people say such mean things about others that those people were killed
as far as living in their town was concerned, and had to move away, for
all their influence was dead.

A pretty safe way when you are tempted to say anything unkind about
another boy or girl, who is not present, is to ask yourself if it is
fair play, since the other cannot defend himself; for I know that you
all want to play fair. That is the basis of all true sport.

And then remember also that when once you have said an unkind thing you
cannot take it back, for it lives on in spite of you.

Perhaps you recollect the interesting idea which the old Hebrews had of
the separate existence of words as soon as they were spoken. A curse
once uttered could not be recalled because it now existed independently
of the speaker. You remember the story of the blessing of Jacob by
Isaac. Isaac could not give it to Esau, because it had passed beyond his
control.

"Boys flying kites, haul in their white-winged birds;
You can't do that way when you're flying words,
Things that we think may sometimes fall back dead,
But God Himself can't kill them when they're said."




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