Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-12
NO. 297.
Gales ano Skettbes.
A MODERN DELILAH.
BY JAMES PAYNE.
From London Belgravia Monthly.
Continued from yesterday. }

| (CoHtinucu from Yesterday
One afternoon a brougham stopped at
Messrs. Moonstone' establishment with a
widow in it; about the brougham there
could be no sort of doubt; it is not pri-
vate vehicle but one of those which are
hired by the day or hour the appearance of
the driver, not to mention that of the horse,
precluded the possibility of its being the
property of the person who employed it.
If she thought to be set down among scar
riage people" because she used such con-
veyance, she must have been sanguine in
deed And so far that was good sign.
People that came to rob on scale worth
mentioning, U am not thinking of those
who slip any unconsidered trifle. such as
ring or spray, into their muffs they
were always detected and bowed out of
| the shop into the arms of policeman in
plain cloths who stood near the door ;)-
people. | say, who wanted to swindle,
were always very particular about the ye-
hicle that brought them.
What aroused suspicion in the watchful
eye of Mr.. John Riddel was the widow
herself. Like Weller, senior though
without his matrimonial experiencre to ex-
cuse iD, he had prejudice against wild
ows-at least in jewelers. shops; nor, |
am bound to confess, was it altogether
without grounds : the garb and the mien
of sorrowng the being the stalking horses
under which a good deal of knavery is ac-
complshed. And then the widow was so
bewitchng to look at that it was naturally
alarming from every neat plat of her
beautiful hair, and every fold of her mod
est suit of mourning there seemed to him
to ilutter a danger signal. He was wont
- l,~ 1, IL.
after no good from the first moment he set
eyes on her; but that statement must,
think, he received with caution. If his
face grew severe and his manner painful
polite, as she came up to where he stood.
it was because that she knew that Boltby
and Nation had got their eyes upon him
and were looking out for some sign OF
weakness.
81 wish to see some rings" she said in
a soft and gentle voice mourning rings; !"
and then She took of her glove, displaying
the whitest little hand imaginable.
Of. course he could not help seeing her
hand, nor yet her face, from which she had
put back her veil. 1t wore an expression
of sadness, but also one of enfranchise-
ment and content it seemed to say, my
late husband was very unworthy of me;
but he has left me free, and / forgive
him" Who has not seen such widows,
who wear their weeds almost as if they
were flowers. and who have apparently
selected black as their only wear, because
it is becoming to themP have often
thought. if could have the choice of my
own calling. than, next to being ''com-
panon to lady," l should like to be
young jeweler trying on rings. 1t must
be almost as good as bigamy, trigamy,
polygamy, and with none of the risks.
Mr.. Riddle said, "Allow me, madam,
in his most honeyed voice. and slipped
Ceased" he called it, and certainly it was
very easy work) ring after ring upon the
widows dainty finger.
81 hope am not hurting you," he mur-
INJURED.
"Oh, no. she sighed; there was
time, but that is passed now-when it
would have given me pleasure. | mean,"
she added hastily, and with a modest
blush, ''when rings would have done so;
but jewels and gewgaws have no longer
any attractions for me-"
Mr. John Riddel by no means felt GER
tain of this, but he had an eye for number
one, and would have missed ring from
the tray in an instant, though he had been
exhibiting thousand. At last she made
her choice, Git was the most expensive of
the whole lot.) and produced from the
prettiest little bag in the world-a check
book.
pardon me. madame, we do not take
checks except from-ahem-our old Gus
TONER'S
"Well, | am not very old customer"
she said smiling. ("No; but you're a
queer one,n he thought, ''or | am much
mistakenly "Still, l should have thought
in the case of a lady like myself"
MADAM" said this crafty young man,
| ''if it lay in my power to oblige you, there
would of course be no difficulty in the
matter; the rule of the firm is unhappily,
what have stated
.'Then the firm will take my last six
pence" she rejoined with tender playful
ness and from the most elegant of port
monnaies'' she counted him the sum re-
quired when its contents in truth was
quite exhausted.
Il am lodging at De la Bois's. the court
hair-dresser," she said, .my name is
Mrs. Montfort. However, will not troub-
lie you to send the ring, as | shall have to
go home to get some money!" and she
looked at him with eyes that seemed to
say, Cruel men, thus to reduce me to des-
| titution."
! Then she rose and sailed down the shop,
carefully glancing at this or that Chiefly
in the hair and mourning Department. us
she passed out.
| IF she is not on the square she does it
uncommonly well," thought Mr.. Riddel !;
perhaps have done her an injustice, poor
dear"
On the third morning after her visit the
widow called again, sailed quite naturally
up to our hero, and cast anchor under his
eye.
| "You will think, she remarked, later
what | said the other day about gewgaws,
that am very changeable in my tastes;
but am not come this time upon my own
account; | want to see some diamond
lockets for a friend"
This quite the usual course with ladies
and others who victimize the jewellers.
They buy ring for ten pounds, and after
having thus established themselyes-they
patronize the establishment in earnest.
Singular to say, however. this did not