The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-06-11
Mrs Stoughton's Diamond.

Greta had seen her household gods
fall about her before she was able to put
pride into her pocket, wLere there was
plenty Of room, and turn -ler 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
nent now, some money in the bank, and
a lover. She looked forward to the
time, not so far off, when she should
begin 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 knickknackery per-
haps, the wedding gown and bride
cake. She had been working for Mrs.
Stoughton 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 deceive the very elect, and al
the end Mrs. Stoughton 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 suspected that the
drawer was as empty as a drum, but
made no demur. She would oblige =
neighbor, and never remember it.
The following day she was engaged q.
DR.. Cardamon's, when she heard Fred
rush in from school, and shout:
II say, ma, S supper ready? Give
me hunk of gingerbread, anyhow.
Where's Greta Loring? I want to ask
her if she's stole Miss Stoughton's dia-
mond out of her ring! Jack Stoughton
says his mothers going to haul Greta over
the Goals. 1 don't believe word of it,
and want to ask her"
.'Hush, Fred, hushn' said Mrs.
Stoughton. "What do you mean? Don't
ask Greta any such llyquestion."
swell. I don't want Jack StoughtoE
saying things, and I'lijust thrash him
for it. "
Diamonds - laughed Greta to her.
self "Who would suspect Mrs. Slough
ton of one?' Then she suddenly re-
membered having picked ring off the
floor of the chamber where she was sew
ing at Mrs. Stoughton's-a 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 that cavity going to bear false
witness against her? What nonsense !.
But that evening. when she returned to
her lodgings, she found note awaiting
her, which read: "If Miss Loring can
give Mrs. Stoughton any information
about the diamond missing from a ring
left in the chamber where Miss Loring
was at work, it will be gratefully re-
ceived, and no mortifying disclosures
made"
Poor Greta slept little that night. How
could anSh one suspect her of such a
dreadful thing? Where could the dia-
mond have gone? How could. she de-
fend herself except by her word? Ought
she not to have been above suspicion,
ike Cesar's wife? What had she done
to deserve it? In an angry moment she
returned this misIudged reply: Mrs.
Stoughton is at liberty to make what
ever mortifying disclosures she may
choose, but she must excuse Miss Lorins
from rendering account of diamond OF
whose existence she was ignorant" "
This naturally exasperated Mrs. Slough
ton, who fattered herself that she had
transacted the affair with great delicacy
and decorum. She had expected to bring
Miss Loring to her feet, with contrite
tears and confessions. and here was
absolute defiance! Did such a hussy de-
serve consideration at her hands? And
If Mrs. Stoughton was more or less afraid
to say her soul was her own before that
impecunious other half Of herself, how
much more was she afraid to say that her
diamond was no longer hers! Accord
ingly she made haste to put the matter
into the hands of the law and the mouths
of the Hampton gossips. Doubtless Greta
would have been lodged in jail at this
time had not Mr.. Grafton secretly espous-
ed her cause, while he undertook the
case Mrs. .Stoughtpn had intrusted to him.
Mr:Grafton was a wealthy bachelor,
somewhat gray, and good deal bald; he
had smiled upon Greta more than once,
without receiving any answering smile;
perhaps he thought now that everything
arrives to him who can afford to wait
that this was his opportunity. Hi,
housekeeper had once engaged Greta to
make carpets at Grafton Place. and he
had taken pains to show her over the
SlouANS, ftHSt uaN
snatched kiss in the shadow of the lin
dens, as he put her into his carriage to
send her home. Greta had never worked
there again; but perhaps she was too
grateful at finding friend at her side in
such stormy weather to refuse favor
from Mr.. Grafton. and perhaps she had
forgotten his audacity. Yet in the midst
of her humiliations Greta remembered
with heart-throb that she had a lover
to come to her rescue if she chose to call
him-that she should not be dependent
upon Mr.. Grafton's tender mercies after
Stephen Sotherne had been notified of
her strait. At the same time, she felt
disinclined to break the bad news to him
till after all was over. For how could it
be possible for an innocent person to
suffer? But Greta was not little stun
ned one morning on receiving letter in
the handwriting OF her true love-"
which ran in this v Sc:
my DEAR CIR rA-It is some time
since had the pl' sure of hearing from
you, and it has occurred to me to ask if
time and distance were not weakening
our hold upon each other; to wonder
how long you would continue to love a
man whom you saw only once or twice
- @<~ hat ,ofr