Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-04

OF my hrst appearance in society"
Lady Paulett laid by the brooch in it's case
after carefully rubbing it with a silk handker-
chief.
''ArabelIa. my gOd-daughter. must have the
diamond earrings. got them when was too
happy to care about them when our little son
was born. How kind Sir Josiah was then!
There was nothing he would not have done for
me or baby. He gave them to ME for the
christening dinner, and little JOS took notice of
them and laughed, when he was brought down
TO have his health drunk. Such noble little
fellow he looked: dark curly hair and blue ewes
like my dear fathers taking notice of every
thing, and only six weeks old and that very
day week he was in his coffin. My poor little
son. The old lady snapped the case and pushed
1t away from her with trembling hand.
Il had just begun to think that after all
might be going to have some happiness in this
world when he was taken from me. Sir Josiah
never seemed to care for anything but his bust
ness after that
he looked so like my boy thought he was gwen
back to me. Dear. good, loving Jack! / can
never cast him off must speak to Mr. Black
EFT about that. Now. My dressing case? Ali
that must be Mrs. George Pauletts, her initials
are the same as mine. Sapphire necklace
Cameo set Pearl cross and earrings for her
three daughters. They're rich enough to have
as much jewelry Of their own as they want; and
the rubes l must keep for Spencer Pauett's
wife. when he gets one.
why, that's the end of my list excepting Ce-
ella. and there are Olivia. Maria, Grace, the
little boys. and the baby-all come since / made
it out. Well, daresay can find some remem-
brance OF their old auntie for each-not that
they'll ever remember me. Ceci must have my
workbOx. She has my pretty taste in needle
work with cOmplacent glance at the patch
work and tentstitch in which the gold threads
IN Ruths gleanings and Rebeccas earrings still
family glimmered.] The new crewel-work isn't
so bad could have taught her something if
naQn I been going 0Way Parkeri"
Parker moving heap Of brocades and furs
gave faint, inarticulate reply.
''My workbox!"
Parker staggered off and returned with queer
little Chinese box with an inlaid landscape, a
pagoda with two Celestials walking in the skies
above it on the lid
YOU'RE dreaming, Parker! When did you
lind this? I've not seen it these ten years."
Parker scurried away like frightened rabbit,
to return this time with magnificent article
ebony and gold without, quilted satin. pearl
and yet more gold within. A turquOise-studded
thimble-crystal smelling-bottle in case the fair
worker should collapse under her arduous la
bOrs-a pearl-framed mirror with which she
might refresh herself by occasional glances-
curious implements apparently constructed to
support the largest possible amount of gold
chasing. without point that would pierce or a
blade that would cut among them: receptacle
Tor work. satin-lined padded, perfumed, and
empty. except for a halfmade baby's cap with
the rusty needle still sticking in it,
WHO was there to work for when he was
gomez" said the poor old lady. looking at the
nlorsel of discolOred cambria. what had l left
in the world to care for then? What have now,
for that natter"
She began with nervous impaticnce to open
and close some of the cases almost at random
81 would have put them away forever, long
long ago. and been faithful nurse to nv hus-
band. If he would have let me. all through those
last. long, weary years of his life; but he never
loved me well enough to wish for me-he cared
more for his old housekeeper My lady is
young. and should have her pleasure heard
her say once. He had married me for my good
looks. and was not to be defrauded of his bar
gain. and l must dress and visit and entertain
In our large, dull and splendid hOuse-Weary
oh! so weary of it all. He was proud of me, in
his way, and gave me all he promised when he
asked me to marry him. Much good it was to me:
father and mother dead-sister Sophia married
and gOne-no one left to admire my splendor or
profit by my wealth." Here entered Parker
and began nOiselessly to make up the fire and
put out her ladys dressing-gown and slippersas
gentle reminder of bedtime. "Ah! it's late
Parker. Well, I've finished. No; go and finish
your packing and then come. What am to do
with this! Z" Thts was the little sham Chinese
box-a sadly battered and shabby little thing.
The pink sarcenet lining was trayed and gone,
disclosing the bare wood and cottonwood foun-
datlOn In the compartments were odds and
ends OF miscellaneous rubbish. The pocket in
the lid bulged out with yellow scraps of paper.
old-fashioned patterns for marking letters tied
with faded ribbon. scraps from newspapers.
There were curiously cut silk winders of card
board with silk OF dim and long forgotten tnts
wound in fancy patterns a half-made hair chair
a string of amber beads; pervading all a faint,
sweet smell of roses.
Il should like to have it put in nv coffin nv
dear old box! No will care for it. and /
cannot have it thrown away. or kept Just to
please the children. ] had better look it over
and burn all these poor little treasures" The
yellow papers dropped one by one steadily into
the hre-Old valentines on huge square sheets of
cOlOred paper, wonderfully embossed and sealed
withtender notices in tinted wax, school friends
epistles crossed and recrOssed in colored inks
One she kept to the last. "COrnela Clarke what
dear sweet creature she was Dead and gone
this manga year. Wewere neighbours and used
to 60 with her to dancing parties to practice the
new steps. Why! here are the very garnet clasps
loaned her the night she came in early to put
up my hair III the new giraffe bows We both
wantedtOlook well that night remember How
we jOked one another about Mrs. Lowder's fine
London cousins who were to be at her house for
the party, and would put on My old purple
satinette gown, just to show how little | cared
for any one noticing me. q knew very well
how it became me. thought After all. Mr. Pau
lett. the rich London merchant. didn't come.
only the sailor cousin. Hugh LOwder He had
been in the Levant. and we were all wild about
the East and my Lord ByrOn's new poem Just
then, and expected something so romantic. hero
and yelled beauties of the harem, and numbering
despOts of Pishas.
- 1t was disappointment to find only big,
blue-eyed north cOuntryman. SO shy and awk-
ward that the girls all turned up their noses at
him for partner till taught him the figures.
which he picked up in five minutes. and then
he wouldn't ask any one else to dance with him.
He came to call on us next day. and brought
mother little Turkish bag and Sophia some
amber beads. She lost half of them and saved
the rest. He had present tor me- too, but
was so SHY about giving it to me. 1t wasn't !
good enough, he said. yet it was worth all the
rest, that dear little crystal and gold flask of
altar Of roses. How it has scented every
thing!"
She bent over the tiny box; tenderly touching
the shabby old odds and ends. and the rose
scent seemed to rise and fill the room. .'And
Josiah threw it in the fire. said he hated the
smell, and would like to have thrown my little
box after it. He was angry. all because he
found me crying over poor fathers Wristbands.
had been stitching them the very day he was
taken ill with the fever that killed him. 1t was
unkind of Josiah. and think he felt ashamed
of himself afterward. for he brought my fine
new workbOx home the very next day. If he
had known all l was crying about. Not poor
father only. l was thinking of Hugh Lowder