Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-06-30
THE CAMEO.

TsFeliciel Felic1e Brevardl Come
hero directlyI"
The soft French name had queer
sound, coming from Mrs. Monson's thin
lips and acid voice. Felicie came slow
" up the stairs to where Mrs. Monson
stood talking volubly with her lodger,
Mr. Thornton.
"Felicie, walk q little fasterT I" said
Mrs. Monson, sharply. ''Here is Mr..
Thornton, that has missed his finest
cameo. You were in his room dusting,
yesterday"
''It was head of Apollo" said Mr..
Thornton. 81 bought it in Naples.
Gould you have swept it behind the
furniture ?"
At the first mention of the cameo,
Felicie put her hand in her pocket, she
turned deathly pale, and half cry es-
capped her. II ss
"Have you got it?" cried Mrs. Mon
son, shril1y. eff you have, out of these
doors you shall pack. Trouble enough
[ 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. Monsonl The
cameo is not worth all that, said Mr..
Thornton.
It 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-
Hcie. He believed her to be honest,
and he saw that she was terrified at
Mrs. Monson's violence.
s'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.
ssYou had better go downstairs, "
said he, quietly, 81 will settle this
with Felicie."
Mrs. Monson walked submissively
downstairs, and left Thornton and the
frightened girl alone.
'sNow," said Thornton, kindly, but
with determination in his voice, '.tell
me how all this happened %
Felicie put her hand in her pocket,
and handed out the cameo.
''I know you won't believe me-" she
said, bursting into tears; I" but did not
4 steal it."
'T believe you," said Thornton. go
on"
81 was dusting in your room. / put
my handkerchief on the mantelpiece.
When took it up did not notice that
I took anything with it. When got
downstairs l felt it in my pocket.
was hurrying to put it back when
found you and Mrs. Monson here"
She was very pretty when she cried.
She had delicate beauty very different
from Mrs. Monson's buxom daughters.
He wondered how two types SO different
could be produced in the same family.
care you Mrs. Monson's niece" he
asked.
sNop' 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
had nowhere else to 60"
She began to cry again.
Thornton had never felt SO sorry fol
any human being in his life.
"And have you never been educated p
he inquired, after pause.
81 can read and write, and Lean speak
French. My father was a French
teacher, and he used to say to me, when
I was little thing: sFelicie, you must
study hard some of these days, and you
must play and sing : but ! cannot play,
and l have no heart to sing
Thornton looked at her in silence fo1
some time.
s1 have never benefited others much,
but this is chance I will not let slip.
Felicie, how would you like to go to
school, and then learn some business
that would make you independent
such as fower-making ?"
Cor dress making" responded the
practical Felicie.
every well," said Thornton. II know
of a respectable place. where you car
live. Let me see-you are about fif
teen p
s'Nearly eighteen" said Felicie.
Thornton stared.
She was, then, quite woman, and
an uncommonly pretty one, too, he said
to himself.
"You are sure you will not repent
But perhaps I am wrong in taking you
away from your natural guardians in this
manner"
ssYon may take me away or not,
said Felicie, coolly. "But if some one
does not take me away shall take my.
self away I am going now to gel
everything / have, and nothing will in
duce me TO sleep another night undel
this roof"
That settled it. Thornton took :
card and wrote an address on it, and II
tIless than an hour Felicie presented her
self at her new friends, with basket
!. containing all of her worldly posses
3 sions.
III Mrs. Monson came hometo find Fe
c3Iicie gone, and no clew TO her, while
Felicie was being snugly ensconced il
Little sunny room at Miss Shepard's.