Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-02-19
SCANDAL.

There is game which the young peo-
pie play on winter evenings that Is called
scandal Everybody is familiar with Ii.
One Of their number whispers secret
into the ear of her neighbor, who straight.
way repeats ii privately to another, and
10. ea till IL has made the tour OF the circle.
The last report Is often found, upon com.
pairing notes, 10 bear not even a family
resemblance to the first. | have some.
times thought that the story Of Rebecca
Gerrish was not unlike this interesting
gatp,a9f scandal.
"Y0G see, had II In my lap just where
y0u had tossed it, said Mrs. Random,
speaking 10 her brother. II was at work
with Rebecca Gerrish ON my gold.colored
sikh was making sleeve--for, you
know, when / have dressmaker, ! am
always economical Of the time and do all
the easy parts OF the garment myself,
though I'm not used TO work; when poor
Random was living never put stitch
into anything | wore, 80 Ii takes me a
great while 10 do lttle--wealth Is poor
apprenticeship for dependence--and l
was very careful and interested over my
sleeve, and didn't take up the bill imme-
diately to put IL into my pocket, as in.
tended; and when / heard Tommy fall
head first down the stairs OF course for.
got that there was such thing as a fifty.
dollar bill In creation, and | jumped up,
and away went my work, thimble, scis-
sors, spools, and what not, broadcast
And had enough 10 do, promise you,
for the next hour and half TO put bank.
bills out OF the head of aspeculator what
with applying buttered brown paper TO
Tommy's bruises, and soothing and keep.
ing him from falling asleep, which, you
know, is dangerous after children get a
blow; and then the second girl wanted TO
go out TO a photographers, in order TO
send u reflection of herself TO Ireland !;
and Mrs Trifie called 10 ask about that
girl we discharged last month for slap
ping Tommy, and the Whitewater came
In the thick OF 1t, and the new Swede
dropped the pudding she was carrying TO
the oven, and | was Obliged to make
another--for she doesn't know cup from
milk-pan in English; and so when got
back 10 the sewing-room Rebecca had
picked up my work and finished ii, and
the gown just looked as If 1t was woven
out of sunbeams, and the bill never cross
ed my mind till she'd put on her bonnet.
Oh said / then, wait minute. want
10 settle with you for the work you've
done the last three months, You see,
had reckoned II up, and the fifty dollars
would just cover II, for Rebecca's got a
conscience--at least used TO think so
and put my hand into my pocket, and ID
all came over me in q fash. Dear, dear =
said /. 4 must have dropped It when ]
ran out to Tommy. How hate TO hunt
for anything on carpet, and mistake
every figure and shadowp
"'What is it' said she, as innocent as
my canary.
n'Its the flfty-dollar bill was going
to pay you, answered. 1T was In my
lap when / heard Tommy fall. You
didn't see anything Of 1t when you picked
up the sleeves'
"No, said she; but Of course II isn't fal
off, And then we got down on our hands
and knees, and burrowed into every hole
and corner. l don't think there's square
inch of that floor haven't been over; and
must say If it's as disagreeable TO her tt
look after anything on the floor a. II IL Z
me, IL II makes her back ache and hel
head swim as it does mine, ! think sh'
earned itl''