Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-12-22
THE DIAMOND EARRINGS.

~ there was one person in tho world
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
another, il was to eclipse Mrs. Morris in
every direction. II Mrs. Morris set up
q wall basket, Mrs. Templeion COM
passed hanging cabinet. II Mrs. Nor
ris had a new ivy pot, Mrs. Templeton
would have nothing less than q window
garden. A single vase on Mrs. Morris
piazza caused Mrs. Templeton's premi-
ses, to break out with urns till they
looked like a stone cutters yard. II
Mrs. Morris gave high tea, Mrs. Ten
pleton had a dinner party out OF hand /;
il Mrs. Morris had luncheon, Mrs.
Templeton had bail, or what answered
for one in the limited round OF pleas
ures Of their place OF abode and if Mrs.
Morris indulged herself with a new silk,
Mrs. Templeton always counted her
founces, and made her own phylaoteries
broader.
When one day, then, Mrs. Morris APP
peared at church-the usual place in
the town of Carleon for ladies to exhibit
their toilets-with pretty little pair
of diamonds sparkling in her cars, you
can imagine the state of disgust and
wrath in which Mrs. Templeton walked
home, and the very disagreeable time
that Mr.. Templeton had Of it as he
walked beside her, endeavoring to look
like the happiest domestic man in Car
leon. The sermon was criticised, the
minister made out . time-server, che
parish denounced collectively and per-
sonally, his own peculiar friends among
the rest, and finally his cousin Hetty
vas reached, and her habits, her man
ners and her dress we're made the text
on which to hang anathema maranatha
of worldliness, aAeetation, bad taste,
low moral sense, irreligion, aud last Of
all, extravagance-his dear little harm
less Cousin Hetty, whose red cuTls
lighted sgch frank, child-like counte-
nance, Gsfsi whose two diamonds, he had
been guilty OF thinking, just matched the
limpid sparkle Of The clear dew. drops OF
hergray eyes. But Mr.. Templeton had
fas too much experience to say any
thing OF the sort. "James Morris
could not pay his debts il he were sold
out to-day" said his wife. And look
at his wife's dress Marin, how many
times must tell ron to keep those
children inside the curDstone ?--his
wife's dress; inst one glitter Of satin
and Jet And declare is was impossi-
bic for me to fix my eyes on tho lsctern
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 I
know a woman who wore them to her
fathers funeral; suppose she would
should think, At any rate, she could
have controlled her inclinations, and
sraiked till next Sabbath on
Palm Sunday But It's high time Of
day, / mus. say" warming mp with her
husbands silence, "when l am without
single diamond to my name, and there
Is James Morris wife-James Morris,
who owes ron $1,000 borrowed
money"
It was very weak in Mr.. Templeton
10 interfere; but one cannot be always
on one's gusri.
"I 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. II
no Is net mythical personago alto
gether," cried his wife, with the air OF
expecting ar. Templeton to produce
the alleged Uncle Roberta Immediately.
. Uncle Robertsl Uncle Roberts Ii
is always Uncle Roberts. And you 'un-
derstand' forsoothi Why didn't / mn.
defstand? Why we're tho earrings coa-
cealed from me For ell / know, you
gave them t. Der yourself Perhaps
yo,. arc this Uncle Roberts who Is al
unys brought 70 The lFoat at every pet
iiece Of extravaganza. For nay part. I
1iAh / had aFen : husband, not 10
apeak ii = TneIs Roberts, who would
i i H. - A..