The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-03-23

II received this letter." continued
Mrs. Beale, "tbis morning. 1t waa
written openly, as my dear Antoinette
alvays writes to me, and, doubtless,
without an idea that it would be shown
all round the family circle"
$50 likely" said Marion ;"as though
it had not been pcnned with that ex-
press intention p
"Bot in an evil moment" continued
Mrs. Beale, shaving permitted your ST.
ter Marion to peru$e it, this is the re-
sultv - Aud with that she waved her
band all round the room, as though to
call the bedposts, and other intelligent
articles present, to witness that she
washed her hands Of the responsible
ity.
"How it came about" replied
Eugenia, "siyniies nothing. 1 have
been told too much, or too little. I must
insist upon hearing the contents of that
letter."
"Oh! I have no desire to keep them
from you" said her mother, nervously,
for she was very doubtful how the cr-
deal would end for her beloved An.
toinette "but Of one thing I am GER
tain, whether these reports are true or
false"
"Mamma !" how can you iusiuuate
even doubt upon the subject p ex-
Gained Marion. "How could they be
true? If it were possible, Eugenia
would no longer be Eugenia to US! 1
would as soon suspect myself"
"Whether they are true or false," re-
peated Mrs. Beale, With an obstinacy
which she knew would further irritate
Mrs. E.li>t t, II am sure Of ono thing,
that your dear sister must have had
very good authority for repeating them
to me and that if an error has been
committed, it is on the part Of those
who fabricated aud told them to her.
Having heard them, I consider she is
perfectly justified in writing them to
me-"
"Pertectly,'' said Eugenia, who, in
the face Of her mothers dubious glances
and Marion's unsuspicious trust, felt as
though she were passing over bot
ploughshares; 'but let me hear them.
I cannot say if they are false, until I
know what they are"
At this Mis-. Elliot heaved a pro
found sigh, which cut her sister to the
heart; and Mrs. Beale, having directed
one searching glance at the pal., patient
face before her, settled her spectaclcs to
her comfort, aud commenced to read
the somewhat lengthy epistle which
she held.
"Hum Thanks for the money
dance at the. Assembly Rooms'-'white
satin'-'wretcbed children got the
mumps'-that's not it," she murmur-
ed, running her eye down the first page
"'YOu never men:ioned'-ah here it
is 'You never mentioned to me that
Eugeoia had been to towo again. Who
did she 60 to seey Charley Oswald
who met her at the station (by appoint.
ment, l presume, only he won't say 50,
he is so very deep about all his little
o6uirs du ceur,) says she was driven
10 tho direction Of the Strand. VIII
lives in the Strand? Docs Mr.. Geof
frey Garden p"
At this juucture, Marion exclaimed
"Sbameful p and her quick breathing
showed how she repudiated the calum
ny ; but Eugeuia only turned a shad
paler than before, and pressed her lip
firmly together as she said, in a 10,
voice:
$50 on"
"'You will call me very suspicious
dear old mumsey," continued Mrs
Beale, still reading from Aotoinette
letter, "'but I am not writing withou
good authority for what l say. I hav
80 often been accused Of flirting m,
self-not by you, dear mother, but b
certain Of your household ir
deed so she has, and most unjustly,
said Mrs Beale, par parenthese, an
with slde-glance at the delinquer
Marion-"'t:,at I think it is but fair
) myself to let you know that others e
on just as badly, if not worse, than
} do. Not that I sould wish to say
word against my sister Eugeula (wb'
object could have in doing so p ou]
; people will be ill-natured enough
talk about such things, and I shoul
like to be able to refute all rumor
Mr.. Garden is in England "-at tn
sentence, Mrs. Archer's sudden sta
and change Of color were but too patel
to both her companions-"Fand Eug
MIA is in constant communication wit
some unknown correspondent, wbol
she addresses as "P. O., Post-cfic
Chsriog Cross" (thts, I am sure, st
will not deny to you,) which, added
the fact that Mr.. Garden is we'll know
to have been great admirer of hers
Calcutta, will, Of course, give room t'
all sorts OF speculations. I don't 81
her trip to London was to see Geohre
, Garden, but it would be satisfactory
be able 70 say, positively, whom she d'
visit, if only to stop the suggestions
that wretch Charley Oswald, who,
believe, derives considerable aid fro
. the greeu.eyed monster in inventiu
and propagating his wicked little r
mors.'"