The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-10-15
BIDDEF0RD, ME-, FRIDAY

oontrived. with the help Of his neat fingers .
little bit Of silver wire, to fx II a. brooch
the bosom Of her white dress. Every body v,
dercd at the prodigious sire and beauty Of
! Diamond, as . matter Of course. But the OF
two Of the company who said any thing out
the coumon way about Il were those two que
D I have mentioned, who sat by Mis Rachel
her right hand and her LEFT.
The guest on her left was Mr.. Candy, our d.
Tor at PriIinghall.
This was pleasant, companionable little ma
: with the drawback, however, Imust own, OF
ing too fond, In season and out Of season, Of
joke, and Of plunging In rather aheadlong ma
ner into talk with strangers. without waiting
feel his way hrst. In society he was constant
making mistakes, and setting people unintc
tionally by the ears together. In his medic
practice he was q more prudent man pickir
up his discretion (as his enemies said) by
kind Of instinct, and proving to be general
right where more carefully conducted docto
turned out to be wrong. What he said abo,
the Diamond to Miss Rachel was said, as usua
by way Of mystifcation or joke. He gravel
entreated her Tin the interests Of science) to 4
him take Ii home and burn IL 1--WE will fr
heat IL, Miss Rachel" says the doctor, s'to sue
and such degree then we win expose Il to
current Of air and, little by little-puffl-w
eyaporate the Diamond, and spare you worl
Of anxiety about the ssfe-keepfng Of valuabl
precious stone !" My lady. listening wit
rather careworn expression on her face, seem
ed to wish that the doctor had been in earnest
and that he could have found Miss Rachel zeal
Gus enough In the cause Of science to sscri6c,
her birthday gin. ....
The other guest who sat on my young lady's
right hand was an eminent public character
being no other than the celebrated Indian trav
eler, Mr.. Murthwaite. who Mt the risk Of his liz
had penetrated in disguise where no European
had set foot before.
This was a long, lean, wiry. brown, silcn
man. lie had weary look, and very steady
attentive eye. II was rumored that he was tired
OF the humdrum life among the people In oul
parts, and longing to 60 back and wander of on
the tramp again in the wild places of the East
Except what he said to Miss Rachel about her
jewel, doubt IL he spoke six words. or drank e
much as single glass Of wine, all through III Z
dinner. The Moonstone was the object that in
terested him in the smallest degree. The fame
OF IL seemed TO have reached him, In some of
those perilous Indian places where his wander
ings had lain. After looking at Il silently for
20 long time that Miss Rachel began to get
confused, he said 10 her i'm his cool immoyable
way, "If you ever 90 to India, Miss Verinder,
don't take your uncle's birthday gift with you.
A Hindoo diamond is sometimes part Of q
Hindoo religion. know certain city. and a
certain temple In that city, where, dressed as
you are now, your life would not be worth FIVE
minutes purchase" Miss Rachel, safe In Eng
land, was quite delighted TO hear of her dan ger
In India. The Bouncers were more delighted
still they dropped their knives and forks with
q crash, and burst out together yehemently,
''0h how Interestingly My lady fdgeted in
ii; a;as :s;.. si.....s and changed the subject.
As the dinner s;StO.I became aware, little
by little. that this festival was norr?sperins rs
other like festivals had prospercd before il. :.
Looking back at the birthday. now, by th
light Of what happened afterward, I am half In
clined to think that the cursed Diamond mus
have cast blight on the wholecompany. Iplie
them well with wine and, being privileges
character. followed the unpopular dishes roun'
the table. and whispered to the company, con
fdentially. "Plcase 10 change your mind. an
try Il for know il will do you good" Min
times out Of ten they changed their minds-ou
Of regard for their old original Bettercdge, the.
were pleased to say-but all TO no purpose
There were gaps Of silence In the talk. rs tn
dinner got on, that made me feel personally un
comfortable. When they did use their tongue
again. they used them innocently, in the mos
unfortunate manner and to the worst possibl
purpose. Mr.. Candy, the doctor for instanc
said more unlucky things than ever knew hin
to say before. Take one sample Of the way !
which he went on, and you will understand wha
I had to put up with at the side-board, oflicia
ting as was in the character Of man who ha
the prosperity Of the festival at heart.
One Of our ladies present at dinner was wor
thy Mrs. Threadgsll, widow Of the late Professo
Of that name. Talking of her deceased hus
band pcrpetualy, this good lady never mention
ell to strangers that he tcds deceased. Sh
thought, suppose, that every able-bodied adul
in England ought to know as much rs that. Ii
| one Of the gaps Of silence somebody mentione'
the dry and rather nasty subject Of human ana'
omy; whereupon good Mrs. Threadgall straight
way brought in her late husband as usual, with
out mentioning thst he was dead. Anatomy sh
described rs the Professors fayorite recreatio
! in his leisure hours. As il.luck would have Il
Mr.. Candy, sitting opposite (who knew nothin
Of the deceased gentlcman), heard her. Bein
the most polite Of men he seized the opportunit
Of assisting the Professors anatomical amuse
ments ON the spot.
"They have got some remarkably fine skel,
tons lately at the College of Surgeons" say
Mr.. Candy. across the table, In loud. cheerft
voice. 81 strongly recommend the Professor
ma'am when he next has an hour to spare,
pay them visit"
| You might have heard pin fall. The con
pany tout of respect to the Professors memory
all sat specchlcss. was behind Mrs. Thrcai
gall at the time, plying her con6dentially wit
glass Of hook. She dropped her head, an
said, in very low voice. MY beloved husban
is no more"
Unlucky Mr.. Candy, hearing nothing, an
miles away from suspecting the truth, went 0
across the table louder and politer than ever.
"Thc Professor may not be aware" says b,
"that the card of member Of the College wi
admit him, on any day but Sunday, betwee
the hours Of ten and four
Mr. Threadgall dropped her head right int
her tucker, and, in a lower voice still. rcpcatS
the solemn wor,ls, My beloved husband Is q
more"
winked hard at Mr.. Candy across the tabl
Miss Rachel touched his arm. My lady locke
uuutterable things at him. Quite useless.
he went, with a corlalty that there was
stopping anyhow. "I shall be delighted" 81,
he, "to send the Professor my carl, II you wi
oblige me by mentioning his present address,
ellis present address, Sir. Is The grars," sa,
Ms. Thrcadgall, suddenly losing her tempe
and speaking with an emphasis and fury TIL
made the glasses ring again. 1.-The Profess
has been dead these ten years."
"Oh, good Heavens !" says Mr.. Candy. +
ccpting the Bouncers, who burst out laughin
such a blank now fell on the company that IN,
might all have been going the way Of the Pr
fessor, and hailing as he did from the dircctic
Of the grave.
SO much for Mr.. Candy. The rest Of the,
were nearly as provoking in their different wa
as the doctor himself When they ought
have spoken, they didn't speak; or when III,
did speak. they were perpetually at cross-pu
poses.
Mr.. Franklin again-sursly, you will 81
Mr.. Franklin stirred the company up into ma
: ing pleasant evening Of itf
Nothing Of the sort lie had quite recover
. himself, and he was in wonderful force Al
: spirits. Penelope having informed him, su
pcct, Of Mr.. Godfrcy's reception in the rosc-ga