Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-02-26
THE CORAL NECKLACE.
BY BERTHA MAY.

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her winlow, one pleasant Septemb,
| day, with an open letter In her la
which she had just been reading. I'll
tears werein her eyes, looked sadly bu
out of place on her broad, good-hu
mored face.
Bless her pretty heart" size wa
saying to herself; wants to come an
help me with the fall and winter worI
does she?" and smile passed owe
her features. 1.-The little rosebr
doesn't know that fall and winter ar
the farmers resting spells; but sh
shall come though, and shall have
home, too, as long as have one my
self. Just to think how things d,
change in this world Only this sprin,
she was down here in the village, witt
all the other city folks, and seemed t,
be the richest of all. My, how he
| father did idolize that girl! And nov
the old gentleman's dead, and she a
writing to me for place to help MI
work I"
Here farmer Markham entered tn,
troubled his wife, walked over to the
window where she was sitting and laying
his hand gently on her shoulder, said
Nv hats gone wrong now, Rachel
my dear2 What's in that letter tC
briAg tears to your sunshiny eyes?'
This couple were all in all to each
other, and, after thirty years of mar
ried life, were as tender and thought
ful as in the rosy days of courtship
They only had two living children
One son, practicing physician in a
married, and settled down with fam
lily of her own.
What's troubling me. John?' re-
piled Mrs. Markham. why, don't
you remember that pretty Eloise Dale,
with eyes like stars and hair like sun
beams, who was down here in the
spring p
We'll, now. Rachel, 1 don't know
how / could forget her, with her pref
ty, winning ways, making such music
about the house as we haven't had
since daughter Lucy went away?"
"Ies" continued she. You know
her mother died when she was slip OF
a child, and her father died soon after
they left here and what's more, he
hasn't left anything to support Eloise.
Folks thought he was rolling in riches,
but everything that is left the child is
just those fine clothes and the jewelry
he was always buying her, dressing her
up like picture"
AS pretty a picter as we ever clap
eyes on. too, put in Mr.. Markham
And as | was saying, went on Mrs.
NJ, now she wants to hire herself to
help me with the work. She thinks
winter time busy season with us. :"
Hire | say hire !" replied the
farmer; you just write straight away
and tell her to come. But wait min
ute-maybe she would be too inde-
pendent to come if she didn't think we
needed her. Tell her to come quick
as she can conveniently-that we want
her very much; and then, when we get
her here, we won't let her leave again
soon-hey, wife?"
Thus this kind hearted pair talk
ed and planned over what they con-
sidered such good fortune TO them
selves; and most surely it was good
fortune to the orphan girl to have such
a refuge to turn to in her deep trouble.
Mrs. Markham wrote the desired
letter, and in a weeks time her hus-
band drove over to the village for the
young lady.
The farmers wife had her house all
in order from cellar to attic, and it
was cleanly, homelooking place, with
it's wide halls, large, airy rooms and
broad piazzas. While curtains were
looped away from the windows, which
were open to let in the breeze, for al
though September, it was still quite
warm. Flowers we're ON the mantles
and tables, fresh green ferns and
grasses in the white e-place. Mrs.
Markham S pantry was wonder to be-
hold. 1t looked more as if she was
expecting a real princess than a girl
who had lost property and friends
for of course friends leave when riches
do. Such rows of pies and custardS,
such large iced cakes that looked as if
lifted from snow-drift, preserves, jel-
lies and sweet-meats, and, to crown it
all, monster roasted tur key, brown
as berry, the very looks of which
would make ones mouth water.
Mrs. Markham viewed the whole
with intense satisfaction.
And now" she said to herself, II
will lay the table, and think by that
time they will be here, and won't Eloise
open her eyes at the dinner I've got for
her? Il don't look much like din
ner for girl that's expecting to work
for living, that's fact"
She had just put the finishing touch
es to the table, when she heard the
sounds of wheels, and fastened out to
welcome to heart and home the orphan
girl. She clasped the slender, black
robed figure to her mothcrly heart,
kissed her, and then held her at arms
length to look at her. There was not
much change in the lovely face crown
ed with its halo of sunshiny hair. The
brown eyes were as star-like as ever,
her brow as smooth and white, and her
mouth as ripe as in olden days; but
there was a touch of sadness over the
sweet face which gave it look almost
holy.
Mrs. NJ went with her up to the
room she had fixed so prettily for her,
and then, between smiles and tears,
she told Eloise she wanted her to un-
derstand at once that she was not to
work for her living.
We are going to pet you and love
yOuas ifyou were our own child, aud all
we want you to do is to be happy, make
yourself at home, and love US if you
can"
l will not try to describe the graft
tude of Eloise. Suffice it to say she
found in truth a happy home and the
kindest and truest of friends in the
warm. hearted couple.
She had been in the family almost
year, when Miss Margaret Craig, one of
her former friends, came to board at
the farm for a month or two to recruit
her health and looks after the round of
city gayeties. Miss Craig was very
She had light hair, gray
eyes, and pale, freckeled face, and
very washed out look beside the piqu-
ant beauty Of Eloise Dale. This only
served to make her more disagreeable,
and she scarcely noticed Eloise at all,
unless to ask favor at her hands.
One evening, there was to be soiree
at the fashion hotel in the village, and
Miss Craig had determined to look her
very best; but she was not much of an
artist in the toilette, and could not
harmonize her dress and Jewels in a
becoming manner. Giving up her own
efforts at last as futile, she went to
Elolse's room, and when admitted, be-