The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-07-29
THE JEWEL CASE.

ST shall not be gone more than week,
Meta" said Mrs. Darkedale, s'and Of
course I feel that I can leave every
thing IN your charge, without the least
anxiety"
"Of course you may, Mrs. Darkedale," F"
said Meta, a flush. Of gratifed pride
mantling her cheek
Zone favor, however, must ask, +"
added Mrs. Darkedale, "and that is, that
you viii not receive any company during
my absence"
She looked keenly at Meta Gray.
The girl colored deep scarlet
s1 suppose you mean the Fenleys,"
said she, not without some constraint in
her manner; 81 do not expect to see
them while you are gone. :"
every well, returned Mrs. Darkedale;
'.you are good girl, Meta, and I think
may trust you.
Mrs Darkedale was the relict of an
East Indian merchant, who had left her
widowed and childless IN the world about
two years previously.
Meta Gray was distant relative, VINO
had come to the Darkedale house, partly
because her cousins widow hadiwritten
her q cordial invitation, and partly be-
cause she had nowhere else to go. She
was pretty, enthusiastic young crea-
ture, who had strange ideas of the world,
and who rather dispised the promising
wholesale grocer whom Mrs. Darkedale
had selected as an eligible match for her,
because he was wholesale grocer.
tsSugar and raisins are SO vulgar" said
Meta, turning up her pretty little nose.
isNo more so than stocks and bonds, "
retorted Mrs. Darkedale.
And much to the good lady's vexation,
Meta persisted in selecting for her bosom
friend dashing damsel called Eudora
Fenley, who fitted dresses and trimmed
bonnets In strictly private fashion, land
had poetical brother who gave guitar
lessons Meta Gray was not often OBJ
stinate, but this was one OF the few oc-
casions on which Mrs. Darkedale got, a
she herself phrased 1t, thoroughly oui
of patience with the child"
'T believe they have bewitched her, y
said Mrs. Darkedale. However, I'll
say no more about it Perhaps the fancy
viii wear itself out, after awhile-and
have always heard that opposition is
the worst thing IN the world to fan 9
fame" aHHsa5 .f SIS
friends sick bed. and left Meta Gray IL
possession, with only old Hannah, th.
maid, to share the honors.
It was novel and rather apleasant re
sponsibility to order the dinner and de
eide on the dessert; and, when that wa!
settled, Meta went up stairs to ''tidy up
Mrs Darkedale's room, straighten thu
guipure lace coverlet and put away th,
various articles that the good lady hat
left scattered on chairs, sofa and dressing
table in her haste of preparation.
As Meta folded up q cashmere scarf
something dropped with a clink on tn
floor.
'tMrs. Darkedale's keysr' she e1
claimed aloud
It was true. The little bunch ha
somehow caught on the long fringe 3
the scarf and got jerked out of the oil
iady's pocket, and she had gone off with
out them.
Meta was still looking at them, an
pondering to herself Mrs. Darkedale'
constelnation at discovering their loss
when there came a soft tap at the dool
and Miss Eudora Fenley rustled II
bringing with her general impression
of sparkling beauties and huttering rit
bons, and decided odor of potchouH.
"Eudorap exclaimed the girl
Chow you did startI" said Eudors
with an affected little giggle 'No,
didn't ring. Hannah was cleaning th
doorsteps, and just slipped IN and cam
straight UP here, as I didn't find you j
the parlor. What is that you have i
your hand? Keys?"
Eyes" said Meta; 'tMrs. Darkedale
keys. She has gone off and forgotte
them. See-here's the key of the CHR
closet, and this big one locks the silv,
be0ufet, and here's the wardrobe ke,
and the little one with the gilded top b
longs to the jewel-box"
1.-THE jewel-box," said Eudora, vii
sparkling eyes. "Oh, Meta, that win
the very thingi am going to q ball t
morrow night, and I've pink satin Dire
and wreath, and set of imitation Jewel
Oh, If could only wear real ones, ju
this once. Only for one evening. al
Mrs. Darkedale would never know
I've always heard that hers are su
beauties!''
Meta turned pale and red.
'sOh, Eudora, dare not"
'Where would be the harm2" bold
demanded the milliner and dressmak,
'No one would be injured, and shou
be 80 proud. Mrs. Darkeda1e never wei
the stones-a regular old miser, she
And you've always told me, Meta, wi
sentimental accent. chat you lov
"a"