Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-03-06

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tin Langstrath, her brother.
~ mean that we didn't find the
bill-at least I didn't" returned his
sister, Significantly.
"Well?'
"rm not so easy as you, Martin.
l didn't like the looks Of it,
swell, as far as can understand,
you are not obliged to look tor it,"
"You won't take my meaning. In
fact, l don't like to say it myself,
but to the best of my belief, the bill
is in Rebecca Gerrish's pocketn'
Mr.. Langstrath started, and frown-
ed angrily.
81 think you will find yourself
mistaken"
81 hope so, for l have been really
fond of Rebecca; l raised her wag-
es myself; I've brought her custo-
mers." 1.;
"Aad the serysrts?' :
"Not one has entered the dressing
room, and locked the door after
Rebecca went out"
"No doubt it will turn up. 1t has
fallen down a crack, or you have
mixed it up with your fallals. l can
believe in anything sooner than
that which you suggest"
"Well, time will show"
Mrs. Random was widow living
with her brother, Mr.. Langstrath, a
single gentleman, who kept his own
establishment, and supported his
sister and children in no niggardly
fashion. Rebecca Gerrish was the
only surviving member of a family
that had "seen better days." as her
customers put it, partly because it
seemed more genteel to have their
dresses made by gentlewoman to
whom the romance of misfortune
clung. Rebecca's grandfathcrs had
ridden in their carriage, had sup
piled their table with the fat of the
land, had stocked their cellar with
rare old wines. Her grandmothers
had shown in stiff brocades and far
thingalcs, had had their waiting.
maids and jewels and laces, had
slept beneath elder down and silken
canopies; but they had left to poor
little Rebecca only"a sweet, attract
i've sort of grace" a native refine
ment and Intelligence, that seems
the birthright of those people whose
ancestors have been gentlemen and
ladies for generations, no matter
what their circumstances may be.
Rebecca was possessed Of an edu-
cation that would have served her
well enough ii it had been her for
tune to sit III q drawing-room and
handy airy nothings, but which
counted for little in the great strug-
gle for existence.
In those famous old days the
Langstraths and the Gcrrishes had
been intimate friends, on an equal
footing of wealth and cultivation;
but the grandeur Of the one had fal.
len into dccadencc, while the other
still maintained fair show of pros
perity. So when Rebecca Gerrish
had decided to learn dress max
er's trade, and go out by the day to
earn livelihood, remembering the
legends of the family greatness, and
not above certain respect for good
blood, Mrs. Random had been
among the first to give Rebccca
patronage.
No doubt it gave Mrs. Random q
pang to regard Rebecca with ever
SO little distrust-it is always dis
appointment to find our friends fall
ing short of our ideal; and then, too,
it showed Mrs. Random, what she
was slow.to believe, that even good
blood may have its backslidings;
and, furthermore, Rebecca made
the best fits in town, at the lowest
prices, had unique fancy for trim
ming, which she was pleased to call
the poetry of dress-making; and
thus it would require a great sacri-
flee in her employer to give her up.
But Mrs. Random was not one to
take the blame Of any accident upon
herself if there was any proxy at
hand; besides, she was by nature
suspicious, and when her mind had
once received an idea it closed firm
ly upon it, like bivalve ON an in
truding substance; and it would
have required all angel from heaven
to disabuse her mind Of prejudice.
Moreover, who knows if she had not
observed the growing interest of
Mr.. Langstrath in the little dress
maker who spent so many hours be-
meath his roof, under whose hand
dry goods blossomed into such per-
feet toilettes, which he could not
choose but admire? There was no
earthly objection to Rebecca her.
eelf-every inch a lady, and as
sweet as Il new rose. But what
would Mis-. Grundy say should q
Langstrath ally himself to a working
girl? There were new people in
Elmwood society who knew not 10
seph, but whose opinion was of val
ne to Mrs. Random. And there is
a class of women who dislike to see
themselves supplantcd even in the
affections Of brother, or in the
management Of pleasant home.
Mrs. Random knew by instinct that
the part Of second fiddle at Elm
Place would prove utterly discord-
ant to her feelings. Yet not for the
world, nor for all the Kingdoms
thereof, would she have charged
such thing as this to Rebecca's
account if circumstances had not
put it out of the question for mind
constituted like hers to repel the
suspicion. If the facts had not |
seemed to prove it, Mrs. Random
would have been the last person to
willingly imagine such scandal.
She did not discharge Rebecca at
once from her employment, but she
watched her and was conscious that |
Langstrath watched her too, with a
sort of miserable, heart-aching anx-
iety. But the bill did not put in an
appearance, though they left no
stone unturned. Langstrath order.
cd the carpet in the sewing-room to
be taken up: arat had been known
to carry off valuables to his nest.