Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-02-17

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tanned a well nigh mortal shock But
whether Florence had done this from
conviction that the generous heart
and the noble mind, and not wealth
material, were the proper passports to
distinction, or whatever may have
been her motive, she was manifestly
quite unsuccessful in the accomplish
ment Of the scheme and failed TO gain
the appreciation Of either class to any
extent, as those whom she had essay
ed to elevate to a social equality with
her own class, only in most instances
Regarded her effort with distrust, and
suspected that there were some sinis-
ter motive lurking beneath the affair.
But though her popularity with The
people of Myrtlcdalc was, from these
acts, beginning to be undermined,
vet she continued to retain her place
in the social rank--t0 all outward ap-
pearanccs, at leaSt-and was hardly
conscious Of any serious setting of the
tide OF popular favor against her But
the watchlul people Of Myrtledale
We're in truth only waiting the favor
able opportlmlty-the fitting moment
to express their disfavor, and this
opportunity they soon had, as we
have already foreshadowcd. So, all
at once the social atmosphere Of Myr-
tledalc was rife with whispers that
there was something wrong with Mrs.
Florence Brown though exactly
sch0t that something was, but few in
the earlier phases of the scandal could
tell. Perhaps Tor the good reason
that it had only been vaguely intima-
ted as yet by the reluctant post office
officials Of the town, by which officials
it afterwards purported to have its
origin in this wise Mrs. Florence
Brown had few weeks since mailed
a letter addressed to John Marland,
New York. So far, however. there
was certainly no evidence Of wrong
nor tho ronotcet ground 70, ouspiUlvtl.
But when she subsequently requested
the postmistress to do her the favor
to give only into her hands such let
ters as should come addressed to her
there was sufficient eyidencc-at least
so the good ostmisress reflected
that Mrs. Florence Brown was not
''just what she should be- But the
postmistress as yet kept her suspic-
ions to herself, and not until these
letters had been passing to and fro for
several successive weeks, did she de.
termine that it was "too much to
longer brook in silence THAT Mrs.
Florence Brown was guilty OF most
grievous offence there could, in the
light Of such occurrences, in the face
Of such damning proof be not a shad-
ow of reasonable doubt. A young.
married woman, living with her hus-
band with whom she had from their
first entrance into town, been received
into the highest, most refined and ra-
spectacle circles, q member Of the
church, and all that, keeping up
clandestinc and more than question:
able correspondence with 4 man in an
adjoining state. Indeed her-the
postmistress's-duty was simple, i'm
perative and plain. 1t would be
wrong, wholly wrong to keep the mat
ter secret longer. That such awrctch
should remain recognized leader in
the female society Of NJ, would of
course be highly detrimental to, if not
entirely suhversive Of the vital Erinci
piles Of morality, honor and decency."
Thus reflected this model young lady
the accomplished postmistress of
Myrtiedale and acting upon those
reflections, she-frst in gentle hints
conveyed to her bosom friends, after
wards in greater detail in a more pub.
lie manner-proceeded to "break the
news or in other words to "unbag"
the material for the great scandal
That this scandal should have found
attentive ears to receive, lively and
constructive imaginations to enlarge,
and yoluble and ready tongues to cir
culate it, was of course only natural.
In all probability Myrtledale was not
unlike the average American town in
the general make up OF its "public'
characters. Here as elsewhere were
to be seen thos, exceedingly wise
looking, enthusiastic, garrulous indi-
viduals whom were you tobuy at their
real, and to sell them at their conceit-
ed value, you would net a handsome
profit from the speculation very i'm
OOrtenf nnrsnnoUaS who nrooanlal