Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-03-02
VILLAGE SCANDAL.

Grant, 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. Il don't know it's round, but
I'm willing to believe it on good evil
dence Thank heaven, I'm nst so
stubborn that | won't believe. I'm
one of the sort that can be convinced
of thing even if don't see ii"
Mrs. Grant flushed a little, and tears
came to her eyes.
"She is my friend, and | love her
dearly" she said. She has faults
every one can see that-but this wick
ed, shameful story, simply cannot
believe it. Oh, Mrs. Jeffrey, can you
not see that it is a matter of conscience
with me as we'll as with your
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 all the evi-
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
Harris had carried his mother off to
the poor-house, and INDUCED in audi
BILE criticism when Laura Cowle had
been baptized in the river in midwin-
ter during church revival and died
of infammatory rheumatism week
afterward, had now broken silence
and carried the story from house to
house until it was on everybody lips.
a mania for visiting seemed to have
broken out among the ladies. Half a
dozen could be seen any day, with
little 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 besure
each lady was very particular to ex-
plain, if opportunity offered, that she
had promised Mrs. So-and-so a new
stitch or pattern, or she had been in
tending to take her work and run
in to see Mrs. Such-a-one for six
months ormore. 1t was really u shame
to neglect ones neighbors so.
Mrs. Jeffrey and Mrs. Martin were
seated on the back porch of the JEFF
frey mansion, engaged i'll earnest and
confidential conversation. Overhead
in the apple tree the robin sang un-
heard. On the floor mischievous kit
ten played with Mrs. Martins ball of
zephyr, tangled the thread unheeded,
while her crochet work lay idly in her
ap.
she always did seem frivolous to
me- remarked Mrs. Jeffrey. No care
of her house, no interest in domestic
matters. There's great deal said i'll
these days about woman's hiding a
God-given talent under a bushel, and
smothering her genius under domestic
drudgery; but I've noticed that the
women who are domestic and take an
interest in their homes are not the wo-
men who figure in scandal cases or
elopements.
perhaps" replied Mrs Martin, who
was not so conservative as her neigh
Dor, there's 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 an un-
reasonable length. 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 ac-
count find 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 a woman behaves herself. she
won't be talked about The most
shameful part of the whole affair is
her assumed innocence. | saw her
myself walking the streets with Mr..
Cotton only last evening, as cool as
you please. II there's a man in this
village that ] pity, it's Jack Downs"
The next day was Sunday, and the
minister, Mr.. Snow, looked[around at
the rapidly filling pews with feeling
of calm complacency. Everybody be-
longing to the congregation was there.
Every face wore look of keen expec-
fancy, and when Jack Downs entered
with his pretty wife, significant looks
were exchanged and a suppressed SEN
sation was visible throughout the au-
dience.