New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-13

had given her little keepsakes, and con-
suited her taste with regard to the hanging
Of pictures. or any improvements in the
house, - one whom such things concerned.
Now Mrs. Random saw with come pity and
more pleasure that al this was at an end.
CBsar's wife should be above suspicion.
Yet he treated Rebecca with . courtesy
that tried to be cordial, and one day Mrs.
Random found it more to her purpose to
have her 6 owns made in the city.
''Do tell me why you no longer employ
Miss Gerrish ?" asked Mrs. Sharpley.
"Waren't You satisfied with her fits T.
'Dh, perfectly: but can't bear to do her
an injury, you see. Well. to tell the truth,
] lost confidence in her! Now pray don't
speak Of it outside. l wouldn't have it get
abroad for the world; but l feel confident
that l can rely on your discretion. You see,
there was fifty dollar bill'-and so the
whole story came out.
But You have no evidence" said Mrs.
Sharpley.
"Only circumstantial evidence. But, you
know, there's a cOnstraint in having sue
picious people about one. She was making
my gold cOlored silk at the time, and must
say I've never enjoyed the dress SINCE"
Mrs. Sharpley dlscreetly mentioned the
facts to her sister-in-law, q harmless little
woman, who resembled bonny-clabber. and
who always jumped up in chair if mouse
Idu dCIOcc tuc uUOE. MIS- DudTHIcy . b66I-
ln-law spoke of it incidentally at her c0u-
sins, and was overheard by Mary M0riarty.
who WAS taking some dishes through
slide in the china closet. Mary Immediately
communicated the tidbit to her crOny, who
was making . call, and whose husband did
the chores for rival dressmaker, who had
always coveted Beckys aristOcratic GUS
TONERS. IL was not long before the story
got pretty widely circulated. and Becky's
WnPk ka0Qn n 6rOv nf QppnP6inOfV mich
additions had been ingrsfted upon the
original stock that it is possible Mrs. Ran
dom herself would have been puzzled to
lind that fact with which it had started in
the perfect report People did not so much
care to believe evil OF such pleasant girl
as Becky, but they cared to have something
to talk and speculate about, to vary the
monotOny Of their lives. Thus, when Mrs.
Pry said, IF the girl took that bill, you
may rest assured it wasn't the first offense,'
her remark was added. by way of interest,
to the original amount; and when Mrs.
Mines was heard to declare that for her
part "she didn't care 3 sOu-markee how
many gentlemenfolk persons had to back
em, che don't think it made wickedness
genteel," of course Beck's case was lost.
If some insinuatiOns of the reason for this
loss of patronage reached Becky, they were
too indefinite and contradictory to enable
her to trace the scandal to its source; and
even If she could have done 30. it was too
late-the injury was complete. She had
only her word with which to substantiate
her innocence. and if Mrs. Grundy had not
placed dependence Upon her character, what
value would she be likely to attach to that?
So Becky lost caste; only the poorer portion
of the community brought their dry goods
for her to fashion, and presently even they
came to be afraid of losing their pieces com.
planned of the quantity Of stuff it took for q
gown. without taking into account the extra
touncing and ruching which the new styles
demanded.
One morning Becky found herself in debt
to her landlady, and throwing her patterns
and fashion plates into the fire, she went to
the overseer of the Warp and Wool Mills,
and begged employment Of course she
got it. Honesty wasn't q necessary qualiti-
cation for weaving cotton. Mr.. Derris
thought he knew more than one of the
hands who helped herself of the company's
web, few yards at time. But then he
believed that if you wish TO make people
good, you must keep them busy and out of
want. He used to say that taking away q
girls employ uent because she's Q sinner, is
the same thing as sending her to perdition
by lightning express. He had heard the
reports about Becky-as who had not?-but
the moment he saw her he said to himself:
They're pack of lies; nobody could
look and speak like that and break the COM
Eaandments too"
of watching her. he paid her the compli-
ment Of belle ing in her at once.
The fashions underwent a transformation
the next autumn. This might seem to bear
no relation to the fortunes of such an in.
significant being as Becky, if We were not
often admonished that help comes to ms
from unexpected sources. A few people in
Paris undertook to dictate paniers and
basques, and total change of design in the
general toilette, without a suspicion that
they we're effecting revolution in the al
fairs of little mill girl in America.
Mrs. Random took down the gold colOred
silk and looked at it with profound sigh.
1t was utterly out of fashion and it had cost
much! But in virtue Of its being very long
and full, there was a pleasing probability
that it might be worked into an Overskirt
and basque, with open sleeves. She had
always detested those close sleeves, they
were so angular and made her feel all arms
and elbows; and then she began 20 wish
that Rebecca Gerrish was at hand to effect
the change, for Miss Stitchly was forty
miles away up two flights of stairs with the
varoloid next door. Therefore Mrs. Ran
dom was fain to take her own scissors and
the gold colored elk aud sit down to it, in
imminent peril Of Tommy g bread and butter
little stitches Becky had put into it! OF
what had she been thinking during the pro-
cess? Had che been making up her mind to
keep the bill9 If the stitches could be in
terpreted like the telegraphic symbols,
would they tell the story of her struggle?
Langstrath came in to tea while Mrs.
Random was rippirg the last sleeve.
What are you about" he asked
"im tipping my gold -colored silk" said
ahn. tsit has oil UOnA hVv
''I'm glad of it." he returned with Sigh.
~ wish it had never been begun. 1t makes
me shulder every time look at it,"
"Then don't look at it," she said Grossly.
"Dear me, should think she had stitched
this piping with q cast iron thread. There!
Oh, Martin! See here! Oh, poor Becky!
"What is 1T" he asked, starting at the
name-"what is it'
"See! Look! It's the fifty dollar bill! The
very one! here, under the lining of my
sleAve!"
True enough. It had doubtless slipped in
there when she dropped them all together
to run and pick up Tommy; and there it had
waited an opportunity Of proving Becky's
innocence!
That very evening Langstrath hunted up
Becky's boarding house, asked for private
interview, wherein he begged her forgive.
ness, and pleaded the love be had never
been able to conquer, and ended by Offering
her the first place in his heart and home.
But he was little tardy.
II don't mind owning" confessed Becky,
"that once would have given all the world
to hear you speak like this; but now, Mr..
Langstrath. can not find any love in my
heart for q man who has shown such an
utter want of faith in me. Ten thousand
angels would not have shaken my CONT
dence in YOU at that time"
"Yet nv love has survived yOurs.v he