p. 204 | A Cure for Scandal

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 26, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 13.

A Cure for Scandal

Hannah More had a good way of managing tale-bearers. It is said that when she was told anything derogatory to another her invariable reply was, "Come, we will go and ask if it be true." The effect was sometimes ludicrously painful. The tale-bearer was taken aback, stammered out a qualification, or begged that no notice be taken of the statement, but the good lady was inexorable; off she took the scandal-monger to the scandalized, to make inquiry and compare accounts. It is not likely that anybody ever a second time ventured to repeat a gossip story to Hannah More. One would think her method of treatment would be a sure cure for scandal.—Sel.