THE GOSSIP HABIT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2294, 25 June 1921, Page 1

THE GOSSIP HABIT.

The person, writes Elbert Hubbard in the “Philistine,” who plays pilch and loss with your good mum: is not necessarily vour enemy.

Probably if you go to him quietly and askpi favour, lie will be glad I" grant.it, and will consider it an honour to exert himself on your behalf. His unkind remarks are the result of the Gossip Habit. He talks to hear himself talk-nothing is quite so pleasing to his ears as the sound of his bazoo, and to have others listen to his vapourings is gratifying to his vanity. He dissects the life and belittles the motives of any body and everybody who are not present. Should the person reviled suddenly appear upon the scene, the theme quickly changes, and the newcomer is treated with kindly deference, and is regarded by hearing the character of someone else ripped lip into earpei rags. The gossip microbe is horn of vacuity, and breeds in idle minds. If you do not hear what the scandalmonger says, you are not harmed. As for those who hear him. they are not influenced against you hv wlmt he says, and for the most part his words die on the empty air. He injures no one but himself. However, 4he person who comes to you and tells you what the loquacious one says about you, is a positive post. His action is unforgivable and unpardonable. He robs you of your peace of mind. The idle charges when told over again lake on a different colour, and become realities. So to repeat: The individual who rails on me behind my back is very seldom my enemy; the person who comes to me and tells me what he says, is ...

The first I’ll pardon, the latter ’forever is taboo —let bis name be anathema. He is the one who magnifies idle nothings and vacuous vapourings until they become noxious gases.

The mau; who talks gossip is a fool; but he who repeats it is a rogue. Your friends are those who tell you of the kind things thnf’are -.aid of you, your enemies are those who, in the holy name of friendship come to you and poison your atmosphere by the other thing. The plan of the king in the olden time who killed the messenger who brought him had news has my approval. Blessed are the feet of those who bring glad tidings.