The Republican journal., 1874-08-20

49, -'-A''N'
knows il she had not observed the grow
ING interest Of Nh Langstrath in the littl'
dress maker who spent so many hours be
meath his root, under whose hands dry
goods blossomed into such perfect toilettes
which he could not choose but admire
There was no earthly objection to Rebeccf
herselt-eyerv inch a lady, ard rs swee
aS new rose. But what would Mrs
Glrndy say should Langstrath ally him
Sell to 4 working girl? They were new
people in ElmWood society who knew moi
Joseph, but whose opinion was Of value
to Mrs. Random. And then there is 4 elias:
Of women who dislike to see themselves
>llpplanted even in the affections Of I
brother. or IN the management of 4 pleas
ant home. Mrs. Random knew by instinct
that the part OF second fiddle ut Elm Place
would prove uttcr Y discordant to her feel
mgS Yet not for the world would she
have charged such a thing as this to Re
beccas account ii circumstances had not
put ii out OF the question for a mind CON
Stitutcd like hers 10 repel the suspicion
Ii the facts had not seemed to prove it,
Mrs Random would have been the last
person to Wiplully 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. witha sort of miserable
heart-achin@ anxiety But the bill did not
pat in an appearance, though they left no
stone nntnrncd. Langstrath ordered the
carpet in the scWng-room TO be taken up
4 raj had been known to carry oil value
abes to his nest. But there was no RAJ
hole to be found. and no bin either
"lt's not the money! said he II woult
give all have to find the fi1v-dollar billr'
Mrs Random hardly echoed the sentiment
Erhceca had lately appeared at church in
a blue silk that would stand alone. She
had moi been in the habit Of indnlging in
such luVnlics she conld i'll afford them
"Did Yon see Rcbecca to-day?" Mrs.
Random asked her brother
'CertainlN lN'-a little moroscly, As II he
thought it hard enough upon him to be
obliged to perceive another proof Of her
"Strm9c She hl, never bought herself
4 silk before She once told me She never
should while She had to WORK for hcr 1iN
inc.
"Wm cold and you may wear it Y" hr
returned. putting 4 bold face on it,
"Oh certainly: but that Blue sill, mast
have cost three dollars ward. If il cost 4
cent
''rhcn tii!y dollars couldn't have bought
it, he replied; but he was tar from easy.
What Il difference il would have made Ia
him could he have known that the six
dress was present from friend in i dis
tant country who had just cone into
mourning,
"Wcll, time win show, said MR.. Ran
dom BW time seemed in no hurry 10
show. When Miss t,errish came to the
house Mrs Random observed that Lang
Slralh did not find il 50 convenient n il
had once seemed 10 drop in To lunch. 10
make an errand 10 go into the sewing
room. 10 walk home with her to her lodr-
ing7 nj twilight, and spend the evening.
There had been a time when lie had invil-
ed her TO concert and lectures: had given
her little keepsahes. and consulted her
taste with regard TO the hanging of pie
GurrG. or any Improvements in The house
as one whom such things concerned
Now Mrs. Random saw, With some pitv
and more pleasure thai All this was NJ IN
end. tTsar'4 wife should be above su
lp,i,G,il.on. Vet he treated Kehccca wMith, q
day Mrs Random found il more to her
purpose TO have her Gowns made in the
city. ...
''Do tell me why You no longer employ
Miss Gerrish 2" asked Mrs. Sharply.
"Weren'l you satisfied with her fits"
ooh, perfectly; but | can't bear TO do
her injury, yon see Well. to tell the
truth, | lost confidence in her Now, pray,
don't speak Oft outside. wouldn't have
it get abroad for the world; but feel
confident that can rely on your discre-
ton. You see there was a tiity-dollar
bill'-and 50 the whole story came out
''Bul You have no evidence" said Mrs
Sharply
"Onlv circumstanlial evidence But
YOU know there q const"ain, III having
suspicious people about one She was
making my gold-colored silk at the time,
and | must say I've never enjoyed The
dress since
Mrs Sharply directly mentioned the
facts to her sister-in-laW. harmless little
woman who resembled bonny-clabber
and who always jumped up in a chair if a
mouse ran across the floor. Mrs. Sharp
Tvs sistcr-in-law spoke OF ii incidentally
at her Cousins, and was overheard BY
Mary Moriarty, who was taking some
dishes through the slide in the china
closet Mary Immediately communicated
the titbit to her crony, who was making !
call, and whose husband did the chores
for 4 rival dress-maker who had always
W.
1t was not long before the story got to bs
pretty widely circulated, and Becky
work began 10 drop off accordingly
Such additions had been ingratted upoI
the original stock that it is possible Mrs
Random herself would have been puzzlc(
TO find the tact with which it had started
in the perfected report People did not 81
much care to believe evil Of such I
pleasant girl Us Becky, but they care {,
have something to talk and speculate
about, to vary the monotony Of thei
lives Thus when Mrs. PIy said, If th
girl took thai bill. you may rest assured i
wasn't the tirst otfensc.7 her remark wa
added, bv way Of interest TO the oriGina
amount and when Mrs. Minns. was hear'
to declare that for her part "She didn'
care 4 SOll-markce how many dead gentle
mcn-iolks persons had to back EN-, Sh
didn't ihinl, il made wickPdnasG Gcntcnl.
Of course Bccky's case was lost
If some insinnations Of the reason tn
this loss OF patronage reached Becky
they were loo indefinite and contradictory
to enable her to trace the scandal TO ii
source and even il she could have don
so il was Too laie-thc injury was com
ple1e. She had only her word with whirl
to suhstantiatc her innocence and ii Mr.
t'rnndy had not placed dependence npo
her character, what value would she J.
likely 10 attach 10 that? So Becky To-
caste; only the poorer portion Of III
community brought their dry goods to
her to fashion, and presently even The
came 10 be afraid oi losing their piece
complained Of the quantity of stnf3
look for 4 gown, without taking into a'
count the extra tlouncing and lurhin
which the styles demanded.
One morning Becky found herself j
debt to her landlady, and, throwing he
patterns and tashion-plates into the fire
| she went to the oycrsecr Of the Warp IN
| Wool Mills and begged employment q