The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-01-10
THE EMERALDS.

house. pale, sad-eyed woman sat sewing
The garment upon which she was engages
was q very rich dress. The twilight closes
in rapidly. with a binding fall of snow,
bitter, wailing blast, that made the window
rattle in the easements. Still the pale-face'
woman stitched on.
Mother" piped sweet voice from tn
cot beneath the window, ''shall you get tn
Ane dress done2 Oh, my mother, I'm so hun
cry. If l only had some tea and bit o
sausage"
She worked on steadily for few moments
paused only to brush a tear from her whit
cheek, then arose and shook out the glimmer
ing robe
ers little girl can have her supper; only b.
patient little longer, Flora. Ross, Ross
where are you, my boy?'
A manly little fellow came out from tn,
little bedroom beyond
"The fine dress is DONE Ross" said hi
mother; "and you must run home with il a
fast as you can. Miss Garcie will be out o
patience, know. Tell her / couldn't inisl
It one moment sooner, and ask her to Civ,
you the money We must have it tonight
And you can stop in at Mr.. Rays, as yol
come back, and buy some coal; and we mus
have some bread and tea, and q mite o.
butter, and You must get sausage Ross, fol
poor little Flora"
"rll get them all, mother" he said, ''anC
be back in time. You shall have big sau
sage, little sis" he added, turning TOWARD
the cot.
The girl nodded her curly head, and hel
great, wistful eyes sparkled with delight.
"And you shall have half of it, Ross sh,
piped, in her splendid bird voice.
Hadn't you better put on your thick
scket, my boy?" continued his mother
The wind cuts like knife"
~Pshaw, little mother, i don't mind the
wind" And away he went down the creak.
ing stairs and out into the storm. Miss Gar.
cha Fontenay was is a perfect furore Of i'm.
patience and anger. Her dear 800 friends
were assembled in the halls below and hel
handsome dress had not come home. What
did that beggar woman mean by disappoint-
ing her.
At that moment there was ring at the
door and u voice in the hall.
please tell Miss Garcia my mother could
not finish it sooner; she wants the money to
night"
message.
"Tll never give her another stitch of work, y
cried the angry beauty; al ought to have had
it three hours ago. Here, Fanchon, dress me
at once-there's not a minute to lose No,
can't pay Tonight haven't time. He must
call tomorrow"
''But we've no fire and nothing to eat, and
my little sister is SICK" called the little boy,
pushing up the grand stairway.
"Shut the door. Fanchonl" commanded
Miss Garcia And the door was closed in bis
face.
From the porch at the parlor window
Pansie watched the whole scene her violet
eyes distended with childish amazement.
Poor little boy" she said. as Rosa disap.
peared down the stairway; ''sister Garcia
ought to pay him. 1t must be dreadful to
have no fire and nothing to eat"
She stood for moment, balancing herself
on the tip of one dainty foot, her rosebud
face grave and reflective; then sudden
thought flooded her blue eyes with sunshine
and snatching something from the table, she
darted down stairs The servant had Just
closed the street door, but she futtered past
him like humming bird and opened it.
On the steps sat Ross, brave little fellow
that he was, his face in his hands, sobbing a
if his heart would break.
Whats the matter, little boy?' question
ed Pansie.
Ross looked up, half believing that it wa.
the face of an angel looking down upon hin
through the whirling snow.
ooh, / can not go home without thu
money" he sobbed; "poor mothe
worked hard, and Flora is sick and 50
hungry"
Here" she said, "do take this, little boy
and bug her lots Of nice things. It's worth
great deal; papa bought it for my birthda.
present, but do you take it and welcome"
She extended her dimpled hands, ant
something like a shower of stars sprinklet
to the boys feet. He caught 1t up in amaz
"a necklace of emeralds, lustrous, gleamin,
things, set in tawny, Indian gold.
ssNo, no." he cried, running up to wher
she stood, II can't take this necklace-tak
it back"
.You shall take it." she commanded i'm
periously. 81 have lots of jewelry and fin
things-run home now and buy your siste
something to eat
She closed the door with bang, and ROs
stood irresolute in the stormy gloom. Shoul
he ring the bell and return the jewels to Pan
sizes father, or should he do as she had BIZ
him? He thought of his mother and poo
little Flora wat ching wistfully for his return
He could not go back and see them starvt
With sudden feeling of desperation he thrus
the glittering necklace in his pocket an
dashed down the snowy street.
The gaslight blazed brilliantly in fashion
able establishment, and its bland proprieto
looked down inquiringly on little Ross as b
approached the glittering counter.
"Would you like to buy this sir?"
There was tremor in the boys voice 8
he asked the question, and the hand that hel
the emerald necklace shook visibly. The lal
idary took the gems, examining them closel
for a moment, and then shot sharp glant
at the child.
"See here" he said presently, his vote
stern and commanding, Il want to know no
you came by this?"
The boys clear eyes fell; he flushed an
stammered, evidently embarrassed. tt
ieweler put aside the emeralds, and takin
the lad S arm led him into a small ante-roon
"You are thief, sir" he said. "Ths
necklace belongs to Mr. Fontenay-he bougl
it of me not month ago. You stole it; yc
are thief"
The little fellow Strengthened himself, an
his brown eyes blazed: al am no thief"
retorted. "a kind little girl gave it 70 m
and know it was wrong to take 1t, but
but my mother and sister are starving"
The jeweler hesitated.
"You don't look like a thief" he SAT-
"but will send for Mr. Fontenay; that wi
settle the matter at once"
He dispatched a messenger accordingl
and Ross sat down in a corner and sobbt
bitterly as he heard the driving winds ar
thought of his mother and poor little Flor
In half an hour Mr.. Fontenay came, brin