Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-05
THE DIAMOND EARRINGS.


ton gazed at with eyes of curious re-
gard. it was her husbands cousin, Mrs.
Morris; and if she had one ambition
eclipsing another, it was to eclipse Mrs
Morris in every direction. III Mrs.
Morris set up n wall basket, Mrs. Tenn
pleton compassed a hanging cabinet.
If Mrs. Morris had new ivy pot, Mrs.
Templeton would have nothing less than
a window garden. A single vase in Mrs.
Morris's piazza caused Mrs. Templeton's
premises to break out with urns till they
looked like stone cutters yard. If Mrs.
Morris gave high tea, Mrs. Temple
ton had y dinner party out of hand; If
Mrs. Morris had a luncheon, Mrs. Tenn
plcton had p ball, Or what answered for
one in the limited round of pleasure of
their place of abode; and if Mrs. Nor
ris INDUCED herself with a new silk, Mrs.
Templeton always counted her tioun-
ces, and made her own phylacteries
border.
When one day, then, Mrs Morris APP
peared in church-the usual place in
the town of Carbon for ladies to ex-
hibit their toilettes-with a pretty little
pair of diamonds sparkling in her ears,
you can imagine the state Of disgust
and wrath in which Mrs. Templeton
walked home, and the very disagrceable
time Mr.. Templeton had of it as he
walked beside her, endeavorng to look
like the happiest man in Cartoon. The
sermon was criticised, the minister
made out time-server, the parish de-
bounced collectively and personally,
his own peculiar friends among the rest,
and finally his cousin Hetty was reach
ed, and her habits, her manner, and
her dress were made the text on which
to hang anathema maranatha of world
illness, affection, bad taste, low moral
sense, irreligion, and last of al, extrava-
gance--his dear little cousin Hetty,
whose red curls lighted such frank,
ohild-like countenance, and whose two
diamonds he had been guilty of think
ing, during the "Te Deum," just match.
ed the limpid sparkel of the clear dew
drops of her gay eyes. But Mr.. Tenn
pleton had far too much experience to
say any thing of the sort "James Nor
ris could not pay his debts if he were
sold out to-day" said his wife. And
look at his wife's dress-Maria, how
many times must tell you to keep
those children inside the curb-stone
his wife's dress. Just one glitter of
satin and Jet. And Ideclare it was inn
possible for me to fix my eyes on the
lecturer for the way in which she kept
those diamonds twinkling before me,
with her head on the perpetual dance.
A pretty place for iamonds-church
| know woman who wore them TO her
fathers funeral; ] suppose she would.
should think, at any rate, she could
have controlled her inclinations, and
waited till next sabbath-diamonds on
Palm Sunday But it's high time of
day, stSay,' warming up with her
husbands silence, when | am without
a single diamond tony name, and there
is James Morris's wife-James Morris
who ows you $1,000 borrowed money"
1t was very weak in Mr.. Templeton
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, indeedl | should
Ike to see Uncle Roberts for once, if
he is not a mythical parsonage alto
gether," cried his wife, with the air of
expecting MIR. Templeton to produce
the alleged Uncle Roberts immediately.
"Uncle Roberts, Uncle Roberts, 1t
is always Uncle Roberts? And you
understand, torsoothl Why didn't
understand? Why were the earrings
concealed from me? For all | know,
you gave them to her yourself Per
haps you are this Uncle Roberts who
is always brought to the front at every
pet piece of extravaganza. For my
part, wish .hat had even a 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 chill
dren," murmured Mr.. Templeton,
floundering in little farther.
"Where | am, | suppose you don't
want all Cartoon to hear how | am out
ragged. You'd like to have me endure
it in silence. OF course you don't want
the children to hear their mother tel
the plain story Of your neglect, your
outrage
iiV4t MI itll plNtth tpoh VA lliS
hat and made a low bow with a gilt
tering smile to gentleman and lady
passing in an opposite direction.
"What is the latter with Mrs, Tenn
pleton?" asked the gentleman. "Sht
looks ike thunder-cloud full of light
ming"
'Hetty Morris's ear rings, / guess.
was the answer. "She has probably
seen them at church to-day. Poor Mr.
Templeton, What life that vixer
leads him.
Il don't know about that He is ire
mendously in love with her"
GLOW can he be?'
Fierce of habit ,naybe. And sh,
is beauty, you know. And when sh,
is good-natured, there is nobody hk'
her"
"Well, by Easter you'll see her witt