Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-01-10
The .Myrtleville Scandal.

rival at Mrs. Muffit's early in the fore
noon, evidently in state of great ex-
element and full of news. With an
air of profound mystery she drew Mrs.
Muilit from tho garden to the sitting
room, and said to her:
What do you think has happened? ?"
Now Mrs. Sawyer was we'll known in
Myrtleville as newsy," as one who
lost no opportunities of collecting the
most reliable and startling items of in
formation regarding the sayings of the
Myrtlcvillians. Accordingly Mrs. Muf-
fit prepared her mind for tidinss Of
moment.
"What is it 2" she asked, settling
down in chair for good talk
You'll not tell told you?"
"Never."
Because, you see, it wasn't intended
for me to hear. just went over to
Mrs. Seymour's this morning, and Mrs.
4AltciN WIS III tuclc, uItt tlC uOOi olOOu
open, and couldn't but hear what was
said, you know and"
" But what was it t?' cried Mrs. Muf-
fit, as Mrs. Sawyer paused for breath.
Fred Seymour and Belle Granger
have eloped."
Elopedw
Mrs. Seymour was just telling Mrs
Kitely as l went in. AS soon as they
saw me coming they began to talk
about the news in this mornings paper
but YOU can't throw me off the track in
that way.'
"Oh, my goodness!' cried Mrs.
Mutlit, suddenly, as if some inspiration
had seized her.
" You've heard something, too?"
cried the widow.
"No, but l saw Belle Granger this
morning, quite early, passing here in
the direction Of the station, and she had
on her travelling dress, and her water
proof, and carried her satchel."
"Goingto to meet him hy the eight o.
clock train Oh, the sly, deceitful
thing! Think of her poor father!'
And her sick mother. It's awful!
And everybody knows Fred Seymour is
as good as engaged to Susy Belknap"
There! I'll so right over to Bel
knap's," cried Mrs. Sawyer. " Some
body ought to break it gently to Susan.
Poor girl! No wonder they went off
slyly.'
And away bundled Mrs. Sawyer to
find Mrs. Belknap and Susy in the sit
tinS-room, sewing. 1t was a keen sat-
isfaction to tell the news there, for Mrs.
Belknap, being in delicate health, and
possessing ample means, kept servant,
and lived in Il style of rein ement that
Myrtleville generally condemned as
" putting on airs"
10 take her " down peg" as Mrs.
Sawyer mentally resolved to do, was a
vulgar triumph she enjoyed greatly in
anticipation. But it was anticipation
only.
Mrs. Belknap and her daughter re-
ceived the news in a quiet way, as if the
gossip possessed no especial interest for
them, asking no qustions and manifest
ing no chagrin.
The story had grown a little on its
way through Mrs. Muffit's sitting-room,
and Mrs. Sawyer had now full de-
scription of the runaway brides CO.'S
tune, and the train too has specified by
which the young couple Travelled.
But after Mrs. Sawyer had gone to
take her news elsewhere, Susy turned
very pale face to her mother, asking,
"Oh, mama, can it be true %
81 will so over to Mrs. Seymours,
dear, if you wish it..
" Not for the world. If it is true we
must never let any one know how we
feel it, she said. And her lip quiv
cred. Fortunately no one knows we
are actually engaged. If it is not true
-"
cts seems to come very direct"
said Mrs. Belknap, as she drew her
daughter into a close, mothe,ly en-
brace. "Mrs. Sawyer is q terrible
gossip and busybody, but I never knew
her to be guilty of absolute falsehood."
" Mrs. Kitely is very intimate with
Mrs. Seymour. 1 have heard Fred say
they were schoolmates. Soft is quite
natural for her to be telling Mrs. Kitely
md speak of something else when Mrs.