The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-07-20
THE CAMEO.


here directlyp
The soft French name had a queer
sound, coming from Mrs. Monson's thin
lips and acid voice. Felicie came slow
ly up the stairs to where Mrs. Monson
stood talking volubly with her lodger,
Mr.. Thornton.
'Felicie, walk little faster ~ said
Mrs Monson, sharply. "Here is Mr..
Thornton, that has missed his finest
cameo. You were in his room busting,
yesterday"
at was q head of Apollo" said Mr..
Thornton. "I bought it in Naples.
Could you have swept it behind the
furniture p
At the first mention of the cameo,
Felicie put her hand in her pocket, she
turned deathly pale, and a half cry es-
capped her.
uHave you got itP" cried Mrs. Mon
/, son, sfffil ly.a ''If you have, out of these
doors you shall pack. Trouble enough
1 have had with you already-and all OF
your relations" !"
She seized her by her shoulders, and
attempted to put her hand into her
pocket. Felicie resisted desperately.
She was as white as ghost.
"Come, come, Mrs. Monson The
cameo is not worth all that, said Mr..
Thornton.
1t was really worth enough to have
made Felicie open her innocent eyes
wider than they had ever opened be-
fore.
Mr.. Thornton had often noticed Fe-
Icie. He believed her to be honest,
and he saw that she was terrified at
Mrs. Monson's violence.
"But mean to get to the bottom of
it," said Mrs. Monson.
Thornton caught her by the wrist and
forced her to unloose Felicie. He gave
her look before which the shrewish-
ness vanished like smoke.
''You had better go downstairs" "
said he, quietly, 'I will settle this
with Felicie."
Mrs. Monson walked submissively
downstairs, and left Thornton and the
frightened girl alone.
''Now," said Thornton, kindly, but
with determination in his voice, "tell
me how all this happened p
Felicie put her hand in her pocket,
and handed out the cameo.
ST know you won't believe me-" she
said, bursting into tears; " but did not
steal it."
'T believe you," said Thornton. go
on"
ST was dusting in your room. put
my handkerchief on the mantelpiece.
When / took it up 1 did not notice that
took anything with it. When 1 got
downstairs I felt it in my pocket. I
was hurrying to put it back when l
found you and Mrs. Monson here"
She was very pretty when she cried.
She had a delicate beauty very different
from Mrs. Monson's buxom daughters.
He wondered how two types so differ ent
could be produced in the same family.
care you Mrs. Monson's niece" he
asked.
'No" she answered, with a ring of
indignation. "My mother was Mr..
Monson's sister, and lady. My father
was French"
"And how came you here {"
"My father and mother died, and l
had nowhere else to CO."
She began to cry again.
Thornton had never felt so sorry for
any human being in his life.
"And have you never been educated p
he inquired, after pause.
"I can read and write, and can speak
French. My father was a French
teacher, and he used to say to me, when
1 was little thing Felicie, you must
study hard some of these days, and you
must play and sing : but l cannot play,
and have no heart to sing"
Thornton looked at her in silence for
some time.
81 have never benefited others much,
hut this is q chance L will not let slip,
Felieie, how would you like to go to
school, and then learn some business
that would make You independent
such as hower-making ?"
"Or dress making" responded tho
practical Felicie.
Every well, SAID Thornton. Il know