The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-09-26

rior airs. You know she's run this So
ciety ever since it was organized"
"Well, there's no denying that she's
made a successful run of it, at all events;
but how happens it that these stories
were never circulated before ?''
because she came among us an en-
tire stranger" said speaker number
two. ''People can't be too careful as TO
whom they associate with. One would
have thought from her department
among US that she was always the very
pink of perfection"
'pm sure we have no reason to doubt
it now, except that she's little late,
and there's nobody else in this crowd
who can show me how to do that work, +"
said number one, arising from her re-
eumbent position and brushing away
the hair from her finely-formed fore
head.
81 don't see" she continued, "why
it is that women are so ready to believe
ill of each other. One would think,
from the way you have been feasting on
the blackened reputation of Mrs. Worth,
that you all delight to feast on offal."
'This conversation is growing per-
sonal," said another. "The accusations
may be true or false, but we should all,
as Christians, suspend our judgment
until the truth is known"
''Why, Mrs. Smith, how can you,
who have daughters of your own, jus
tify such conduct in any woman ?" que
ried speaker number two.
Justify what conduct"
''Afrs. Worth's in leaving her hus-
band and dishonoring his name, steal
ing his children away from him, and
going out to the mines to lead life OF
infamy, and then coming here to i'm
pose herself upon respectable society as
q virtuous woman"
'From what 1 know Of infamous
women, they usually abandon their
children if they have any, and they
never teach school or keep boarders for
a living, either, as Mrs. Worth did, to
my knowledge, in the Mines"
But the friendly chat soon grew to al
most boisterous argument. And the
one or two who had dared to plead her
case were hushed to silence by the
clamor of those whose virtuous indigna-
ton allowed them no room TO doubt
that Ellen Dowd was very wicked.
Suddenly the traduced victim con-
fronted them and stood in silent dig
nifty, while the clamor ceased to a dead
silence and many a cheek was suffused
with bushes.
Ladies'" said Ellen, 'I have heard
all, though I did not intend to listen.
It happened to be convenient for me tc
enter through my neighbor's garden
and that accounts for you not seeing
me, as came up the servants way
The old adage that listeners never heal
any good Of themselves has been fully
: verified in my case. Arrested by un
kind mention of my name, 1 involunta
rily fingered in the hall and hear'
every adverse accusation. Ladies'
will not now call you friends-it is tru
that have a history. 1t is q sad
though not a wicked one. The unjus
suspicious that you cast upon my nam
! 1 most freely forgive, as you are not &C
quainted with the facts. Somebod.,
has been poisoning your minds agains
me, 1 know not and care not whom
But there are two sides to all stories.
ask you now to hear mine. Will 20
= listen ?"
For a moment every tongue wa
mute. Furtive glances in plenty wei
exchanged, but it was evident tha
though all were eager to accede to he
j, request, each one feared to say so les
her neighbor should reproach her fc
giving countenance to a suspecte
:. woman. The silence was painful
Ellen seemed less embarrassed tina
the loudest of her accusers, although
bright glow burned in her cheek an
- her breath grew strangely labored an
\ deep.
) The young lady who had Innocent
? sprung the conversation by alluding
sr her friends a5sense arose to her feet an
a spoke. All eyes were turned upon he
"a 'T move that Mrs. Worth's defense /
postponed till after dinner. Then "
70 shall have the gentlemen present, and
o- am persuaded that her experience wi
= be well worth the hearing"
"You hear the motion; do 1 hear
second?" queried the President.
~, Second" said Mrs. Smith, whi
speaker number two looked dagger
and the elderly woman with angul
~ visage twitched so hard at her butto
hole that her needle was broken a.
NC her hand torn by the friction of t
1" twist she was using.
"Are you ready for the question:"
tT think if we've got to hear a vulg
'le story we'd better have it when no ge
All tlemen are present." said number tv
~ viciously.
as 'rDo 1 look like one who had a vulg
q" story to tell?"
The question was asked with a GU
,er dignity.
NJ Calls Of question" were made
m every hand, and the vote for the eve
cd ing "confession" was unanimous.
A strange silence settled over that
le- ually garrulOus group. Women are
* ways accused by men Of gabbling, VII
"a fnrefher lika 50 many geese. but [