Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-08-05
A VILLAGE SCANDAL.

10 hot UelieNcit sau mis Vial
cmphatically.
"But what everybody says must b
true" persisted Mrs. jeffrey.
by no p,eans," said Helen Grant
.'Once everybody said the earth wa
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 goo
evidence. Thank heaven, I'm not 81
stubborn that won't believe. I'm on
of the sort that can be convinced of ;
thing even if don't see it."
Mrs. Grant flushed little and tear
came into her eyes.
She is my friend, and love hel
dearly" she said. "She has faults
every one can see that but this wick
ed, shameful story-I simply can not be
lieve it. Oh, Mrs. Jeffrey, can you not
see that it is matter of conscience
with me as well as with you?'
Mrs. jeffrey, little ashamed, but Of
the same opinion still, rose to go.
If the matter is brought up in the
church, you will then hear ali the evil
dence. After you see the letter YOU
may change your mind"
Pine Falls was convulsed over its
first scandal. The tongue of censme
that had family reproved when Abram
Harris had carried his mother of to
the poor house, and indulged in audible
criticisms when Laura Cowlcs had been
baptized in the river in mid-wnter
during church revival and died of in
flammatory rheumatism Il week after
ward, had now broken silence and
carried the story from house to house
until it was on cverybody's lips.
A mania for visiting seemed to have
broken out among the ladies. Half a
dozen could be seen any day with a
little bundle of knitting or crochet in
hand, going to make informal visits or
calls at the homes of their intimate
friends or near ncighbors. To be sure
each lady was very particular to eX-
plain, if opportunity offered, that she
had promised to show Mrs. So-and-so q
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 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 mischievous kitten play
ed with Mrs. Martins ball of zephyr,
tangling the thread UNDECIDED, while
her crochet work lay idly in her lap.
"She always did seem frivolous to
me-" remarked Mrs. Jeffrey. "No
care of her house, no interest in do
mestic matters. There's a great deal
said in these days about a woman's
hiding a God-given talent under
bushel, and smothering her genius I'M
der domestic drudgery; but I've noticed
that the women who are domestic and
take an interest in their homes are not
the women who figure in scandal cases
or Opponents"
Perhaps, " replied Mrs. Martin, who
was not so conservative as her neigh
Dor, there is a great deal of human
nature in women as well as men. Most
of them take an interest in some one
thing besides housekeeping. With
some it is painting, with others music,
others fancy work or religion. I've
known women who were really dissi-
pated, you might say, in religious work;
they carried it to such unreasonable
lengths. You and l, not being gifted
in any of those directions, have gone
on in plain, quiet home life. But we
must not, on that account, find fault
with those who see life from different
standpoint, or call them frivolous be-
cause 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 a woman behaves herself, she
won't be talked about. The most
shameful part of the whole affair is
her assumed innocence. l saw her
myself walking along the street with
MIR. Cotton only last evening, as cool
as you please If there's man in this
village that l pity it's Jack Downs
The next day was Sunday, and the
minister, Mr.. Snow, looked around
at the rapidly filling pcws with a feel
ing of calm complacency. Everybody
belonging to the congregation was
there. Every face wore a look of
keen expectancy, and when Jack
Downs entered with his pretty wife
significant looks were exchanged and
a suppressed sensation was visible
throughout the audience.
Youthful and pretty, she added to
these attractions by taste in dress
that was simply perfect AS she came
slowly up the aisle twirling her fan
nonchalantly whispered comments
passed from one to another.
GLOW brazen! Did you ever see
such effrontery?" murmured Mrs.
Dorr to Mrs. Cowles.
"She's a.plucky little piece!" Said
Mr.. Martin to his wife, in a, tone in
which surprise was so evidently havor-
ed with admiration that his better half
bestowed upon him a glance of wither-
ing scorn.
What audacityr' said Mrs. Brown
to her daughter Cora.
But that young lady, who rejoiced
in the distinction of being the village
poetess, was wrapped in poetic con-
temptation. She knew that Mrs. Downs
had fallen under public disapproba-
ton because of love-letter that had