Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-11-11

n,eeting, which had been started and
was promising to bring the two
churches into . closer bond Of unity.
was broken up and the old root Of BIT
terness between them took new and
vigorous growth. "a
Inc adolescent lawyer who had hung
out his sign in Algonac, and was by no
means overwhelmed with clients, per
ceptibly frightened at the mention Of a
libel suit, and not only read up the
law on such cases, but went so far as
to stroll out past the widows house,
and on his return to call at the door,
ostensibly to ask for glass of water,
with the idea of introducing the inter-
esting subject.
But the stern glare of the widows
pale eyes, the GOODNESS of her demeanor
and the awful responsiveness of her
tone, were too much for his youthful
audaclty, and he hastily beat retreat.
But during this time, the strangest
OF 1t all was that nobody knew what
the SANDER was, or who perpetrated it
Almlra Sophia remained invisible, and
Mrs. Hatch, when approached on the
matter by those of sufficient temeritv
OF spirit, had assumed to consider it
universally known, and had contented
herself with some fearful illusions to
their condition as ''lone wimmin to be
put upon by everybody" and vague
hints that ''folks had better be careful
what they say if they didn't want
trouble
But this ignorance only added the
flavor of piquancy to the gossip, and
gave a wild play offancy for conjecture.
The shoemaker entertained 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
''guess,' that "'twas that the widow
or Almira Sophia was going to be
married." witticism which elected
another roar.
Nearly every one held different
opinion, and each held to his own with
the greatest tenac;ty, 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 Crumb
did not speak to each other for six
months, and Parsons & Whitbeck, the
butchers, became so angry that they
dissolved their business connection on
the spot.
In one thing however, all agreed;
thatit must be decidedly grave and
efecting 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 general sense OF restless
suspicion.
There is no knowing how long the
mysterious Islander 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 a milstun as
anybody could,' and who had the
courage and perseverance to probe the
matter to the bottom.
"Well,' she triumphantly announced
one afternoon, stopping on her home
ward way where Decon Hall and his
wife sat on their porch, "I've found
out what there is to that scandal bust
ness"
"You have? do tell us!'' they both
exclaimed.
THAT'S just what I stopped for,
though I ought to be hum this minute
skimin' the milk for the calves; but 1
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 1 told Benejah l was goin' to
know the rights of the story; so after
1 done up my dinner work and baked
some pies for supper and breakfast, l
clapped on my things an run ovor to
Mis- Matches an says l:
"Well, sister Hatch, I'm glad to see
you around. l hadn't seen you nor
Almira Sophia to meetin lately, an l
didn't know but you might be havin' a
spell of your rheumatism.
I'm we'll enough says she, pretty
short like.
"Almira Sophia hain't been havin
another touch of that weakness in her
back?' saysl l.
F'No she HASN'T says she.
"Well, then, if you amt sick, hope
yon amt fallen from grace, or are hay
ing doubts in your mind about the doc
trine?
"I don't think we've fallen from
grace as much as some other people,
says she, as stiff as steel-yards, AN if