Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-03-22
m EMERALu xEcklAcE /
1re changed fortunes Of Pansie
wv Fontenax.
nHAPTER I.

,-'I ,r,ands were assembled in the halls below
uiaI ,nar handsome dress had not come home.
aI,.t aid that beggar woman mean by disAp- |
,o,0,ine her At that moment there was ring |
f',,be door, and voice in the hall
. please tell Miss Garcia my mother could not
..,.h a sooner she wants the money tonight"
hs I,,as servant took the handsome dress and mes-
sage .. ,,va bor anothar stitch of work. ~
.r;ad the angry beauty ought TO have had
~ ,hrae hours ago. Here, Fanchon, dress me
J, ,,,c oncs there's not moment to lose No
ssnt pay to night hAv'nt time. He must call
:, mi we've no lire, and nothing TO eat, and
NV little sister is sick" called the boy, pushing
ny, sSnt that door, Fanchon2 2" commanded Miss
Garcia. And the door was closed in his
iAIT From the porch at the parlor window. PAnsie
vatched the whole scene, her violet eyes dis
landed with childish Amazement,
81 Poor little boy -" she said, Ross disappear
al down the stairway, " sister Garcia ought TO
Vay him. It must be dreadful to have no fire
aIu S,s stood for 4 moment, balancing herself on
the tip of one dainty foot. her rosebud face
srsve and reflective then s sudden thought
aooded her blue eyes with sunshine, and snatch
ing something from the table, she darted down
tara The servant had Just sscloeed the street
-
O9 1n tbe stems sal Ross, brave little fellow that
he was, his faOe in bis hands, sobbing as II his
what's the matter, little boy ?" questioned
GS' Ross looked up half believing that ii was the
face OF an angel looking down upon him through
the snow. -
he sobbed poor mother worked hard, aud
Flora IL sick and so hungry"
Pansie's eyes glistened like the stars.
Here" she said, " do you take this, little
boy, and buy her lots o'nlee things; III To5.n
present, but do yos take 1t and welcome.
She extended her dimpled hands, aud some
thing like shower Of stars twinkled to the boys
feet He caught it up in amazement.a neck
lace of emeralds, lustrous, cleaning thing set
No. no.. he cried, running up to where she
stood. ~ can't take this necklace-takeit back"
But Pansie shook her curly head.
You shall take IT," she commanded mperi-
ously" ~ have lots Of jewelry. and fine things
run home now and buy your sister something
She tclosed the door with bang, and Ross
stood irresolute i'm the stormy gloom. should
he ring tn bell and return the jewels to Pam
sizes father or should he do as she had bid him
lie thought OF his mother aud poor hungry little
Flora watching wistfully for his return. He
could not go back and see them starvs. win
sudden feollnR OF uebpeEhtiou,hoh hhlupt eho bhe
tering necklace In his pocket and dashed down
the snowy street.
The gas light blazed brilliantly in fashions
bic iewelry establishment and its bland pro-
prietor looked down inquirngy on little hoss
as he approached the glittering counter.
Would you like 10 buy this, sirT
There was tremor in the boys voice as he
asked the question, and the hand that held the
emerald necklace shock vislbly. The lApidary
took the gems examined them closely for mo-
nd han ahat n RlarD glance at tine
" See here" he said presently, his voice stern
and commanding, II want to know how you
came by this Z"
stammered, evidently embarrassed. The jewell
or put aside the emeralds, and taking the lads
arm led him into q small ante-room.
You are thief, sir, he said. " That neck
lace belongs TO Mr. Fontenay-he bought It OF
me not month ago. You stole 1t. You are a
thief"
The little fellow Strengthened himself and bis
brown eyes blazed;
HI am no thief" he retorted. "a kind little
girl gave It to me, and know IL was wrong to
take IL, but--but my mother anu slster arc s'ar'
The ieweler hesitated.
"You don't look like thief, he said, but
will send for Mr. Fontenaji that will settle the
matter at once .
dc despatched messenger accordingly ant
Ross sat down ia q corner, and sobbed bltteri,
as he heard the driving Winds and tnouBnt o
his mother and poor little Flora. In hall an non
Mr.. Fontenay came, bringing hisdaughter, httl'
Pansie with him. The little creature darted hk
humming bird, her cheeks ablaze, her eye
flashing like lightning. 4.
"He didn't steal my Emeralds!" she cried. -
geve'em to him to sel'em and buy bread 10
his little sister," .
Ross sprang to his feet, struggling hard I
keep back his tears He put out his little brow
hand, which PAnsie Instantly clAsped In he
chubby palms. ..s,o.,
ing MIR. Fontenay II never stole anything
in nv life. know it was wrong to take Ill
necklace-but-but, sir, my little sister ls STAT
ing"
I,You're manly little fellow" he said, pa
ting the lad's head, land do not in the les
blame you, but will take Pansies emerald
and she shall give you something more aVallGoi
Here Pansie, give this to your httle Ialehu.
He put q gold piece into Pansie's hands, whl'
she rendered to Ross, with the injunction IN
he should run straight home and buy lots
goodies for his sister-a command ne was
SLOW to obey. IA,
fellow" continued Mr.. FoDtenAy,lAs hoss dlsa
peared in the stormy darkness 'snah we pc
Let's see what we can do to help HIM Ae,t
promising young lad and an honest one l
sure Mr.. Lenox, you're in need OF an etral
bow. why not try him wish you would.
The Jeweler consented to Pansie's great
light and on the following day Ross was dr
installed as an errand boy in the fashlohAi
establishment.
CHAPTER II.
Fifteen years after, one clustering MAI
morning, n young man sat behind the conn
OF q thriving jswelry establishment in Que
the northern citios. He was handsome mi
a traveller a man Of taste, intellect and mon
for he was the junior partner OF the hrm, Wn
WAS q prosperouH one. But despite all HIS gt
fortune Ross Dunbar was not happy.
mother and his little Flora had gone to q
long home, and he was utterly alone without K
or kin in the wide world. 80,
Sitting alone one morning with tine roar
the March wind in his ears, his thoughts "
running back to the days OF his boyhood, 10
mothers humble home How vivid the
seemed and how dear and sacred despite
priyations and sorrows. His eyes grew
and his heart swolled. All were gone over
wide waters Of time and change.
A tender smile softened his sad face as ne
called that stormy night when he sat sool
on the steps OF Mr.. Fontenays mansion.
little Papsie the remembrance OF her sV
face. as he saw it through the snow Wre'
haunted him constantly. In all the fifteen y
never for one hour had he forgotten her.
she was gone lost to him forever.
His reverie was broken by the entrance
customer. lady closely clothed and We
She approached the counter with le"el
in her hand.
"Would you buy these1" she asked sim
in a clear sweet voice that stirred the yC
mans heart as no other womans voice had
er to do