The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-02-16

NOsOl. r..
married woman, whereas I don't be-
ieve I am . bit worse than apv one |
else." |
"Who has dared to accuse you, nv
dear?" asked Mrs. Beale, Indignantly.
"Oh, never mind, mamma"-wi,h a
look OF tragic resignation in the direc-
ton Of Marion Elliot. "ThiDgs have
been said, but my maxim has always
oeen to take no notice of repetitions.
All desire is to live in peace with nv
family. However, this has nothing to
do with Eugenia, excepting that
Charley Oswald and I got on some
topic of the kind one evening at the
Southmere Band. when l asked him if
my sister were not ve'y much admired
In Calcutta. very much ADMIRED be
replied, and very much run utter; she
had at least dozen followers" when
L LETT the place. 'Ob, desr,' I said, i
thought was the only one Of the FAM
l'y who was wicked enought to Airt ;
and then he told me I was very
much mistaken, and that Eugenia had
bad a regular affair with a doctor there
or stay, was it doctor or lawyer ?
Il am not quite sure which; but any
way, there was great talk about it,
and Henry was obliged to turn the
man out of his house !"
my dear Autoiuette you don't
mean to say, seriously, it went so far
as that" exclaimed her mother, in
real dismay.
"Mamma-mamma!" said Marion,
"you are never going to give any ere
dence to such idle tales as these. Were
it allowable in us, to listen to any sto-
ries against dear Eugenia behind her
back, it would surely not be to rumors
gathered nnder such circumstances and
from such source.
"And pray, what do you know of
Charley Oswald, Marion, that you
should doubt his word ?" asked Mrs
Lennoz, in her turn.
"Nothing, Antoinet:e; excepting
that man who could jest on 50 serious
a subject to the sister of the woman he
spoke lightly of could have had no re-.
spect for you, tor her, or for himself
and, perhaps, as little for the truth.
Had you asked Captain Oswald for his
authority for tho scandal. he would pro-
baby have turned the subject. I hate
to listen to such vague rumors I! They
are often as mischievous in promoting
domestic uuhappiuess as though they
had been true"
Her manner was so earnest, and SO
stern, that the other shrunk before it,
half-abashed but timidity had little
place in Mrs. Lennox's composition,
and in another minute she hal recover
ed her temporary confusion.
eff you had had the pollteness to
let me finish my story" she continued,
"you would have seen that It does net
all consist Of vague rumors. Charley
Oswald had good authority for what he
said he mentioned names, and"
Il refuse to hear them!'' said Mar
ion, Indignantly, as she rose. from her
seat. IL refuse to sit quietly here and
listen to such infamous insinuations
against my own dear sster-the dear.
est companion and one Of the best
friends have in the world I don't
believe word against her! I don't
believe she ever firted, or behaved in
any way calculated to bring disgrace
upon herself or US. I believe her, tc
all intents and purposes, to be as pure
and innocent now as she was upon the
day she left US and no woman can be
pure, Antoinette, who has frittered
away her love of truth for the sake o1
. pandering to her love of admiration. y
"a compliment to me, 1 suppose p
laughed Mrs. Lenuox. "Well, Marion
I'm used to those from your lips. Any
way, you do not believe me, and
; fancy I am actuated by ill-nature in re
peating what I have to you, try Eu.
genla yourself. Ask her if she was
not very intimate with certain Geof-
frey Garden (the little boys name is
Geoffrey, did you not tell me e?-qu,te
coincidence y and what her husband
thought of the acqualntanceship."
II shall ask her no such thing !'
said Mrs. Elliot, as she prepared to
! quit the room. Il wonld not insult
her by putting such question p
"Oh very we'll ; if you don't dig for
Truth, you know, you'll never 6nd her
She lives at the bottom of q well-aud
generally, very deep one. But, ii
you keep your eyes and ears open,
dare say you will hear and see little
more about it by-aud-by. Am I really
frightening you out Of the room?"
~ am going to the Children" replied
Mrs. Elliot, coldly, and thereupon she
found her way to the nursery, and
thought. as she sat Grooming in chair
with the little weary Claude Godfrey,
who had been crying for his mother
all the forenoon, lying half-asleep in
her arms, that if Eugeuia, with her
pure, sad face and wistful eyes, were
liable to be made the subject Of so gross
a scandal, no woman 10 the world was
safe from the attacks of calumny.
And yet though she did not believe
that her dear sister had been guilty