The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-02-22
ak about it, and she used her liberty

fully.
Meantime, Mr.. MantOn was writing his
sermon without an idea of the approach
ing storm center, and Mrs Emmit was
bathing her aching eyes, into one of
which cinder had blown the night be-
fore and intlamed the lid seriously; while
Mr.. Emmit, cross because they had made
another call that evening, and missed
the train by one minute which brought
Mr.. Manton home, now hurried to the
courtroom where he was ali hour too
late.
But this precious story grew and crept
and ran all over Drayton not all in one
week or one month, but gradually, per-
sistently, surely. Mr.. Manton began to
feel cold and disappearing atmosphere
inslnuating itself between him and his
congregation Mrs. Emmit not naturally
suspicious, could not help seeing that her
visitors fell away, that she was hardly
ever asked out to tea or dinner. that she
was never called on to advise about work
in the sewing circle, and that often when
she entered a room the fluent talk she
had heard as she opened the door ceased
at once, and an awkward silence pre-
vailed.
At last the stories were so insistent
and 50 widely circulated that a certain
member OF Mr. Manton's flock thought it
his duty to tell the pastor what was said
OF him. He quite miscalculated the man
ner Of its reception Mr.. Mant0n was
young, pure minded, attectionate; he
was at once shocked, outraged, and
grieved to the heart by such a scandal
10 ,1iJ L,,,n,y how :
he did the very worst thing possible re-
signed his work at once, requested i'm
mediate dismissal, and dared not enter
Mr.. Emmits house again. He felt, with
the eNaggeration Of youth and ineXperi-
enCe, that his reputation was forever
blasted in Drayton, and he was too proud
to 80 about and vindicate himself to his
accusers. He did explain to the deacons
of the church, and they tried to keep
him from an abrupt departure, but it
was all in vain; he went away, and
though few believed in and regretted
him still, the majority held that flight
was confession. OF course now the mat
ter reached Mr.. Emmits ears, and
''trend" revealed it all to his WIFE Are
there words enough in the language to
paint the horror, the anguish, the revolt
of a good and pure woman at beholding
herself the central figure Of such a scan
dial If there are, do not know them
her impulse, too, was to fly from Dray-
ton and hide herself far away, but her
husbands strong common sense prevail
ed.
ono, Jenny; we must stay and live it
down. Can't you do that with me beside
you :" lie said, tenderly. SO sue stayed,
but long and tedious attack of brain
fever brought her to the brink of death,
and she crept back to life with her bright
gayety all gone, her heart full of bitter
ness and her soul Of suspicion. Mr.. En-
init tried in vain to trace the course of
this rumOr TO its source, but it had gone
through too many hands, and no one
was willing to own its parentage. "a lie
has a hundred legs and the truth but
one" says an Italian proverb, and it is
true in every land no doubt there are
people to-day in Drayton who believe
this story. At any rate it hurt Mr.. En-
NIT deeply, and made him hard in judg
ment, merciess in suspicion; it followed
Mr. Manton in his life for years, lessened
bis usefulness, destroyed his hopes, for
he never asked Laura Payne to marry
him, lest she should be hurt by his
wounds; and when at last it died out
years after, he never knew it, but carried
the burden down to his premature grave,
sad and lonely man. And all this came
Of that little unruly and unruled mem
ber, Miss Huldah Parkss tongue. The
C0ngregatOnalSt.