The Republican journal., 1874-08-20
Scandal.

Iitit - ~ SttIIt NIlt'iG tItt NtlIIlln htI-
| pie play on winter evenings that is called
scandal Every body is familiar with it.
One OF their number whispers 4 secret in
to the ear of her nei@hbor, who straight
way repeats ii privately to another and 50
on till 1T has made the tour OF the circle
| The last report is often found, upon com
| pairing notes, to bear not even Il family
resemblance to the first ! have sometimes
thought that the story of Rebecca Gerrsh
was not unlike this Interesting game OF
| scandal.
''You see, had it in my lap Just where
you had tossed it, said Mrs Random.
/ speaking TO her brother Il was at worl.
with tebeeca Grrrish on my Gold-color"l
| sikh was making 4 sleeve-tor, YOU
know, when | have a drcSS-makcr. am
always economical of the time. and Ito all
the easy parts OF the garment myself,
| though I'm not used 10 work when poor
Random was living | never pul stitch
into any thing | wore, 50 it takes me Il
| great While to doa little wealth is u poor
apprenticeship for dependence and was
| very careful and interested oyer my sleeve,
and didn't take up the bill Immediately 10
pnt it into my pocket. rs intended. and
when heard Tommy tall head first down
the stairs OF course forgot that there was
such q thing as littv-dollar bill in crea-
ton, and jumped up. and away went my
work, thimble. scissors. Spools and what
| not, broadcast And had enough 10 do.
/ promise You, for the next hour and 4 half,
/ TO put bank-billS out of the head OF spec
ulator-Mhat with applying bnttered
brown paper to Tommy's bruises. and
soothing and keeping him from falling
asleep, which. you know, is dangerous
after children get a blow. and then the
! servant @irl wanted to 90 Onl to 4 photo
graphel'S, in order II send reflection OF
herself 10 Ireland; and Mrs 'rritlp called
to ask about that girl We discharged last
month ior Slapping Tommy, andthe white
washer came in the thick of ii. and the
new SWedc dropped the Pudding She was
carrying 10 the oven. and was Obliged
| to make anO1her-ior she doesn't know a
cup from 4 milk-pan in English; and 50
when got back to The SeWing-rOom Re
bccca had picked up my work and finished
II. ana the gown Just looked rs if il was
woven OF Smhcams. and The bill never
! crossed my mind, till she'd put on her
bonnet. oh said then. wall a minute.
want 10 settle with You for the work y0n
have done The last three months You
seq, ! had recl1oned ii up, and the fifty
dollars would Just cover il, for kehccca'S
COL a congcirnce-at least | used Ia thinl.
So; and / put my hand into nv pocket.
and ii all came over me in u Hash Dear.
dear" said /, i must have dropped ii
when | ran ont 10 Tommy How | hate
TO hunt tor any thing on Il carpet. and
mistake every figure and shadow '''
"What is il p she said rs innocent ~
my canary.
.'i's tie Gns--dnll;ar h;!1 ,.,o 4s.;,,a; -
pay Won, | answered at was in my lap
when | heard Tommy tall You didn't
see any thing Of ii when yon picked up
the sleeve ?"
"No," said She; but of course il isn't
lar of And then We GOT on o,n hands
and knees, and burrowed into every hole
and corner don't think there's a square
inch of that floor haven't been over; and
must say ii its as disagreeable to her to
look after any thing on the floor rs ii is 10
me-if it makes her back ache and her
head swim rs ii does mine, thing she
earned it,,
- What do You mean" asked Martin
.angstrath, her brother.
Il mean that we didn't find the bill--at
least l didn't" returned his sister, soni:;-
cantly.
''Wcll?"
''Imno1 so easy rs vou Martin didn't
like the look of it,
''Well, as far as can understand You're
not obliged to look at it
'You won't take my meaning In fact
| ! don't like 10 say il myself, but to the best
of my belief the bill is in Rcbecca Ger
rish's pocket'
Mr. Langstrath started and lrowned an
grily
Il think You will find yourself mis-
taken"
Il hope 50. for | have been really fond
OF Rebecca; | raised her wages myself :;
I've brought her customers
And the servants?"
Not one has entered the dressing room.
\ and locked the door after Rebecca left. =
NO doubt will turn up. 1t has fallen
down a crack OF you have mixed it up
with your tallals. can believe in any
thing sooner than that which You suggest
"Well, time will show"
Mrs. Random was a widow, living with
her brother, Mr.. I.angstrath, 4 single gen
tleman, who kept his own establishment,
and supported his sister and her children
in no niggardly fashion. Rebecca Gerrish
was the only surviving member of 4 family
that had ''seen better days. as her custo-
mers put it. partly because it seemed
more genteel to have their dresses made
by genteWoman to whom the romance
OF misfortune elmg. kebecca'S grand
fathers had ridden in their carriages. had
supplied their table with the iat Of the
land. had stocked their cellar with rare
old wines, Her @randmothcrs had shone
in stiff brocadcs and ialthingalcs. had
had their waiting maids and their jewcle
and laces, had slept beneath eide1doWn
and silken canopirs; but they had left to
poor little Rehecca only ''l sweet attrac
tive sort Of grace 4 native refinement
ana intelligence, that seem the birthri@h;
OF those people whose ancestors have been
gentlemen and ladies for generations, no
matter what their circumstances may be
Rcbrcca was possessed ofan education hat
Wonld have served her well enough If il
had been her fortune TO sit in Il drawing
room and handy airy nothings but which
counted for little in the Great Struggle fol
existence.
In those famous old day the Lang @Stlath-
and Gcrrishes had been intimate friends
on an equal footing OF wealth and culhga
ton; bnt the grandeur Of the one hao
fallen into decadence, while the other still
maintained a fair show of prosperity. So
when Rebecca Gcrrish had decided Il
learn y dress makers trade, and 90 out b,
the day to earn n livelihood, remembering
the legends Of the family greatness, an,
,, not above 4 certain respect for good blood
Mrs. Random had been among the first t.
give Rebecca patronage.
No doubt it gave Mrs. Random panl
to regard Rebecca withcver so little dis
trust-it is always disappointment f
4 find our friends falling short of onr ideal
t and then, too, it showed Mrs. Random
= what she was slow to believe, that evel
good blood may have its backslidings
and, furthermore, Rebecca made the bes
l fits in town, at the lowest prices, had
: unique fancy for trimming, which she wa
5 pleased to call the poetry of dress-making
] and thus it would require great sacriiic
r in her employer to give her up.