The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-12
TUE PRESS.
IHarpers' Bazar.l
The Diamond Earrings.

more than another that Mrs. Templeton
gazed at with eyes of curious regard, it was
her husbands cousin, Mrs. Morris; and if
she had one ambition eclipsing an
other it was to eclipse Mrs. Nor
ris in every direction. If Mrs. Morris set up
u wall basket, Mrs. Templeton compassed
hanging cabinet. If Mrs. Morris had new
iv7-pot, Mrs. Templeten would have moth
ing less than a window garden. A. single
Ease on Mrs. Morrisss piazza caused Mrs.
Templeton's premises to break out with urns
MI they looked like stone-cutter's yard.
If Mrs. Morris gave high tea, Mrs. Tenn
pleton had dinner party out of hand; If
Mrs. Morris had a luncheon, Mrs. Temple
ton had ball, or what answered for one in
the limited round of pleasure of their place
of abode; and If Mrs. Morris INDUCED her.
self with new silk, Mrs. Templeton always
counted her founces AID made her own
phylacteries broader.
When one day, then, Mrs. Morris APP
peared in church-the usual place in the
town of Carleon tor ladies to exhibit their
toilettes-with pretty littlepair of diamonds
sparkling in her ears, you can imagine the
state of disgust and wrath in which Mrs.
Templeton walked home, aud the very dis
agreeable time that Mr.. Templeton had of
il as he walked beside her, endeavoring to
look like the happiest domestic man in Car
leon. i ne StTliOu Was CillltlSCu, tuC Illuio-
ter made out a time-server. the parish de-
nonnced collectively and personally, his own
peculiar friends among The rest, and finally
his cousin Hetty was reached and her hab-
its, her manners and her dress were made
the text on which to hang anathema mar
anatha of worldliness, affectation, bad taste.
low moral sense, irreligion, aud last of
all, extravagance-his dear little harmless
cousin Hetty. whose red curls lighted such
frank, child-like countenance, and whose
two diamonds he had been guilty of think
ing, during the "Te Deum," just matched
the limpid sparkle of the clear dew-drops of
her gray eyes. But Mr. Templeton had
far too much experience to say anything of
the sort. James Morris could not pay
his debts if he were sold ont today" said
his wife. Sand look at his wife's dressl
Maria, how many times must tell you to
keep those children inside the curbstone?-
his wife's dress, just one glitter of satin and
jet. And declare it was impossible FOR me
TO fix my eyes on the lectern for the way in
which she kept those diamonds twinkling
before me, with her head on the perpetual
dance. A pretty place for diamonds
church. know. woman who wore them
TO her fathers funeral; | suppose she would
l should think, at any rate, she could have
controlled her inclinafions, and waited till
next Embellishments on Palm Sunday!
But it's high time of day, 1 must say"
warming up with her husbands silence,
"when l am without a single diamond to my
name, and there is james Morris's wife
James Morris who owes you five thousand
dollars borrowed money"
1t was very weak in Mr.. Tempieton to
interfere; but one cannot be always on ones
guard. II understand, Juliet, my love-"
said he, that Hetty's Uncle Roberts sent
her those earrings"
''Uncle Roberts, indeed should like to
see Uncle Roberts for once, if he is not
mythical parsonage altogether" cried his
wife, with the air of expecting Mr.. Temple
ton to produce the alleged Uncle Roberts i'm
mediately. ''Uncle Roberts Uncle Roberts!
1. is always Uncle Roberts. And you under
sta d. forsoothl Why didn't l understand?
Why were the earrings concealed from me?
For all l know, you gave them to her your
self. Perhaps you are this Uncle Roberts
who is always brought to the front at every
pet piece of extravaganza. For my part
wish had even husband, not TO speak of
an Uncle Roberts, who would not see me
trodden under foot by any little mink who
chooses to toss her head above me-"
my dear. my dear! just remember where
you are: just remember the children muir
INJURED Mr.. Templeton, floundering in
little farther.
Where am! | suppose you don't want
all Cartoon to hear how am outraged.
You'd like to have me endure it in silence
OF course you don't want the children to
hear their mother tell the plain story of your
neglect, your outrage"
Here Mr.. Templeton took off his hat and
made low bow with glittering smile to
gentleman and lady passing in an opposite
direction. nsQM
''What is the matter with Mrs. Temple
ton?" asked the gentleman. s.She locks like
a thunder-cloud full of lightning
"Hetty Morris's earrings, guess" was
the answer. 'She has probably seen them at
church today. Poor Mr.. Templeton! What
life that vixen leads himp
81 don't know about that. lie Isl tremen-
dously in love with her,"
chow can be be?" %s
''Force of habit, maybe. And she is
beauty, you know. And when she is good
natured, there's nobody like her,"
"Well, by Easter you'll see her with pair
of solitaires. I'll wager another pair. Take
me up?" ~
''Not /. shouldn't have any use for
them if l won, except to give them back to
you; and couldn't afford to lose. Besides,
I don't bet on a certainty" said the careful
Mr.. Bowman. And just then Hetty Morris
coming up, they stopped to admire her
precious acquisitions; and Hetty heard of
the wager. and shamed Mr.. Bowman into
taking ii, before they parted and went their
opposite ways, more merrily than was their
Sunday wont,
Not SO Mr., Templeton. As soon as his
wife had banged the door behind her she
tore off her bonnet and threw herself on a
sofa, and called for Jane to bring the ammo
MIA, and her husband to drop the shades,
and Maria to take the children. where she
could not hear them, for her head was split
ting with pain, as any ones would be, treated
as she was. And she would not 60 up stairs
to bed, and Mr.. Templeton's Sunday romp
with the children was abrogated, and his
dinner was made an act of silent and solitary
penauce; and if he told his wife he was go ng
TO afternoon service, and did go over to his
Cousin Hetty's, she, at least. had no right to
blame him. &N
But woe for Or. Templeton when he came
home that evening! Mrs. Templeton had
been removed to her own room which
reeked with steam of camphor and alcohol;
she lay there in her. white night-gown, with
her black hair streaming over the pillow,
with her great black eyes rolled up al d
fixed on a remote point of the ceiling, and
with the foam standing on her lips, CHASTITY,
stiff and immovabe. 1t made no odds to
Mr. Simpleion-I mean TempIelon-that re
had 6 Aen her so fifty times before; in fact,
always when she wanted something she
q.
soul lest he should lose his torment; all her
virtues swelled into the hosts of heaven, all
her faults were aiped out as with a sponge.
He was down on his knees beside her in
moment. "Oh, my darling! my Juliet! my
love! speak to me! Tell me you know me!'
he cried. HRun for the doctor, Jane.
Where is DR.. Harvey? Why haven't you
had him here already? Get him at once.
Give me the brandy. Heat those soap-stones.
Where are the hot-water bags?' And he
was bathing her lips, and rubbing her hands,
and kissing her forehead, and adjurlng her
to give any sign If life. But it was not till
the doctors step was heard that Mrs. Tenn
pleton vouchsafed the least Indication; and
then her breast began to heave, her ha DIS to
tremble, her long, supple body that had
been stffiy resting on its head and heels
only, began to sway and subside, her feet to
witch, and presently those feet we're beating
a tattoo on The foot-board, and the lips part
ed in shrieks, and the shrieks turned to
sobs, and the doctor was pouring cbloral
between the teeth, and the so5s sank away
into sleep, and the Mysteries were over.
What could have excited you so. my
dearest, and thrown you into such terrible
convulsion?' Mr.. Templeton was saying
next morning ("Hysterics" was a forbid
den word Mrs. Templeton would have had
another attack at the sound of it, SIT