The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-11

a stain that all the water in the creek can
wash out. Oh, it's perfectly awful ant
Miss Nancy threw out her hands patheti
cally, whilst SILVER ran over her angular
frame.
Mrs. Howell's face flushed with displea.
sure What can you mean Miss Nancy
Be careful how you speak, for Mrs. Ches-
ter has many warm friends" Well,'
responded Miss Nancy, lowering her voice
and glancing towards Rita who immed late
ly left the room, "Maria Stewart was COM
! ing along by Mrs. Chester's house last
evening about dark you know Mr.. Chester
is away on business and what should she
see but Mrs. Chester leaning on the arm of
another man and Maria says she saw him
kiss her. Yes, actually kissed her right
on the street, and Mrs. Chester didn't even
blush. 1t is the truth, for Maria belongs
| to church and wouldn't lie. She told Mrs.
Grey about it and Mrs. Grey's little boy
| told Joshua Thompson and their daughter
told me. So you see it comes very straight.
By this time it is all over Elkton, for you
know this is fearful place for gossip. No
one is spared declare when heard it I
was SO dumb founded couldn't speak
Mrs. Chester has always been SO proud, she
needs a lesson and am glad she has re-
ceived it,
Mrs. Howell exchanged rapid glance
with her daughter, then said-"I am very
sorry, Miss Nancy, that such report has
will do your utmost to stem the tide of
falsehood. Mrs. Chester's brother from
China, arrived unexpectedly last evening
and he was, without doubt, the gentleman
is a pure, high-minded woman, and fear
she will feel very much grieved when she
hears this absurd tale''
claw, me"' calculated Miss Nancy,
"you don't say so. 1 know'd the story
wasn't true when 1 heard it. l do hate
people who talk about others, before they
know the report is true"
eyes, said Mrs. Howell, rather signfi-
CauCly, - SO 90 L.
Miss Nancy, however, was irrepressible.
GO suppose you've seen the new minis
ter. They say he is very nice and preach
es excellent sermons. He is very slim,
though-too much on the fence-rail order,
but he is single, so all the girls will be
after him. There are some young women
in this town who act perfectly ridiculous
over the men: but It's no use of talking,
for they continue on.'' "Mamma," said
Rita, coming to the door, "can go down
to uncle Rupert's otficeo' "Certainly,
DEAR
All three watched the pretty child skip
down the avenue before the house, now
covered with a carpet Of tinted leaves.
"That reminds me,' said Miss Nancy,
as Rita's scarlet cloak disappeared around
the corner, I" that it is reported that Mr..
Rupert was considerably damaged by Miss
Nellie SANKEY'S bright eye. l noticed
myself that he isn't so lively as usual,
for you know his Office is near my shop
and for the past week he has appeared very
melancholy" Both Mrs. Howell and her
daughter though that Miss Nancys sur
misses might be correct; but were unwill-
ing to have her think so.
''You are probably mistaken Miss Nam
cy. Here comes Rupert now with Rita.
He does not look very Lowell orn.''
"Well, maybe was mistaken" respond
ed Miss Nancy, rising slowly from her
snug chair, as though unwilling to leave
it. ''But l must bid you good-day, and
give Dan and my two kittens their dinner"
Neither of the ladies tried to detain her
longer, so the bearer of the cotton umbrel-
la passed out of the gates, just as Rupert
with Rita by his side entered the grounds.
ga scandal monger is a walking pesti-
lence," said Mrs. Howell, impatiently snap
ping her thread. "Of all the pests that
affect social life, there is none deserving
more approbrium than a tattler. Rupert
would be very angry, Flora, if he had
heard Miss Nancy's remarks. We had
better keep this mornings news to our
selves"
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