Daily globe., 1879-06-01
MRS. STOUGHTON's DIAMOND.

fall about her before she was able to put
pride into her pocket, where there was
plenty of room, and turn her hand to the
only work she understood. 1t was some
five years since she had begun to 60 out
by the day to make and mend carpets,
old and new, for the housekeepers Of
Hampton. She had plenty Of employ
ment nov, some money in the bank, and
lover She looked forward to the
time, not SO far off, when she should be-.
Gin upon her own carpets, when the
money in the bank would be drawn out
to buy the parlor set and the household
linen, pictures and nickknackerv perhaps,
the wedding gown and bride-cake She
sometimes diverted herself with these
thoughts, while sewing up the tedious
seams Of Mrs. Cashmere's Brussels, or
matching the faded figures in Parson
Needy's three-ply, which had been
patched and darned and turned more
times than she had fingers and toes. 1t
used to amuse her sometimes to observe
that the dra" ing room carpets finally
graduated in the attic, gong through the
preparatory course in sitting room. din
ing-room, nursery, and parlor chamber.
She had been working for Mrs. Slough
ton for several days, when her troubles
began, and had gone home, quite tired
out with the conflict over that lady's
chamber carpet, which had seen its best
days. She had been obliged to rip and
match figures and insert patches to de-
ceiye the very elect, and at the end Mrs.
Stougton had told her she would settle
the bill when she heard from her husband
who had gone away on business, and
taken the key of the money drawer with
him by mistake. Greta shrewdly sus-
pected the drawer was as empty as a
drum, but made no demur. She would
oblige a neighbor, and never remember
The following day she was engaged at
Dr.. Cardamon's, when she heard Fred
rush in from school, and shout:
II say, mas supper ready? Give me a
hunk of gingerbread, anyhow. Where's
Greta Loring? I want to ask her if she's
stole Miss Stoughton's diamond out of
her ring! Jack Stoughton says his moth
er's going to haul Greta over the Goals
[ don't believe one word Of it, and 1 want
to ask her"
'sHush, Fred; hush.' said Mrs Carda-
mon. What do you mean? Don't ask
Greta any such silly question
"Well, I don't want Jack Stougnton
saying Things, and I'll just thrash him fol
it,
''Diamonds!" laughed Greta to herself
''Who would suspect Mrs. Stoughton e1
one?' Then she suddenly remembered
having picked a ring off the floor Of the
chamber where she was sewing at Mrs
Stoughton' gold ring in which stone
of good size had no doubt once sparkled
and she had dropped it on the mantel
and thought no more about it. Was thai
cavity going to bear false witness against
her? What nonsense! But that evening
when she returned to her lodgings, sht
found note awaiting her. which read
eff Miss Loring can give Mrs. Stoughtor
any information about the diamond miss
ing from a ring left in the chamber
where Miss Loring was at work, it will b.
gratefully received, and no mortifyine
disclosures made.'
Poor Greta slept little that night How
could any one suspect her of such dread
ful thing? Where could the diamond hav'
gone? How could she defend herself ex,
cept by her word? Ought she not to have
been above suspicion, like CAESARS wife
What had she done todeserve it? In angr,
moment she returned this misjudgec
reply: "Mrs. Stoughton is at liberty t
make whotever mortifying disclosures
she may choose, but she must excus
Miss Loring from rendering accoun
of a diamond Of whose existence she wa
Ignorant This naturally exasperate,
Mrs. Stoughton, who fiattered herself tina
she had transacted the affair with grea
delicacy and dccorum, She had expected
to bring Miss Loring to her feet, will
contrite tears and confessions, and her
was absolute defiance! Did such huss7
deserve consideration at her hands? An(
if Mrs. Stoughton was more Or less afrait
to say her soul was her own before tina
impecunious other half of herself, ho,
much was she afraid to say that her dia
mond was no longer hers! Accordingl
she made haste to put the matter into tn
hands of the law and the mouths of tn
Hampton gossips. Doubtless Greta woul
have been lodged in Jail at this time ha
not Mr.. Grafton secretly espoused he
cause, while he undertook the case Mrs
Stoughton had intrusted to him. NJ
Grafton was a wealthy bachelor, some
what gray, and a good deal bald; he ha
smiled on Greta moro than once, withor
receiving any answering smile perhaps h
thought now that every thing arrives t
him who can afford to wait-that th
was his opportunity. His house-keept
had once engaged Greta to make carpet
at Grafton Place, and he had taken pain
TO show her over the house and grounds
and ha1 noarlv cnatcho6 q Lice IN III
shadow of the lindens, as he put her int
his carriage to send her home. Gret
had never worked there again; but pei
haps she was too grateful at finding
friend at her side in such stormy weathe
to refuse favor from Mr.. Grafton, an
perhaps she had forgotten his audacit,
Yet in the midst of her humiliations CIR
ia remembered with a heart-throb th;
she had a lover to come to her rescue
she chose to call him-that she shoul
not be dependent upon Mr.. Grafton's te1
der mercies after Stephen Sotherne ha
been notified of her strait At the san
time, she felt disinclined to break tt
bad news to him till after all was owe
For how could it be possible for an inn
cent person to suffer? But Greta was
little stunned one morning on receivi1
letter in the handwriting of her ctr,
love-" which ran in this wise:
"MY DEAR GRErA,-It Is some tin
since had the pleasure Of hearing fro
you, and it has occurred to me to ask
time and distance were not weakenil
our hold upoa each other; to wonder he
long you would continue to love m,
whom you saw but once or twice yes