Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-31
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

| photographs Webster's International
defines this word as follows:
"Suspicion-Act or fact of suspect
ing: imagination or apprehension OF
something, especially of something
wrong or hurttul, without proof, or on
slight evidence; also. the mental I'M
easiness aroused in one who suspects;
mistrust; doubt"
Our modern word is derived from
the Latin 'suspicio." meaning mistrust,
The following illustrative quotation is
given from the old master, Bacon:
suspicious among thoughts are like
bats among birds, they ever fly by
twilight"
It will be seen that the very essence
of suspicion is lack of proof or slight
evidence of what one suspects. One
often suspects some one because of cir
cumstantial evidence, which too often
turns out to be no evidence at all.
At the time the evidence" seemed real
enough, but afterward one saw it for
what 1t was, a Grass suspicion, built
Fear still holds a mighty place in
our everyday actions. We fear the
future, We fear people, we fear
lightning, we fear what people will
say, or what they may even think. We
are afraid of so many things that we
willingly adopt ways Of thought which
blind us as much as we can be blinded.
II a personal belonging is mislaid,
we are sure that some n took 1t.
when all the time we misplaced it
ourself, but were unwilling to admit
| even to ourself-that we might have
been to blame.
This unspoken passing the buck
goes on every day in thousands OF
minds. Most people are 80 used to 1t
that they accept 1t as a normal thing
in their lives. Even when they fight
hard to forget their suspicious they
retain them all the more. 1t seems as
If the harder they argue with them
selves that the thing is mo- as 1t ap-
pears the more certain they become
that their reason Is directing them
right.
Then, all Of a sudden, out Of a clear
sky comes proof positive that they were
all wrong, that the fault lay elsewhere
They keep mum" Instead of admit
ting their false suspicious, they keep
their mouths shut and fondly believe
that no one is the worse.
Well, possibly no one Is. But one
who has observed the workings of sus-
picion in others will still think that it
is better not to be suspicious in sc
many matters.
Surely it is better for one If he can
wait for proof before jumping to con-
illusions. This happy attitude is largely
a gift, but it may be cultivated to some
extent. So simple an expedient as tell
ing ones self that one is wrong in
thinking so-and-so helps a great deal.
There are two phases to suspicion as
commonly INDUCED in-the act Of sus-
pecting, which often is unconscious and
cannot be prevented, owing to heredity,
and the mental uneasiness aroused In
one who suspects. 1t Is in this latter
phase that the individual may argue
with himself and often get the better
Of himself.
He can tell himself that his black
suspicious are indeed like bats among
birds, ever flying by twilight. The sun
shine of the soul, real or simulated, will
Danish them to the dark LARS from
which they come.
There is plenty of time. No need
feel in a hurry about his suspicious. II
they are well founded, they will keep
coming back without his prodding them.
In the meantime he should recall that
he is thinking something wrong or hurt
full, usually without proof or On slight
/ evidence. If he has proof or real evil
dence, he no longer harbors suspicion.
but he knows-he is in possession Of the
truth, ugly thought 1t may be. Until
that time come let him be careful that
his suspicious are not hurtful to him
! self.