Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-09-15

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Fisher told her consin, Mrs. Wells
and she told Mrs Davis, and sh'
told-nobody knows who; suffice it tx
say that every man, woman and child il
the place has heard the ''something," anC
it is doing deserving young man meal
culable injury and running his prospects
in every way''
"What will become of me?" though
Mrs. Lindsey, in an agony. as she walked
home that night. ooh! that treacherous
Mrs. Vernon, when 1 told her in all friend
illness, too, entirely on her daughter Ger
trude's account. and she promised me thai
}she never would speak of it again y
Early the next morning she sailed into
Mrs. Vernon's, and asked with quivering
lips and ashy cheek, whether she had
mentioned "that AFFAIR." about Mr.. Frank
Williams to any one.
Her friend looked excessively frightened
and silly herself for q moment OF two, Their
acknowledged that she chad spoken Of it
to Mrs. Fisher. but she was sure she had
not told-she would 60 and see her with
out delay.'
! ''But she has though" replied Mrs
Lindsey, with the energy of despair; "she
told her cousin, Mrs. Wells, and Mrs.
Wells told Mrs. Douglass, and Mrs. Doug
lass told Mrs. Davis. and it is all over
town."
Nothing except Mrs. Lindsey's conster-
nation could equal Mrs. Vernon's. But a
drowning man catches at a straw.
"There may be some mistake" she re-
piled, sat all events I'll go and see Mrs.
Fisher this afternoon"
"How could you, Mrs. Fisher,' begun
Mrs. Vernon, ''tell that affair about Mr..
Williams, which confded to you, under
the strictest injunctions Of secrecy ?"
Mrs. Fisher looked up at the ceiling,
down on the floor, and out of the window,
and gathering courage, doubtless, from the
survey Of these prospects, said, in a falter-
ing tone, "that she had only told her cousin
Mis-. Wells, who was very prudent, and
never mentioned anything"
! 'sBut she has not been very prudent this
time,o answered Mrs. Vernon, with no
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Douglass, who has told Mrs. Davis, who
informed the whole town, I imagine, for
everybody knows it,
| Not half an hour elapsed before Mrs.
Fishers hat and cloak were on, and she
was in Mrs. Wells parlor.
"Lucy," she exclaimed, when she met
her cousin, show could you tell anybody
what 1 told you about Mr.. Frank Will
liams? certainly thought that in men
iioning thing to you was safe-I would
no sooner have trusted it to a dumb wo-
man-what possessed you to tell this?"
81 did not exactly tell it," answered
Mrs. Wells, with crimson face, cor rath-
er, have no idea of betraying confidence.
| Mrs. Douglass said something, from which
I had no doubt that she knew all about il, ,.
and answering her with this idea, of course,
| very innocently, made i'll some measure
the disclosure, then concluded it would be
more prudent tell her all and bind her to
| secrecy"
(Which she has not. kept" said Mrs.
Fisher, ''for she has told Mrs. Davis, who
has told the whole town, I suspect, for
everybody knows it and it is making a
great deal of trouble
II am very sorry" answered Mrs. Wells.
"What can do? Shall go and see Mrs.
| Douglass?"
Eyes, by all means; put on your things
now, and then come to our house and tell
me what she says" replied her cousin.
Mrs. Wells was a timid woman, and it
| took her some time to breach the subject.
"You remember what told you about
Mr.. Williamson she said. at length, in
low, confused tone.
eyes," answered Mrs. Douglass, with
the most composed air in the world.
'Did you ever tell any one-Mrs. Davis?"
stammered poor Mrs. Wells, feeling like
| the victim herself.
s'No!" answered Mrs. Douglass, "Mrs.
Davis told me-"
cts it possible?" said her auditor, in
delighted surprise. How did she hear it?"
cit was the same story; it came from
Mrs. Lindsey" answered her friend, ''She
told Mrs. Allan, who told Mrs. Johnson,
who told Mrs. White, who told Mrs. Davis
and she told me-"
s'Indeed!' said Mrs. Wells, with an as
tonished expression of countenance peculi-
ar to herself. Indeed"
What a racing and chasing was there
that livelong afternoon about'' thata flair"
of Mr.. Frank Williams. What commo-
ton in eight or ten feminine hearts (mar-
ried ones too) Of which he was most I'M
Willingly the cause. Purple, brown and
stone colored cloaks were lodging each
other in all directions, and after explana-
uions by scores, everybody shook their
hands free of the matter. voting that Mrs.
Lindsey was the guilty person, on whom
retribution should fall. She unfortunate
woman) was sitting quietly at home in
pleasing ignorance Of all this commotion,
when Mrs. Vernon, with peculiarly
pursed-up expression of countenance, came
in. Never since the memory of man, or
woman either, had her friend and neighbor
look so awfully solemn and rigidly severe.
Mrs. Lindsey had not heart or voice enough
to bid her ''good- evening"" she merely
motioned her to a seat, and gazing stead
lastly at her, waited for her to begin.
''I am surprised, Mrs. Lindsey" at
length said the lady, sat your attacking
me with making public that story about
Mr.. Williams, when you have informed
everybody else Of it, as well as myself
Still, Mrs. Lindsey said nothing;she mere
ly looked for further explanation.
''You told Mrs. Allan" said her COM
panion, in reply to the look, sand she told
Mrs. johnson, and''-
81 told Mrs. Allan?" gasped Mrs. Lind
sey, at length; II never told any one but
YOU"
''What! not one Sunday, coming from