
membered and ground 10 the bone.
Gossip does not limit itself 20 the
newcomer. the bride. the engaged
girl. the Divorce, for there are
scores of welI-meaning women who
really en- their hearts Ike and re-
spect each other but who persist in
discussing between themselves the
popularity OF manner, habit dress,
character word. action. motive. pos
sibIy even critic.sing the houses,
furniture. servants. children. hus-
bands OF the women with whom they
daily associate.
Candidly. I believe the evil lies in
the narrowuess and Darkness of
the mentally INDECENT who fail 10
catch a straw OF interest I'm any mat
ter lacking a touch Of the personal
such women are not necessarily III
ratured or Malicious but simply find
enjoyment IN the affairs OF others,
their mlsfortunes, mistakes, solely
because it gives them something 90
stons and considers the contemplate
nothings that form the daily scandal
dish OF some women's ives. and then
eance up az the starry heaven which
overshines both the just and the UNI
lust. or look abroad on this world
with its wide. Worthwhile interests.
one is tempted 10 blush for the null
I-udes OF women who indulge in an
.ncessant chatter OF pure worthless
ra5ble.
Those Of us who are given to
harm less gossip ought 10 weed out
The undesirable ga our conversations
ma set our minds against this desc
ration Of feeling personally ini-
mate. II we must talk occasionally
or these subjects let us maintain
their sanctity and treat them deli
catchy. for truly gossip is the blight
~ our American life with It's blood
Jess wars its word-scandals. fits UNI
charitable chronicle OF iuterminable
a0things which make up a goodly
portion Of the simple. social life OF
the small town 90 the vast system OF
inner social planes. intellectual or
fashionable each with their vary
lng degrees Of prestige. which form
he arc-------. - raa I--.L.-.. So !.