The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-10-27
SELECTED.
A VILLAGE SCANDAL.

Il do not believe it" said Mrs Grant
cmphatcally
.Bnt what everybody says must h
true" persisted Mrs. Jeffrey
BY no means said lielvn Grant
"Once everybody said the earth was HAT
now we all know il is round
y Speak for Yourself. rctortrd Mrs
Jeffrey. II don't know il> round, In
Fin willing to believe it Oh good evidence
Thank heaven. m not 50 stubborn that
won believe. I'm one of the sort tia
can lac convinced of a thing even if
don't see it
Mr~. Grant flushed Il little and tear,
came To her eyes.
she is my friend. and love her dear
w." she said "Shc has faults; every
one can sec that; but this wicked. shame
fnl story, simply cannot believe il OF
Mrs. Jeffrey. can You not see thai il l. :
matter of conscience with me A. well a>
with YOU
Mrs Jeffrey, "A little ashamed but OF
the same opinion still rose to 20.
IF the matter is brought up in tlc
church you will then hear all the ryi
dcncc. After You sec the letter you may
change your mind
Pine Falls was CONFUSED over it> first
scandal The tongue of ccn>ure. that
had family approved when Abram Harris
had carried his mother OF Ia the poor
house, and INDUCED in audible criticisms
when Laura CuWles had been baptized IN
the river in midWintcr during a church
revival and died of intlammutory rhcuma-
ti>m II week altcrWard, had now broken
silence and carried the story from hou~,
to hou,r until it was on cYcrybody'> lips.
mania for visiting seemed to have
broken ont among the ladies. Half Il
dozen could he seen any day, with little
bundle of knitting or croch't in hand
gorg 10 make informal visits or calls al
the homes of their intimate friends OF
near nei@hhorS. To he sire each lady
was very particular to explain, if uppor
tnnity offered. that She had promised tt
show Mrs. So-and-So Il new stitch or pat
term or She had been intending 10 TAKE
her work and run in to see Mrs. Such
a-onc for six months or more 1t WA,
really shame to neglect ones ncighbor'
50.
Mrs. Jeffrey and Mrs Martin wcr,
seated on the back porch of the Jeffrey
mansion. engaged in earnest and conf
dental conversation. Overhead in til,
apple tree the robin sang unhcard On
HE floor a mi>chicvouS kitten PLAYED viii
| Miss Martins bail of zephyr. tangling th,
/ thread uuhccdcd, while her crochet Worl
lay idly in her lay
4 "Shc always did seem faiyaloul to me.
remarked Mrs. Jeffrey. No care Of hcI
/ hou~c. no interest in domestic matters
i / here's a great deal said in these day,
about woman'> hiding Il God-giVcn tai
emf under a bu~hcl, and Nmuthcring hc
genius under domestic drndgcry; but I've
noticed hal the women WHO are dumcsti,
and take an interest In thcir homes ar,
not the women who figure i'm Scauda
eases or elopcment>.
"Pcrhape, replied Mrs. Martin, vile
was not 50 conservative n her nci@hbor
ethcre'~ great dead of human nature il
women a. well IL men. Most of then
take an interest in some one thing he
sides housekeeping With some il is
painting, with Others music. others fancy
work or religion I've known Womct
who were really di>~patcd, You might
say, in religious work: they carried it t.
such unreasonable lengths. Nou and |
not being gifted in any of these dirrc
tons, have gone ON in plain, quiet homt
life. But We must not, on that account
find fault with those who sec life from {
different standpoint or call them Grlvo
luus because they take an interest il
things we don't care for, Mrs. Down,
was always fond of dress and fancy WORK
but until this story came out everybody
seemed To like her
"Wcll, YOU can say what YOU please,
returned Mrs Jeffrey, wrathinllN, "Whet
woman behaves herself, She won't b,
talked about The most shameful par