Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-03
VOL. 71.-3629. NO. 20.

then talk like that, she only Just buried,
too Oh, how cruel, how mean !"
"Why, Jenny II didn't mean any.
thing" stammered Harry, abashed by this
unwonted passion in gentle Ianct's" eyes
\ and voice. Only "A returning gleam Of
mischief in his face az he saw the excite
ment fade out Of her" with that funny
/ little twinkle in the eye and that fol-de-rol
thing perched on top Of the head and the
waist up 10 the ears, II docs look such an old
fashioned quiz, don't il, now 20 holding IL
out for inspection.
dare say" answered Janft. already self
reproachful, as she stroked "her boys "
brown cnrls. " But do you suppose We
should look very new-fashioned ourselves
fifty years from now, Harry ?"
" Ho. y0UF cried the saucy boy. Tell
you what, Miss .Ien, take you girls ~ you
stand, from the stills under Your feet 10 the
cheeseplates on your heads aud a naturalist
fifty years from now wouldn't know what
SORT Of animal he'd got hold OF 2"
as a cheese-plate animal on vegetable,
Harry 2" asked Janet, gravely.
Animal, guess, answered Harry, boldly.
You'd think sn oyer 40 old Grcsham's, II
You could see-"
"Oh, YOU horrid boy" moaned Angie.
turning her head on her pillow
Come, Harry | won't have you talk so"
said Janet, laughingv. "a she picked up his
slate-pencil
SO Harry returned TO arithmetic, aud Janet
went over TO coax poor sickly Angie back
into good temper.
The bequest at the time hail seemed TO
Janet en inexhaustible mine VI wealth--a
kind of Fortunatus purse which should
carry out all her cherished day dreams il
would surround poor Angie with Injuries
il would send Harry to college; it would
even form, at least nest-egg for that once
impossible treasure which Arthur's father
made the condition of their happiness. But
as time slipped by, she found every dollar
in anticipation at least, a dozen times alr
propriated, and the treasure become impos
sible again. She could almost have fancied
it all dream hut for the watch which lay
before her, a sufficiently solid reminder in
its heavy old-fashioned case, the eyes of the
miniature winking up at her from the dim
enamel She looked back at it with a smile
and then sigh. then one day remembered
suddenly that the prescribed three months
had nearly elapsed, and she must not forget
to take it with her the next time she went
down town with Harry.
Mr.. Sandham--a wiry old man, with black
eyes and polished bald head, on which a
velvet skull-cap sat coquettishy askew--rc-
ceiyed them; looking at her, She noticed,
with n singular curiosity as he took the
watch from her hand.
This is avery old acquaintance of mine,"
he said, as he pressed one spring after
another " \ very remarkable, and, indeed
| may say, valuable piece of workmanship
Were You aware Of that Miss lollister Y'
he asked, with sudden sharp look at her.
Z" As a souvenir it Is, indeed, very valua-
L. 4 1. 4 4.
" but did not imagine that in itself"
" All, that is because you have probably
not studied it as have. Look at 1t again
now, Miss IIollster, and sec il you perceive
nothing remarkable"
4" II is intricately inlaid," said Janet hest
tatingly, as he turned it over, i" and the por-
traits are done with curious earnestness,
but"
"To be sure to be sure the portraits"
put in Mr.. Sandman, rubbing his hands
with the quick, cat-like motion peculiar to
him. There is something curious about
the portraits 2 Now, what should you say it
was, eh, Miss IIollister 2"
Janet looked doubtfully from his face 10
the pictured ones and back again.
"Only see the eyes !" continued the old
man, gleefully; ." how they twinkle, as il
they were just ready to tell you all about il r.
And truly the two little diamond points
in each face as the old man turned them 10
the strong light, sparkled and winked as IL
family radiating mystery.
What would you say 2" he went on, g II
| were 20 tell you that each of these con
cealed diamond"
As large as q rocs egg 2" ecstatically
murmured Harry, who, fresh from the " Ara.
ban Nights" wonders, would indeed hardly
have been surprised TO see Genie issue
from the watch-case.
" am not familiar with the rocs egg"
said the old man, turning upon Master Henry
with a sudden confusing ceremoniousncsS
81 il being, | apprehend, of the kind chiefly
found in mares nests, which have never
yet had the fortune TO discover. But ! was
about to remark that the four eyes conceal
four fine diamonds, which, united, form n
very pretty little sum indeed. Look, Miss
Iiollister And, pressing a hidden spring
as he spoke, the outer case ilew aside, reveal
ing a second one within, in which were set
two large diamonds, while, on repeating the
same action with the other side, similar
treasures were there disclosed.
You must understand, Miss lIollister,'
said the ieweler, nodding at ,Ianets bewi-
dered face, that the late Mrs. Macdonald
was of cautious tempcrament--no bad
thing in anybody and having suffered some
losses by bank, she conceived the idea OF
investing a certain portion of her fortune in
such n way as to retain it safe about her
own person. She commissioned me to make
an inner case for this readily done
from its great thickness, as you may observe
in which two diamonds were set on each
side, in position to come directly beneath
the eyes, which were then pierced with
hole in each center This enabled her al
ways TO assure herself of their safety, while,
by Disgusting their size, it lessened the risk
of robbery. You see People would hardly
take the trouble to steal such little bit of
diamond AS that said Mr., Sandman, sml-
ingly, as he re-adjusted the duh, blank sock
cts again over the embedded Jewels, where
the tiny central point of light winked up
again like the eye of a benevolent witch.
Aren't you lucky, though, Jenny Wren =
cried Harry, as soon as he went ont of the
old mans paralyzing presence Won't
Arthur be glad, though Now YOU eau be
married, and no more trouble. What was it
Angie said about the money growing again
Aud it has, just like that old Whafs-his-
name with the purse. | declare it ought to
be changed 10 Fortunata's Pocket ~ Serb
noI's Monthly for February.