Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-07
FIRST RoBBKR. "wel, then three brooches,

/
| Hardly worth counting"
| FIRST RoBBER (,setted at these dSpersion on he,
snccessl. 1--WE got pair Of pearl earrings and
| A CONFEDERATE (the o1iden,aid cousin ,cho,n
yesterday took for q ssreet, pleasing girl, but
| ,rhO nor turns ont TO be the most daring ana
Helena Macgregor had six. not to speak OF the
| whole set OF family cairngorms; and Blanche
| de Bots Guilbert had the lovelieSt diamonds"
lni,. OF sirteen). ~ don't see why the Brown
Richardson's shouldn't give both the bracelet
and the teaset. They're so tremendously RICH"
mother, isn't that letter froIa Aunt Dives at
last? Oh, what does she say about"
. The CAPTAINoF THE BAND (g'oomAn? Moth
Ing. She doesn't even mention Well, it's kind
letter. She sends you her love- and her bless
| ing, and"
CHORUS OF ROBBERS. but the diamonds!
| when we married? oh, what shame 1t will be
| II she doeSntr
THE CAPTAIN (soothi,glv.) "oh, dare say it
Will be all right. She certainly told me she
| meant to do So"
FIRST RoBBER prim emotion.) surely she
might send me brooch, or give me ring or
| two. She would never miss them"
| THE CAPTAIN. perhaps, dear, she means to
give you something when you go to visit her."
TIE CONFEDERATE IA Wish But ohas wont help
would come in before Thursday! To be sure,
there will be (Ste pauses suddenly. as sh'
sees me listening. ana the conversation turns al
| al once upon the ,redtter.)
81 must ride over to the Hermitage to-day
says Flora as we leave the table. Il may as
well go to luncheon. You see, dear Miss Flir-
game have to go and say good-by to dear
| old lady-MiSS Monypenny, one OF our neigh
bors.so you won't mind my running away this
| "Oh, not at all. Pray don't think OF me" say
1, with heartfelt earnestness. Here was an
| un looked-for respite.
| but what shall we do to amuSe Miss Fair
| game?" says her mother.
r, "oh dare say you would like to see all dear
| "Oh. so much butt think I've letters to
| write this morning."
] So got away to my room, and sat down to
| reconsider the terrible question Weighing on me-
| By this time, indeed, the question was narrow
| ing itself-the alternatives before me drawing
| closer and closer. My poor friends coral was
| doomed, or at least she was doomed to lose 1t.
| The idea Of approprtattng 1t to meet my own
| eX1gcncieS was no longer contemplated with
even shudder Of remorse My downward
| course had begun. But the perpleyity still be-
fore me was, could rescue the coral from Flora
even by pleading the obligation of giving it to
| my goddaughter?
plain: Il am not rich. In spite of my five hum
| dred year. can't afford to make handsome
presents to everybody. You are not relation,
book-stand: accept it with my best wishes, but
hope for no more ?"
confess Twas getting so angry and disguised
| with the mercenary spirit which seemed to have
| seized on the girl who, when l first met her,
was pure, generous and open as the day, un-
stained by cupidity, and to whom the vice of
1ngrat1tude would have seemed as mythical
| monster, that would have willingly heard her
| addressed in this fashion by somebody else.
But how could bring myself to make such a
| speech?
| Time passed on. heard the sound Of horses
| feet. and from my window beheld Flora and one
Of her sisters ride away. calculated how long
| 1t would be before they could return from what
| shrewdly guessed to be foraying expedition.
At least was now safe till after luncheon, and
summoning courage, boldly descended to the
|
| her accompltces busy writing the cards of which
| she had spoken last night.
Ion, here's Miss Fargame!" cried the BRIDE
maid cousin: as appeared. 'She'll help us,
| perhaps. A blank card, please, for Miss Fair
game. Now let US see, whose name is to be
set my teeth and steeled my resolution. 1
| suppose one always does so at the first applca-
! tion Of torture; and so for the moment came
was to write
1--WE may as well have a card ready for Miss
Monypenny," said one of the robbers. 'she's
| sure to give something" 1 wrote down, with a
| sense OF tiendish malice, the name Of Miss
MOnypenny.
Happily before things went further, some call
| erS arrived They SJaid to luncheon, after which
there was an exhibition OF the presents Idont
remember what these new victims contributed,
but know something was disgorged by them,
| for | heard murmurs OF dissatisfaction after
| they had driven away. Well, do think, with
| their fortune, they might have given something
| better than this" l took care TO hear no more
also joyfully accepted an invitation from the
| goyerness and some OF the children to go and
| look at the poultry and the rabbits. Amongst
| these innocent dumb creatures / should surely
| not hear OF wedding presents.
| Toward five O'Clock l went back to the house,
| too sick OF the rabbits and 100 weary for my tea
| 10 think OF the certainty OF FloraS having re-
| turned from her raid on the Hermitage. As |
| approached the drawtngroom CHATTER of tea
| cups and babel Of voices drowned the SQUAD
| OF my steps. The door was open. Shall | be
condemned if confess I.Stood still and listened?
The full peril OF my situation had returned to
my mind and were not any means fair which
might help to extricate me from my dilemma?
Ion, Flora, and you've really got that deli
| cous quaint old cream jug? But how did you
manage it? l thought nothing would make
| jug"
FLORA Well, | thought so too. Really I
'.ece' hoped for this. But what do you think
| II was she did mean to give me? You'll never
| guess. copy of Millions Paradise Lost p
saw 1t lying on the table: [Ho,chs Of erecra-
tom Well, you know, when she began talk
couldn't help 1T said, Oh, dear Miss Mony-
penny, can't bear poetry OF course said
| 1t quite naturally, and the dear old thing never
| suspected had noticed the abominable book
And then, after luncheon-anda at luncheon had
| been adrniring the cream jug so-well, she took
which would like best, the book or something
else. And Kitty was so clever, and said,
on, you know, Miss Monypenny, a book Just
| could use ecery day and think of YOU And then
she gave me the cream jug. Wasn't it nice Of
ner?"
| THE COUSIN BRIDEMAID. ''Yes, yes; very nice
| And now II Miss Fairgame would only make
| haste with that coral she's to give you! was
| quite provoked that we hadn't It to-day to
| show to those shabby S. Perhaps If you
| had staid at home to-day, Flora But still it
was worth while going to the Hermitage for
! this"
1 am once more in my room. They bring
| me my tea. l sayI have a headache. MY
maid comes to ask me where she Is to put the
bottle imp which still stands on the drawers.
ITS so In the way, ma'am." "Put 1t in the
| fire." reply, with savage gloom. My maid
looks frightened. She has heard that there's
| sort OF ''low fever" going about.
My headache is forced to yield to the multi
| plicity OF remedies pressed on me by my brig
| and hosts, all anxious, no doubt, to keep me
| alive long enough to let them carry out their
| designs on my property. The Captain nurses
| me like sister. The robbers take 1t in turn to
| sit by me and .'amuSe me- Once more | am
| offered a sight OF the wedding presents, and
| hear the tale OF Julia Machnn's wrongs By
| the-bye, the afternoon post has brought news
| or reported engagement of another of that
| hitherto unfortunate SiSterhOod.
| Let me hasten over the painful conclusion Of
| my tale. The next morning, after another
| night OF mental struggle, l Succumbed to my
| fate. The case OF coral passed into the hands
ofmy foes. AS yielded it up, tried hard to
| wear face of smiling calm, but the effort was