The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-09-28
MY SAPPHIR,ES.

Inc. But 1T Is not; it's Mrs. Reginald
Amberly. | will tell you how that hap
pened.
Part of my early life was not unlike
Becky Sharpe's. Like her / was an
amateur teacher in large boarding
school-snubbed and underpaid-
/ learned only to look out for myself. d
made study of ways and means for my
advancement. Other girls had assist
ance for advancement in the world de-
voted relations, rich papas, strict mann
mas, brothers of successful policy. |
had no such helps, and was forced to
help myself / detested the life I lived,
and l did not mean to line it always, if
my wits could be made to serve me, as |
believed they might.
had one friend, Kitty Naples, who
I counted on, and not in vain. / speak
the word advisedly. The girl, such is
the law Of opposites, was devoted to me,
though / could scarcely bear her, she
was SO simple-minded and tedious. l
bore with her, however, because | need
ed her.
She was the only daughter of ex-
ceedingly wealthy people of the city, who
were indulgent to her every whim; of
course every guest of Kitty's was wei
come in their luxurious home, where
visitors were generally of position and
wealth. / meant to spend my vacations
with her, and | soon succeeded.
Kitty thought me witty and talented.
My audacity must have been marvellous,
for was always ioness at Maple
House, as the magnificent old estate was
called. In the centre of the city it's
wall rose amidst large garden, full of
fountains, statues and flowers. At
Christmas large party were always en-
tertained there.
was not pretty but graceful, what
the French call spirituelle; and Kitty,
with her slow, heavy physique and
bread-and-butter school girl air, set me
off to advantage. was too small, pale
and light for beauty, though / used to
think that with money | could get my.
self up very effectively. Money had
been forced to get along without de-
termined that [ would not always
remember how / lived in those
days, my head almost bursting and
nerves twitching with my schemes and
plans. But the "mills of the gods grind
slowly" and the weightiest result Of my
careful endeavors was familiarity with
the customs of good society-and my
sapphires.
At the end of three years, Mrs. Ma
pies died. Aware that her end was ap-
preaching, she called me to her chamber
and said:
Ignatia, have remembered all my
friends, with some little token of my
good will ] earnestly desire your pros
perity, and / believe you viii be pros
porous, your talents are so remarkable
/ think some day you viii make bril-
liant and substantial marriage, and /
leave you my sapphire necklace, worn
BY me In my youth, to wear on your
wedding day. You have admired it,
and it is very valuable-not more cost
ly gift than you deserve, however. Take
it, and remember Kitty's mother AL
ways be a good friend to my poor Kitty,
Ignatia-"
promised warmly, for / was over
come by the magnifcence of the gift I
had seen the necklace in her jewel box,
and had been allowed to try it on--or
rather it was clasped about my neck by
Kitty; she and her mother declaring
the effect " charming"
/ had coveted, but never dreamed of
possessing it. Now that it was mine,
my ambition rose higher than ever. and
] counted upon its rareness and beauty
to aid me in making as good match as
the good lady had wished me.
But even then | did not appreciate
the magnifcence of the gift, for l soon
became embarrassed with my riches In
less than a year after it came into my
possession, was successively offered six
and eight hundred dollars for it, by jew
elers, who would probably sell it for
twice that sum and was soon warned
by disinterested persons that exposure
of it was dangerous to my person. I
never wore it, for this reason.
After Mrs. Naples death, however, /
had no occasion. Naples House was
shut up-C Colonel Naples going abroad,
and taking Kitty.
would gladly have kept my promise
to devote my friendship to the latter, for
she was now an heiress but she left the
country, and / should have returned to
my drudgery of teaching at Rocklawn
Seminary, but that / was offered the
situation of company to widow lady
residing in the city.
1t was better than teaching in the
seclusion of the country, for her house
was frequented by men as well as
women.
She was an attractive person. very
beautiful brunette-and perhaps she
reckoned on my style of face and figure
as setting off hers-for she was not
without coquetry.
On the Summer following her engage
ment with me, she went down to the
Cape House, at the seashore, for the
season, and of course accompanied her.
Her motive in going there was to Sc
cure wealthy match with a certain
banker, and she secured it
One day she said to me:
eff / were not engaged to Mr..
Goldthwait, I should set my cap for
Reginald Amberly."
Who is Reginald Amberly ~ ]
asked
One of the best matches Of the sea-
son, probably, since be has just come
into q fnrfi1ne Of one hundred Thousand