OCR Text |
Show That Bubble Reputation j A Good Name is Often Lightly Destroyed j tDy Beatrice. Fairfax) Some years ago I spent an afternoon after-noon in tho woods with a crowd of girls my own age. We had all brought our fancy work and contribution con-tribution of candy and nuts and were prepared for an afternoon of simple enjoyment. Suddenly one of the girls menitioned a certain pretty girl named Grace. All but one of us knew her and presumably liked her. Said the lirst speaker: "Oh, Grace Is well enough If only on-ly she weren't so affected." "Is she affected? I didn't know- that; but of course she is awfully selfish about sharing her good times with her younger ulsters," exclaimed The second girl. "Itoally? Well, no wonder she ' has good times,' 'added girl -'o. :: righteously. "She runs after all the influential rich people who will entertain enter-tain her." j Then up spoke the fourth. "I didn't know she bothered to eater to any one but the men, and goodness good-ness knows she is forward enough with them." And each of us had learned some new, unpleasant thing about Grace to add to any personal criticism we might have made of her in the silence of our own hearts. But in addition to all this the girl who had never met her was prejudiced against her and those of us who liked her best could scarcely help wondering if allj this smoke could bo w ithout any fire, j So easily is the bubble roputa-! Hon pricked. And as lightly as aj j.ood reputation is destroyed, sOj e"sjj Is a o.i I one created iMit of mere bubbles idrvr l.v i-i lo and . U ought less- oi,)i . , --) r."...' balicij" s :.o.l v. ho d:'ib r- e-i ly slanders another is fairly a mur-j derer. lie takes a good name, and whether it be mere theft or killing that he indulges in to pass the Vmn and satisfy li is ow- sp!t?f'i' nature, the result of his work Is equally cruel and harmful. But people who :io this are so d.-:picable that ihey destroy their vn influence. I-.veryoro fear? them. No one trusts them. Cor:se,iieutir tl-o person of whom the.," ch their O' il tales is in some wise nrot'-cted. It.".-.. isp everyone knows : liitle fan.il ran be placed in t'ie woid of j. scandalmonger. Hut words are such linge.'oi.s, weapons. They lodge somewhere and work harm when their presence h almost forgotten. Some day you iTlay remember what ou have heard breathed against some one, even (bough yoi have forgotten whether or not the person who said it is rcp-i-tnble authority and to be trusted, j Don't get the habit of insimialng! thine? against people. Don't tell! or the weaknesses and follies of the people you know. Each time you call a new person's attention to a fault in a mutual acquaintance you definitely hurt his standing in the community, i Lightly and easily people destroy! jf;ood names that they can never re- j store. For lack of something better! lo talk about, we destroy one an-j ether's credit and standing in the. co.-iiuunity. And what does it profit! .is to fake away a reputation? Peo-1 jple hi gin to doubt and question us : jfis j-ossips and ill-natured individuals of whom it will be well to beware. Ai.d we have nothing gained cxei-pt, a sour and warped viewpoint i)iat( enjoys bi'.iujiig t In worst or huiuunT nature and thinking more evil than I !; has heard! |