Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-03-27
"You shall take it" she commanded

IcCulu Tie JEWELS w aiioAS . IdtACA VI
should he do az she had bid him! He
thought of his mother and poor hungry
little Flora watching wistfully for his
return. He could not go back and see
them starve. With sudden feeling
Of desperation; he thrust the glittering
necklace in his pocket and dashed down
the snowy street.
The gas light blazed brilliantly in a
fashionable jewelry establishment, and
its blond proprietor looked down in
quiringly on little Ross as he approach.
ed the glittering counter.
"Would you like to buy this sir!"
There was tremor in the boy 3 voice
as he asked the question, and the hand
! that held the emerald necklace shook
visibly. The lapidary took the gems,
examined them closely for a moment,
and then shot sharp glance at the
child.
''See here" he said presently, his
voice stern and commanding, 81 want
to know how you came by this?
The boys clear eyes fell, he Flushed
and stammered, evidently embarrassed.
The jeweler put aside the emeralds, and
taking the lads arm led HIM into q
small ante-room.
:EYou are thief sir, he said. ''That
necklace belongs to Mr.. Fontenay-he
bought it of me not a month ago. You
stole it. You are thief.
The little fellow Strengthened himself
and his brown eyes blazed:
81 am no thief, he retorted. A kind
little girl gave it to me, and l know it
was wrong to take it, but-but my
mother and sister are starving
The leweler hesitated.
"You don't look like thief he said,
''but / will send for Mr.. Fontenay
That will settle the matter at once"
He dispatched messenger &C
cordingly and Ross sat down in a
corner, and sobbed bitterly as he heard
tho driving winds, and thought of his
mother and poor little Flora. In halt
an hour Mr.. Fontenay came, bringing
his daughter, little Pansie, with him.
The little creature darted like a ham
ming bird, her cheeks ablaze, her eyes
flashing like lightning
''He didn't steal my emeralds!' she
cried. l gave EN- to hiin to sell EN-
and buy bread for his little sister"
Ross sprsng to his feet, struggling
hard to keep. back his tears He put
out his little brown hand, which Pansie
instantly clasped in her chubby palms
81 am not thief, sir, he said at last,
addressing Mr.. Fontenay; 81 never
stole anything in my life. l know it
was wrong TO take the necklace-but-
but, sir, my little sister is starving"
The merchant drew his hand across
his eyes.
"You're a manly little fellow" he
said, patting the lads head, "and I do
not in the least blame you, but will
take Pansies emeralns, and she shall
give you something more available
Here Pansie, give this to your little
friend" -
He put gold piece into Pansie's
hands, which she rendered to Ross, with
the injunction that he should run
straight home and buy lots Of goodies
for his sister-a command he was not
slow to obey.
81 think we shall not loose sight of
the little fellow" continued Mr..
Fontenay, as Ross disappeared in the
stormy darkness, ''shall we, pet? Let's
see what we can do to help hims He's
a promising young lad and an honest
one, I'm sure. Mr.. Lenox, you're in
need of an errand boy; why not try
him? l wish you would"
The jeweler consented, to Pansie's
great delight, and on the following day
Ross was duly installed as an errand
boy in the fashionable establishment
Fifteen years after, one clustering
March morning, young man sat be-
hind the counter of a thriving jewelry
establishment in one of the northern
cities. He was handsome man, a
traveller, man of taste, intellect and
MONEY, for he was the junior partner
in the firm, which was a prosperous
one. 6ut despite all his good fortune
Ross Dunbar was not happy His
mother and his little Flora had gone to
their long home and he was utterly
alone without kith or kin in the wide
world.
Sitting alone one morning with the
roar of the March wind in his ears, his
thoughts were running back to the
days Of his boyhood, to his mothers
humble home. How vivid the past
seemed and how dear and sacred de-
spite his privations and sorrows. Hil
eyes grew dim and his heart swelled.-
All were gone over the wide waters Of
time and change.
A tender smile softensd his sad face
as he recalled that stormy night when
he sat sobbing on the steps of Mr..
Fontenay's mansion And little Pansie;
the remembrance of her sweet face, as
he saw it through the snow wreathi
haunted him constantly. In all the
fifteen years never fer one hour had he
forgotten her. But she was gone lost
to him forever
His reverie was broken by the en-.
trance of customer, a lady closely
clothed and yelled. She approached
the. counter with a jewel case in her
hand. .5.
"Would you buy these" she asked
simply, in clear, sweet voice that
stirred the young mans heart as no
other woman's voice had power to do.
He took the casket, Enclosed it and
spread out it's contents. A watch ele-
giant and costly, a dimond ring, two
rubies, and an emerald necklace. Ross
Dunbar barely suppressed a cry Of sur.
prise as his eyes fell upon it. lie
turned it over with eager, trembling
fingers, and there on the clasp was the
| name that lived in his heart for SO