Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-05-11
.ti tel! the tafcns twas told to I:lr. $50

slander shoull bc instantly cut out
'fil tel! the t1fcH5 twas told to TIE. -:;:oTr
I'd, not Iiko to cay any.hins "h.,"t it," who
pcred Mrs. Sawyer to her next deoy ucjghbor,
Mrs. Ashton "but they do say that Miss Bates,
our new music teacher. IS no better than she
should be- don't think that I shall son'l An
M Marin, Or Slmh Jane. True, she CONES high
" recommended, but Mrs. Goodenough, whose
daughter went to school last year, within twenty
miles Of Miss Bates fathers, tell me that Eer
drughtcr heard from one of her school mates, a
slight whisper to Miss Bates disadvantage; and
people are best known at home, YOU know
Mrs. Ashton held up both her gloved hands
in wonder and approval of this sentiment, and
then hastened away on her round Of morning
calls all the wiser for her visit to Mrs. Sawycrs.
Her next stopping place was 1T Mrs. Willis. :.
She found that lady over her sewing in the sitting
room, and quite alone.
81 am delighted to see you," cried Mira. Ask
ton, half brcathless from fast walking 1t has
been age since met with YOU last. How are
YOU and Your charming daughters Melissa Ann
and Julia The latter are at school, dars say.
BY the way, Mrs. Willis, l have been greatly
shocked this morning. l re;cr should Lave
dreamed of such thing, us Mrs. Sawyer has
just been whispering to Rie. | can hardly be-
lievc it now. But | must beg YOU not to say 4
word about it to ong soul Hping. AIN so shocked
to think such thing could have happened !!
PRAY don't mention it from me on any consIdc-
ration, but they do say that Miss Bates, the new
music teacher has rcyV bnl character inaefd,
at home Mrs. Sawyer has it on unQucstlonablc
authority, and has declined the idea OF sending
her daughters on that account. But she is
Young and pretty, poor thing! and am very
sorry for her, and wouldn't injure her for any
thing in the world :
MIS-. Willis laid down her work with conster
nation pictured in her face &; and the two ladies
whispered and nodded significantly, for the next
two hours.
At the end of that time Mrs. Willis remem-
bered that she had a host of calls to make, and
tyng on her bonnet, the two ladies went togcth-
er.
Before night, tho whisper that Mrs. Sawyer
had thoughtlessly sly echoed from the tongue OF
school girl, had travelled all through the village,
and ten miles into the country, and there was
prospect of its travelling on Oh, as far as the
Academy of B was known, and blighting
in every family, where it was carried, the fair
fame OF pale faced, sweet young creature, who
bent with patient assiduity over her task, uncon-
scious that breath more fatal than the SIMEON
Of the desert, had passed over her character. If
there is not deliberate cruelty in thus numbering
the reputation and destroying the influence Of
another, and that other 4 strrger, timd and
sensitive as the Mimosa which shrinks from the
slightest touch, tell me in what cruelty consists .
And vet it was all the work Of whisper; a
thoug ghtless and unmeanng whisper. Miss Bates
reputation was re-established when she learned
after weeks of suffering, the exaggerated report;
everywhere in circulation in regard to her, and
brought testimonials Of her innocence, from her
native town, and from the first persons in other
communities, with whom she chanccd to be be-