River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-11-12
what they say if they didn't want

WHat thty say "a WV HiAAA van
trouble.
But this ignorance only added the
flavor of piquancy to the gossip, and
gave a wild play offancy for conjecture
The shoemaker entertained a knot Of
loungers in his shop. with the opinion
that the scandal was that the widow
had caused her husbands death by
petrifying him by looking at him, and
one of the listeners, after the laugh
had died away, had hazarded the
''ouess," that "'twas that the widow
or Almira Sophia was going to be
married. a witticism which elected
another roar
Nearly every one held a different
opinion, and each held to his own with
the greatest tenacity, sot at disputes
concerning the matter where not only
numerous and frequent, but Were
carried to such heights that, in con
sequence, Mrs. Slice and Miss Crumt
did not speak to each other for Sin
months, and Parsons & Whitbeck, the
butchers, became so angry that they
dissolved their business connection on
the spot.
In one thing however, all agreed;
that it must be decidedly grave and
eflecting the moral character of the
accused As to the accuser, that was
equally difficult to fix upon. Suspicion
rested upon several, who in turn re-
sented the imputation angrily, while
the feeling of mistrust prevailing the
air, and likely to fall at any time on
none knew whom, gave to the COM
munity n general sense OF restless
suspicion.
There is no knowing how long the
mysterious SANDER would have con-
tinued to disturb Algonac, or in what
further complications its people would
have become involved because of it,
had it no. been for Aunt Parnel Bassitt,
who was wont to boast that she
''meant to see as fur into milstun as
ANYBODY could. and who had the
courage and perseverance to probe the
matter to the bottom.
wei" she triumphantly announced
one afternoon, stopping on her home
ward way where Decon Hall and his
wife sat ON their porch, eve found
out what there is to that scandal bust
ness.
You haveP do tell us!" they both
exclaimed.
That's just what l stopped for,
though | ought to be hum this minute
skimin' the milk for the calves; but
knew you d be proper glad to hear
about it. Well, | got tired of hearin'
folks say first one thing an then anoth-
er. and | told Benejah | was goin' to
know the rights of the story; so after
| done up my dinner work and baked
some pies for supper and breakfast, |
clapped on my things an run over to
Mis- Matches an says l.
"Well, sister Hatch, I'm glad to see
YOU around. | hadn't seen you nor
Almira Sophia to meetin' lately, an
didn't know but you might be havin a
spell of your rheumatism. )"
I'm well enough, says she, pretty
short like.
"Almira Sophia hain't been havin
another touch of that weakness in her
back?' says |.
mo she HASN'T says she.
well, then. if you amt sick, hope
Won amt fallen from grace, or are hav-
ing doubts in your mind about the doc
trinep
~ don't think we've fallen from
grace as much as some other people,
SAYS she, as stiff as steel-yards, AN if
you want to know why Almira Sophia
and | havn't been to meetin' | can tell
YOU it's because we don t care to 90
where we've been slandered as we
have by our own church members.
''Slandered!' says |, what hey they
been a-sayin'? p
1 shouldn't think you'd need to
ask, says she; we could Int go on the
street without bein' stared at so, that
we've had our mail sent to Hone
dale
But what hev they said? I've been
to hum pretty stiddy lately, an
haven't heard anything, an that was
gospel truth.
. i don t know as | care to repeat
it., says she, but if people don't stop
talkin' about us they may get into
trouble.
"And she shut her mouth as much as
to say that's all you Il find out by me;
but land alive, I've known Mis- Hatch
ever since she was Hester Miggs, an
her an me sat on the front seat in the
old red deestrict school-house; and she
can't scare me by puckerin her lips an
rolin' the whites of her eyes.
But what is it that's been said?" |
TO think that people should put on
us because we air widowed and father
less, says she. an we've always tried
to 1--we as respectable wimmen should.
If Almlra Sophia had acted like some
girls / could mention, shouldn' t won
der, but | leave it to you if you ever
saw any unbecoming conduct on her
part
AN she wiped her eyes an look
ed out the winder where Almira Sophia
was picking some posey seeds in the
garden.
II liked to have laughed right out
at the idee, for Almira Sophia was an
old maid before she was out of baby
clothes almost as stiff and prim as she
is now, an | don't believe would know
how to act improper if she wanted to.
But | struck to the pint, an finally she
told me; an what do you 'spose it TSP"
and Aunt Parnel paused to heighten
the dramatic effort of her narrative.
Il can't imagined" exclaimed both of
her listeners as they bent forward with
eager interest. do tell u.s."
'.Well, slowly and impressively-
'.she said that Livonia Pool, who was
her husbands cousin, told her that
Arista Blair told her that she heard
Fidelia Waters say that Almira Sophia
had been to church so steady lately,
she guessed she must have set her cap
for the new minister.