The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-07-15
A VILLAGE SCANDAL.

dO IIcl Sdlt NilS. vi dAl,
emphatically.
But what everybody says must be
true" persisted Mrs. Jeffrey.
''By no means,' said Helen Grant.
"Once everybody said the earth was fat,
now we all know it is round,
Speak for yourself!' retorted Mrs.
Jeffrey. II don't know it's round, but
I'm willing to believe it on good evil
dence. Thank heaven, I'm not SO stub
born that won't believe. I'm one of
the sort that can be convinced of thing
even II don't see it"
Mrs. Grant flushed a little and tears
came to her eyes.
''She is my friend, and 1 love her
dearly" she said. ''She has faults
every one can see that; but this wicked,
shameful story-I simply cannot believe
it. Oh, Mrs. Jeffrey, can you not see
that it is a matter of conscience with me
as well as with you?"
Mrs Jeffrey, little ashamed, but of
the same opinion still, rose to 90.
''lf the matter is brought up in the
church, you will then hear all the evil
dence. After you see the letter you may
change your mind"
Pine Falls was convulsed over its first
scandal The tongue of censure that
had family reproyed when Abram Har-
ris had carried his mother off to the
poor-house, and INDUCED in audible
criticisms when Laura Cowles had been
baptized in the river in midwinter dur
ing church revival and died of infam-
G.atoTv rheumatism q week afterward,
had now broken silence anAcarried the
story from house TO house until it was
on everybody's lips.
A mania for visiting seemed to have
broken out among the ladies. Half
dozen could be seen any day with lit
tie bundle of knitting or crochet in
hand, going to make informal visits or
calls at the homes of their intimate
friends or near neighbors. To be sure
each lady was very particular to ex-
plain, if opportunity offered, that she
had promised to show Mrs So-and-so a
new stitch or pattern, or she had been
intending to take her work and run
in" to see Mrs. Such-a-one for six
months or more. 1t was really a shame
to neglect ones neighbors so.
Mrs. jeffrey and Mrs. Martin were
seated on the back porch of the Jeffrey
mansion, engaged in earnest and con
tidential conversation. Overhead in the
apple tree the robin sang unheard. On
the floor a mischievous kitten played
with Miss Martins ball of zephyr, tang
ling the thread unhceded, while her
crochet work lay idly in her lap.
"She always did seem frivolous to
me-" remarked Mrs, Jeffrey. mo care
of her house, no interest in domestic
matters. There's a great deal said in
these days about a woman's hiding q
God-giyen talent under a bushel, and
smothering her genius under domestic
drudgery; but I've noticed that the wo-
men who are domestic and take an in
terest in their homes are not the women
who figure in scandal cases or elope-
ments."
''Perhaps,' replied Mrs. Martin, who
was not SO conservative as her neighbOr.
''there's great deal Of human nature
in women as well as men. Most of them
take an interest in some one thing be-
sides housekeeping. With some it is
painting, with others music. others
fancy-work or religion. I've known
women who were really dissipated, YOU
might say, in religious work; they car
ried it to such unreasonable lengths.
You and |, not being gifted in any of
these directions, have gone in plain,
quiet home life. But we must not, on
that account, finG fault with those who
see life from different standpoint, or
call them frivolous because they take
an interest in things we don't care for.
Mrs. Downs was always fond of dress
and fancy work, but until this story
came out everybody seemed to like her."
well, you can say what you please"
returned Mrs. Jeffrey. wrathfully, when
n woman behaves herself, she won't be
talked about. The most shan eful part
of the whole affair is her assumed inGc-
eence. saw her myself walking the
streets with Mr.. Cotton only last even
ing. as cool as You please. If there's a
man in this village that pity, its Jack
Downs
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