The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-08
THE LESSON LEARNED

Don't believe anything you hear,
and only the half you see," SAID
Grandma, Peters, and settling the
spectacles on her nose, she picked up
| the pair of trousers she was mendings
and thus nipped in the bud the piece
of gossip that Mrs. Giantly had be-
gun to disclose.
Grandma had the knack of doing
this better than any one ever knew.
| 1t takes deal of courage to say the
right thing at the right time, ana
very few are always equal to the oc-
casion. / confess / never could do 1t.
Either came out too Yehemently, or
my courage failed me entirely. 1
never could do thnse thin2aqWith the
l-ayfiant good nature thai gransifliA
! could.
"Dnn't believe anything sou hear.
and only the half you see," she said
again.
"Oh, that's all very WELL" return
ed Mrs. Grantly; "hut when things
assume such Suspicious appearances,
we ought not always to close our ears
and eyes. Now, l ann as charitably
disposed toward my neighbors as any
one, hut"
but it's hard to show it always" "
interrupted grandma, and she laugn-
e,l until her chair shook.
The bud was nipped again; this
time it was killed outright, and in
despair Mrs. Grantley retreated.
l walked down the path to the
gate with her; and 1 am going tn
confess right here that my curiosity
had been little aroused by her dark
hints, and while not intending to say
a word to draw her out, was in hopes
that her surcharged heart might
overflow in gush Of confidence and
satisfy my curiosity. She needed no
"drawing out :" she foaned over as
soon as ever the door between her
and grandma was cloSed.
IT'S all about the nei2hhOr just
over the way )" she whispered.
Not the Rohertsons !" / eXclaim-
ell.
Eyes. Do you know them ?"
"We have merely exchanged calls" "
1 replied.
II think she is very sweet and
pleasant"
"Ar2 you acquainted with him ?''
mo; haye never seen him Uus
once
He is Il travelling man." she went
un sis gone most Of the time"
Yes"
"Well, he went away last week
The second night after lie left, /
Was ying awake, and thought |
heard voices. l got up. looked Out
of the window. and there in the
moonlight stood Mrs. Robertson and
IA gentleman"
"Perhaps." l vcntured to ", 1T
was Mr.. Robertson himself"
No, it WAS not" she replied, em-
phalicaIly; y;"he is Il tall man; this
one was short and stout"
| was really very much surprised
and shocked Ivy Mrs. Grantley's rev
elation. Although woman incline d
to garruliIy. she was neither unlrulh.
ful nor imaginative. l rolled tile
mOrSel of gossip under my tongue,
and resolved to keep it there, and
meantime to set a private watch ON
Mrs. RObertson's proceedings. ]
hal not Ion G to wait. Only the next
evening | saw her come out of the
house accompanied by a gentleman,
the same one, evidently. that Mrs
Grantley had described. Ordinarily
/ should have thought nothing of this
occurrence, but with this morsel ol
gossip under my tongue 1t was quite
another affair.
sat up quite late, but did not see
them return. 1t was nearly mid.
night when l awoke and heard voices
floating out on the soft June air.
listened Il moment, then left my beC
and Looked out of the window
There in the pale starlight. / saw a
Mrs. RObertsOn's gate The same pail
that had passed through 1t only a few
hours before.
l do not know how long they haC
been there, but as looked he open
ed the gate for her to pass through
>he saying as he did so: "By Wedn'
esday next" Then they said, Good
night" not very lover like, tits true
and separated.
"By Wednesday, night" l repeat.
ed as crept back into bed. ~ sup
pose that is the time when she ex.
poets Mr.. Robertson home, deceltfu
thingv"
A long time 1 lay awake full d
strange thoughts and imaginings