The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-12-10


ing his wife the whole story, but on sec
ond thought he restrained the Impulse.
Sure in his own fatherly confidence in
his gentle, modest child that there was
some mistake admitting explanation, he
said nothing. After all, it was a subject
of Generalization that none Of the busy
bodies Of Myrtleville had invaded the
sick-room, and he easily made some triv
ial excuse for going out again. He was
determined to sift the gossip thoroughly
before alarming the invalid, and his first
visit was to the telegraph Office at the
railway station.
s.Is Belle at your house?'' flashed over
the wires, and was carried to hand
some house in the city.
eyes. VIII be down on the next
train,'' was the answer; for poor Belle
imagined that there was death or fright
full illness, to cause her fathers mes
sage, when a visit to her aunt's was
sl1ch q common occurrence.
Satisfied on this point, Mr.. Granger
quietly waited until the train came in,
walked up Main street with his daughter
on his arm, left her at home, and start
ed out to defy all AIyrtleyille.
From house to house he travelled with
exemplary patience, and followed the
snake-like coils of the story till he faced
Mrs. Sawyer, who earnestly assured
him
Mrs. Seymour and Mrs. kitely were in
the sitting-room as [ came in the back
way through the kitchen. They were
talking, and just as I got to the door
Mrs. Seymour told Mrs Kitely that her
son and Belle Granger had eloped. They
saw me then, and Mrs. Seymour said,
very carelessly:
ssHere are the morning papers, Mrs.
Kitely, just to change the converse
ton
ssAnd you rushed off to carry the news
all over Myrtleville,' said LII. Granger.
"WeIl, [ thought it must be true,
| from such an authority.
"Pshaw! You misunderstood what
was said
81 tell you I heard her as plain as I
hear you now.
''Telling Mrs. Kitely her son and my
daughter had eloped?''
eyes, I'd swear it on my OATH" and
| Mrs Sawyer, as If there were several
other ways Of swearing if she chose to
take her choice.
Suppose you step over to Mrs. Kite
ly's with me.
ssWell, I will
But to Mrs. SaWyer's discomfort Mrs.
Kitely denied the story entirely. Mrs.
Seymour had never given her any such
information, either in confidence or 9th
erwise. Mrs. Sawyer tearfully persist
ed in her story, and finally the trio went
to Mrs. Seymour's.
The hero Of our story was at home by
this time, and eating his supper when
the visitors entered
It was an awkward story to tell, but
it was told, and Mrs. Seymour's face
was the picture of indignant surprise.
ZIP she cried; 81 say my Fred had
eloped with Belle Granger2 Why. Mrs
Sawyer, you surely must be dreaming."
s'You said sol heard you," sobbed
the widow.
''You said distinctly Belle Granger
ran away with my son this morning. F."
At this moment Mrs. Seymour burst
into Fit of uncomfortable laughter, to
the great CONSERVATION of her audience.
She laughed till she was obliged to
wipe the tears from her eyes; when,
catching sight of Mr.. Changers dis
trrbed face, she said, with sudden
gravity:
''Pardon me, Mr.. Granger, [ see [
have most innocently caused you seri-
Gus annoyance. The truth Of the story
is this: Fred, as you know, has all the
morning papers sent to him on the ear
y train, and many of the neighbors
come in to borrow them. Mrs. Kitely
always likes to see the San, and I save
it for her; but this morning your daugh
er stopped on her way to the depot for a
paper to read as she rode to the city,
and took the San. When Mrs Kitely
came for the papers [ said to her, Belle
has run away with my Sun this morn
ing"
&C And all Myrtleville has been busy
with the scandal Mrs. Sawyer manufac-
tured out of your remark cried Mr..
Granger. 81 can only hope she will be
as active IN contradicting as she was in
circulating it,
But to this day Mrs. Sawyer persists
| in declaring that she can't see whore she