The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-08-12
THE JEWEL CASE.

81 shall not be gone more than week,
Meta,' said Mrs. Darkedalc, "and of
course | feel that | can leave every
thing in your charge, without the least
anxiety"
"Of course You may, Mrs. Darkedalc, "
said Meta, flush of graticd pride
mantling her check.
"One favor, however, | must ask, -
added Mrs. Darkedale, "and that is, that
YOU will not receive any company during
my absence"
She looked keenly at Meta Gray.
The girl colored deep scarlet
81 suppose you mean the Fenleys, y
said she, not without some constraint III
her manner; II do not expect to see
them while you are gone
Very well, returned Mrs. Darkedale;
''you are good girl, Meta, and think
may trust you.
East Indian merchant, who had left her
widowed and childless in the world about
two years previously.
Meta Gray was II distant relative. who
had come to the Darkedale house, partly
because her cousins widow had written
her cordial invitation, and partly be-
cause she had nowhere else to go. She
was a pretty, enthusiastic young crca-
tllre, 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.
Sugar and raisins are SO vulgar, said
Meta, turning up her pretty little nose.
"No more SO than stocks and bonds,
retorted Mrs. Darkcdale
And much to the good lady's veyation,
Meta persisted in selecting for her bosom
friend dashing damsel called Eudora
Fcnley, who fitted dresses and trimmed
bonnets in strictly private fashion, and
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, as
she herself phrased 1t, thoroughly out
OF patience with the child. '"
81 believe they have bewitched her."
said Mrs. Darkedale. However, I'll
say no more about it. Perhaps the fancy
will wear itself out, after awhile-and [
have always heard that opposition is
the worst thing in the world to fan a
flame"
SO Mrs. Darkedale went away to her
friends sick bed. and left Meta Gray III
possession, with only old Hannah, the
maid, to share the honors
1t was a novel and rather apleasant re-
sponsbility to order the dinner and de-
eide on the dessert; and, when that was
settled, Meta went up stairst to "tidy up
Mrs. Darkedale's room, straighten the
guipure lace coverlct and put away the
various articles that the good lady haC
left scattered ON chairs, sofa and dressing
table in her haste of preparation.
As Meta folded up u cashmere scarf,
something dropped with Il clink on the
floor.
"Mrs. Darkedale's keys" she ex-
claimed aloud.
1t was true. The little bunch had
somehow caught on the long fringe of
the scarf and got jerkcd out of the old
hdy's pocket, and she had gone off with
''' tHtlll.
Meta was still looking at them, and
pondering to herself Mrs. Darkedales
CONSERVATION at discovering their loss,
when there came soft tap at the door,
and Miss Eidora Fenley rlstled in,
bringing with her II general impression
OF sparkling beauties and iluttering rib
bons. aud decided odnr Of paichOuH.
"Eudora!" exclaimed the girl
''How you did startl" said Eudora,
with an affected little giggle. "No, !
didn't ring. Hannah was cleaning the
doorsteps, and just slipped inand came
straight up here, as didn't find you in
the parlor What is that you have in
your hand? Keys?"
"Yes," said Meta; "Mrs. Darkedale's s
Keys. She has gone off and forgotten
them. See-here's the key of the china
closet, and this big one locks the silver
oedutet, and here's the wardrobe key,
and the little one with the gilded top be-
longs to the jewel-box."
The iewel-box," said Eudora, with
sparkling eyes. "Oh, Meta, that will be