The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-07-26
THE JEWEL CASE.

~ shall not be gone more than week,
Meta" said Mrs Darkedale, "and of course
feel that can leave everything in your charge,
without the least anxiety"
"Of course you may, Mrs. Darkedale, said
Meta, flush Of gratiied pride mantling her
cheek.
Z "One. favor, however, I must ask" added
Mrs. Darkedale, "and hat is, that you will not
receive any company during my absence"
She looked keenly lat Meta Gray.
The girl colored deep scarlet.
81 suppose you mean the Fenleys,'" said
she, not without some constraint in her man
ner; II do not expect to see them while you
are gone"
"you are good girl, Meta, and 1 think may
trust you"
Mrs. Darkedale was the relict of an East
India merchant, who had left her widowed
and childless in the world about two years pre-
yiously.
Meta Gray was distant relative, who had
come to the Darkdale house, partly because
her cousins widow had written her q cordial
invitation, and partly because she had howhere
else to go. -.
She was pretty, enthusiastic syoung crea-
ture, who had somewhat strange ideas of the
world, and who rather despised the promising
wholesale grocer whom Mrs. Darkedale had
selected as an eligible match for her, because he
was wholesale grocer.
"Sugar and raisins are so vulgar" saidssMeta,
turning up her pretty little nose.
'.No more 80 than stocks and bonds" re-
torted Mrs. Darkedale.
And, much to the good lady's vexation. Meta
persisted in selecting for her bosom friend q
dashing damsel, called Eudora Fenley, who
fitted dresses and trimmed bonnets in strictly
private fashion. and had poetical brother Who
gave guitar lessons.
Meta Gray was not often obstinate, but this
was one Of the few occasions on which NIrs
Darkedale got, as she herself phrased it,
thoroughly out of patience with the child"
~ believe they have bewitched her." said
Mrs. Darkedale However, III say no more
about it. Perhaps the fancy will wear itself
ont after awhile-and I've always heard that
opposition is the worst thing in the world to fan
fame"
So Mrs. Darkedale went away to her friends
sick bed, and left Meta Gray in possession,
with only Hannah, the msid, to share the
honors.
It was novel and rather pleasant respon-
sibility to order the dinner and decide on the
dessert and, when that was settled, Meta went
upstairs to ''tidy up" Mrs. Darkedale's room,
straighten the guipure lace coverlet and put
away the various articles that the good lady
haa left scattered on chairs, sofa and dressing
table IN her haste OF preparation.
As Meta folded up q cashmere scarf some
thing dropped with clink on the floor.
"Mrs. Darkedale's keysm she exclaimed,
aloud.
1t was true.
The little bunch had somehow csught on
the fringe of the scarf and got ierked out Of
the old lady's pocket, and she had gone off
without them.
Meta was still looking at them, and pondering
to herself Mrs. Darkedale's CONSERVATION at
discovering their loss, when there came soft
tap at the door, and Miss Eudora Fenley rustled
in, bringing with her general impression of
sparkling bugles and fluttering ribbons, and 3
decided odor Of patchouk.
"EudoraI" exc aimed the girl.
Chow you did start !" said Eudora, with an
affected little giggle. 'No, / lidnt ring.
Hannah was cleaning the door-steps, and just
slipped in and came straight up here, as didn't
find you in the parlor. What's that you have in
your hand? Keys 2"
eyes," said Meta, "Mrs. Darkedale's keys.
She has gone off and forgotten them. See
here's the key of the china closet, and this Lig
one locks the silver beduTe, and here's the
wardrobe key, and the little one with the gildsd
top belongs to the jewel-box."
1'The !ewel-bo1," said Eudora, with spark
ling ewes. "Oh, Meta, that will be the very
thing am going to ball tomorrow night,
and I've q pink satin dress and wreath, and
a set of imitation jewels. Oh, if could only
wear real ones, just this once. Only for one
evening, and Mrs. Darkedale would never know
it. I've always heard that hers are such beau
ties ~
Meta turned pale anl red.
"Oh, Eudora, dare not :"
"Where would be the harm?" boldly de-
nanded the milliner and dressmaker. "No
one would be injured, and should be so proud.
Mrs. Darkedale never wears the stones-a reSu.
lar old miser, she is. And you've always Id
me, Meta" with sentimental accent, "thai
you loved me-"
$50 do faltered poor Meta.
"And you won't grant me this one favor-sc
trifing one, too? Oh, Meta, what wouldn't
do for you?"
Slowly Meta unlocked the jewel case, 6
square box of inlaid wood, which occupied one
of the shelves Of Mrs. Darkedales wardrobe
"There can be no harm in looking at them, Al
all events" thought she.
Mrs. Darkedale kept her costly and antique
set of jewelry in ruby velvet case, worn ant
tarnished by age, in one corner, and Meta ha(
but lust taken up this case when old Hann2l
knocked at the door.
eff YOU please, MISS" said she, "there'
a lady below who desires to see you imme
diately."
Eu6nra hold ont hot hands pleadingly,