The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-09-11

leMetS
"she sold them, suppose. Why do
you ask ."
because I have heard it lntImGted
that her cameo necklace, set round with
diamonds remember It-has been
seen in the possession of a strange
woman at the Walk In and Welcome
Can you accurately describe the trinket?
Or would you know 1t II you should see
ite"
Undoubtedly. Nothing like it was
ever seen in Portsmouth"
as this il? ?" producing the glIttering
cIrclet of jewels from an inner pocket,
and displaying It before her eyes.
"The very same ~ cried May, in as-
tonishment ''How came II In your
possession %
81 received II from Mr. Robert Green.
He got 1t last night from a woman at
the Walk In on purpose TO let me sat
isfy you and myself as TO Its identity.
Miss Hastings, am in deep trouble. II
seems that my poor sister Annie, from
whom ] once hoped so much, has fallen
into evil ways. 1t is known that she
took some Of your sisters Jewels TO the
Government assayer to ascertain their
value; also that she sent off valuables to
the amount of four thousand dollars by
Wells, Fargo x Co., and In due time re-
ceived draft for that sum. This leads
to the suspicion that she Is In some way
cogniZant of your sisters movements;
or else" and Henry trembled violently
rs he spoke, "she has stolen the prop
erty, which will not believe il / can
help it,
Alice overheard this last remark
She had left her mother with a strange,
unutterable longing TO unravel the
mystery concerning herself, and had
been only prevented from SO doing by a
fear that the poor consumptive would
not be able TO endure the sudden shock
OF surprise and Joy attendant upon the
revelation.
"Who Is he talking about, and what
has 'she' stolensn she querled, men,
tally, and had almost yielded 10 the inn
pulse To go 10 them and ask the same
question, when she remembered that
her present position would make such
an act downright impertinence In
deed, she felt ashamed of herself for
having even inadvertently overheard q
private conversation.
Unnotieed by May or her visitor, she
hurried through the hall and down the
dainty lawn, still coming In her mind
the query, "If tcho has stolen lrhGts"
Annie was busy waiting upon bevy
OF country customers when Alice en-
tered the store, and, having profitable
bargain OH her hands, WAS Oblivious to
all else except Its completion.
= Presently a magnincently attlred
woman, with beautiful form and fea-
/ tures, entered the establishment and
/ asked for full set Of point applique
laces. Alice went to wait upon her, and
e the lady, after considerable hesltancy,
selected the most elegant assortment in
: the house, expressing regret, as she
4 counted out the gold, that there was
| nothing finer of the kind to be had IN
( the city.
"There is very little demand for eN
e tremely fine goods" said Alice. "Oul
r principal trade is with those who dea
in moderately expensive fabrics"
e "If everybody honestly earned all the
e money they spend, as you evidently do
# few people would wear such goods; bu
I buy them because they are made 10y
II poor women in the old countries wht
Il need the patronage, God knows" an'
she toyed abstractedIy with her pur
J, chase.
d "Y'et their profits on such articles ar
/, meager indeed, compared 10 the Gov
ernment duties upon them, and the pc
e centum Of wholesale and retail dealers,
ar said Alice.
:. "Would you mind telling me wha
Is your profits upon my purchases are q
90 queried the lady.
a Alice shook her head, smillngly
D. That's one of the tricks of trade" sh
answered, clinkIng the gold into
lie drawer.
id "Aud It's one OF the tricks of my trad
ID to go everywhere AMI learn all can q
lie what women are doing in every depart
ment of existence. have plenty {
money, though never earned dolla
in my life, and know thousands {
women who have earned, and continu
"a to earn plenty, and yet never possess
Of dollar"
r "Do YOU know what kind OF comPan
you're in o. queried n gentleman, steI
Sc ping up to one Of the country ladies wit
a whom Annie was dealing, and speakin
in a severe undertone, yet loud enoug
?" for the busy milliner to hear distinctly
- "Why >" was the unsophlstIcate
TN answer.
Because that woman over there buy
nd ing laees and talking so intently wit
ed the clerk is street walker"
'e- The country customer gathered ht
20, skirts about her, gave the hint to he
Ii buxom daughters, and without wsitin
er for the goods they had selected, the
hurried out into the street with palll
~ faces and Indignant hearts, followed b
OH the gentlemanly protector who lie
TO kindly interfered to save them froi
TX destruction.
er. "T don't see why you didn't wait
he get our hats" said one OF the girl
=, trr,,a rillinar had trimmed them