Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-08-17
Select Story.
A BIT Of Lace.

@Its a perfectly exquisite piece o.
lace, papa"
Il dare say, Flor"
But want you to look at it,"
Il shouldn't know anything more
about it il 1 did"
We'll, then, 1 want you to buy it.
Buy it! What for?"
why, for me-"
PAY five hundred dollars for q
handkerchief for you?"
yes. indeed. All other girls have
them, although certainly this is lit
tie, the least little. nicer than theirs
don't know why Lucy should have
a handsomer handkerchief than L
just because she's married. Any
body else would say it was enough to
be married, and so let me have the
handkerchief. Married women have
everything-love, lace and diamonds
Now, papa, just take out your pock-
et-book." 1t was a coaxing voice.
DO you suppose carry $500 bills
in my pocket -book?"
1T makes no odds. Your check
book, then. / have set my heart on
it. it's such beauty. If You would
only look at it--look at that wreath
of flowers, all so delicately shaded ;
here the close work in the light, you
see, there the open work in the shade,
so perfect you almost fancy the col
ors; and all done in this one thread.
See. papa, there's dewdrop, that
round hole in the mesh"
Nonsense, Flor; can't see any
thing Of the kind there"
AThat's because your eye isn't ed
ucated, sir. Mine is; for I have
studied other peoples laces until ]
could almost work them. That's a
good mani / knew you would. You
always do. One, two, threel' And
| then there was shower OF kisses
and tinkline laughter. And that was
the conversation of a millionaire and
his daughter that Lucian Malvin
heard over the transom Of the next
room to his in the hotel where he
staid over night year or two ago
seeing neither people nor handker-
chief, and aghast at the thought Of 9
handkerchief costing the awful price
OF $500, which was one-third Of tn,
mortgage en- his little place that hs
was trying to pay of, heart and sou
"a conversation that now recurreC
to him IN a moment OF real agony, a.
the housemaid stood before hin
holding a little limp rag in her hant
that she had just snatched out Of tn,
washtub, and that last night was ,
dainty bit OF lace that Miss Ross
Mercier had called her handkerchief
and had given him to hold during
the galop. Good heavens, how wa
he ever going to restore It'll
He was young lawyer, just enter
ing upon what in time would be ,
fine practice, but which was nov
rather empirical. He had started II
the race for wealth and honor will
good legal ability, good name ant
good morals, and with no other i'm
pediments than little patrimony il
the shape of modest dwelling in th'
suburbs, which he had been oblige,
to mortgage for the means to get 1
part Of his education and profession
which mortgage he was striving u
pay OF, that he might begin the fu
ture clear of the world. He was
handsome fellow. this Lucian Malvin
an ambitious one, too, in some de
gree, and very nearly nearly as prou'
as Lucifer. He used to feel many
pang in the association with those s.
much wealthier than himself L
whicn certain circumstances ha'
subjected him. He had an impor
tant case accidentally thrown into hi
hands, and had acquitted himself s.
well that the wealthy client took hin
up and would not let him down; an,
when Lucian demonstrated that
was out Of his power to keep up sue
association, and was mortifying Il
his pride besides, the client had as
sured him it was not pride, but vani
ty. that was mortified, and that tn
way to be as wealthy as those he me
was to keep their company and &c
their cases; and he had thought, o.
the whole, that perhaps his frien'
was right, and that, IL he began I
yield with an ignoble motive, he ha
nevertheless bscome very fond Of tn
. ways Of the people to whom wealt
had given every opportunity OF Gu!
ture and grace, and who knew ho'
to treat life like a work Of ar
, Moreover, it was not little that b
was petted by various OF these goo
people. Certain motherly ladie
made him at home with them, an
won his confidence and affection
notably Mrs. Barnetta. Parents wit
good rent-rolls of their own, rs Mr..
Barnetta used to tell him, were nc