When there are so many truthful and pleasant things that may be said of everybody, why call attention to disagreeable points, which after all, are fewer than the agreeable ones?
The office of the gossip is so thankless that it is a marvel any one accepts it.

To certain natures there is positive delight in being the first to relate a choice bit of scandal.

It never occurs to them that the old maxim with regard to a dog who fetches a bone can possibly be applied to them.

But it is as true as the stars that if a person brings you an unsavory tale of a friend, she will carry away as ugly a story of you, if she can find the faintest suggestion upon which to found it.

The gossip acquires a detective-like faculty for following out a clue, but unfortunately, the clue is oftener purely imaginary than real.