The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-07-09
A VILLAGE CANDAL

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emphatically.
.'But what everybody says must be
true" persisted Mrs. Jeffrey.
'.By no MEANS" said Helen Grant.
.'Once everybody said the earth was flat,
now we all know it is round"
-"Speak for yourself!' retorted Mrs.
Jeffrey. II don't know it's round, but
Pm willing to believe it On good evil
dence. Thank heaven, I'm not SO stub
born that / won't believe. I'm n of
the sort that can be convinced of a thing
even il / don't see it."
Mrs. Grant flushed a little and tears
came to her eyes.
.She is my friend, and l 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 youp"
Mrs. Jeffrey, a little ashamed, but of
the same opinion still, rose to GO. .
IF 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 reproved 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 a church revival and died of inflam-
matory rheumatism a week afterward,
had now broken silence and carried 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 q
dozen could be seen any day with a lit
tie bundle of knitting OF crochet in
hand, going to make informal visits or
calls at the homes of their intimate
friends or nea 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 ( 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 q 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-
fidential conversation. Overhead in the
apple tree the robin sang unheard. On
the floor q mischievous kitten played
with Miss Martins ball of zephyr, tang
ling the thread unheeded, 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 q woman's hiding q
God-given talent under q bushcl, 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 q 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
Ilcu III W 6uCu uuICdoOHdDlC y Ills.
You and l, not being gifted in any of
these directions, have gone on in plain,
quiet home life. But we must not, on
that account, find fault with those who
see life from a 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 a say what you please"
returned Mrs. Jeffrey, wrathfully, "when
a woman behaves herself, she won't be
talked about. The most shameful part
of the whole affair is her assumed inno-
cence. / 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 l pity, its Jack
Downs"
The next day was Sunday, and the
minister, Mr.. Snow, looked around at
the rapidly filling pews with a feel
ing of calm complacency. Every
body belonging TO the congregation
was there. Every face wore a look of
keen expectancy, and when Jack Downs
enlcreu Will Ills prctIy WIG elSHihCaho
looks were exchanged and a suppressed
sensation was visible throughout the
audience.
Youthful and pretty, she added to
these attractions by a taste in dress that
was simply perfect. AS she came slow
ly up the aisle twirling her fan nom
~chalantly whispered comments passed
from one to another.
''How brazen! Did you ever see such
effronteryp" murmured Mrs. Dorr to
Mrs. Cowles.
''She's a plucky little piece!' said Mr..
Martin to his wife, in a ton in which
surprise was so evidently favored with
admiration that his better-half bestow-
ed upon him a glance of whitening
scorn.
..What audacityI' said Mrs. Brown
to her daughter Cora.
But that young lady, who rejoiced in
the distinction of being the village poet
ess, was wrapped in poetic contempla-
ton. She knew that Mrs. Downs had