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Story
July 29, 1811
Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
A corporal teases Aunt Prudy by claiming neighbors say she is 'no better than she should be,' sparking her anger and highlighting the ubiquity of slander in society. The narrator consoles her, noting it's a common human experience.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
From the American Daily Advertiser.
Traits of Life. "There are people," continued the corporal, "who can't even breathe without slandering a neighbor."
"You judge too severely," replied my aunt Prudy--"very few are slandered who do not deserve it."
"That may be," retorted the corporal, "but I have heard very slight things said of you."
The face of my aunt kindled with anger. "Me!" exclaimed she, "Me! slight things of Me! what can any body say of Me?"
"They say," answered the corporal gravely, and drawling his words to keep her in suspense--"that-- that YOU ARE--NO BETTER THAN YOU SHOULD BE!"
Fury flashed from the eyes of my aunt--"Who are the wretches?"
"I hope they slander no one that does not deserve it!"--remarked the corporal jeeringly, as he left the room.
The feelings of my aunt may well be conceived--She was sensibly injured. True, she had her foibles. She was peevish and fretful----But she was rigidly moral and virtuous--Conscious of the correctness of her conduct, she was wounded at the remark of the corporal--Why should her neighbors slander her?-- She could not conjecture!--
Let my aunt be consoled. She falls under the common lot of nature. A person who can live in this world, without suffering slander, must be too stupid or insignificant to claim attention.
Traits of Life. "There are people," continued the corporal, "who can't even breathe without slandering a neighbor."
"You judge too severely," replied my aunt Prudy--"very few are slandered who do not deserve it."
"That may be," retorted the corporal, "but I have heard very slight things said of you."
The face of my aunt kindled with anger. "Me!" exclaimed she, "Me! slight things of Me! what can any body say of Me?"
"They say," answered the corporal gravely, and drawling his words to keep her in suspense--"that-- that YOU ARE--NO BETTER THAN YOU SHOULD BE!"
Fury flashed from the eyes of my aunt--"Who are the wretches?"
"I hope they slander no one that does not deserve it!"--remarked the corporal jeeringly, as he left the room.
The feelings of my aunt may well be conceived--She was sensibly injured. True, she had her foibles. She was peevish and fretful----But she was rigidly moral and virtuous--Conscious of the correctness of her conduct, she was wounded at the remark of the corporal--Why should her neighbors slander her?-- She could not conjecture!--
Let my aunt be consoled. She falls under the common lot of nature. A person who can live in this world, without suffering slander, must be too stupid or insignificant to claim attention.
What sub-type of article is it?
Family Drama
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Moral Virtue
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Slander
Gossip
Aunt Prudy
Moral Lesson
Human Nature
What entities or persons were involved?
Aunt Prudy
The Corporal
Story Details
Key Persons
Aunt Prudy
The Corporal
Story Details
The corporal jests with Aunt Prudy about slanderous gossip claiming she is 'no better than she should be,' enraging her despite her virtuous nature; the narrator reflects that slander afflicts all but the insignificant.