The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-12-06
THE MISSING SAPPHIRE.

The MISSING SAPPHlRE.
"A dozen tea-biscuit. did you say, Mrs.
Rooney r. said the bakers wife; land loaf
Of bread and card of black gingerbread 2.
Just let me take your basket, ma'am, and
I'll pack EN- in deal better than you could.
Yes. as was saying, there he lies, clean out
OF his head and raving, and nobody to take
care of him but me. And you may guess
how much time get, ma'anl, what with the
shop and the sir children, and Festher,op's
old mother to look after"
/" But why on EARTH" said the customer
who had ordered tea-biscuit, bread, aud
black gingerbread, = don't you send the
poor fellow to some hospitaig" ~
"Just what the doctor advised his own
self" said Mrs. Feathertop. But la the
minute one mentions the word b, spital :
you'd think he would 20 out Of his head,
poor soul. No, no. no. he says, over and
over again, and he holds on to the side of
the bedpost until one must have q heart Of
iron to try and get hir, away. Aud the
worst of it is, he's just been turned ont of
his place -
Turned ont of his place ?" repeated Mrs
Rooney, while Miss Price, the pale little
seamstress who rented the top back. room of
Mrs. Feathertop, and kept herself on infnit.
esimal morsels of bread and meat which she
picked up nobody know whore, paused to
listen, on her way through the shop
+" He was getting good wages in manu-
featuring jewelers." said the bakers wife,
evidently enjoying her small audience, land
Mr.. Goldilove set store by him, for he'd
way of working that he'd learned in foreign
parts, and they tell me it's quite an art to
set them precious stones in the gold SO as
they'll stay 6rni, aud show off their colors to
good advantage. Aud there was particu.
lar choice jewel sent there TO be set as q
wedding present for some young lady-a
sapphire, they say it's called-and it was
gin into his charge And from that day to
this, ma'am and Miss Price, there hasn't
nothin' ever been heard of that sapphire.
II il had been any one else, MIR. Goldilove
would have had him arrested but this John
Judson had always borne SO good a char.
aeter, and was such an out-and-out respecta-
BILE man, as he hadn't the hear. to do it
Bat he discharged him. OF course-who
wouldn't? And here the poor fellow il, out
of place, with no reference. and 80 far as l
know, without penny in his pocket AID
what we're to do don't know, foril's down.
right sure as l c,n's spare the time to give
him his drops and look after him rs a sick
man should be looked u teri
I" Has he no friends Z" said Mrs Rooney
Bless your heart, no." said the bakers
wife. " He is a stranger in the country.
Aud poor folks. mind you, ms'am, don't
pick up friends here and there and every
where, like the milonaires we read about
Just here Miss Price stepped forward, With
her little splint basket on her arm.
- Mrs. Festhertop," said she, difidently,
. am quite alone IN the world, with no ties
to keep me busy. If you don't object, I'll
take my sewing down into Mr.. Judson's
room and take care of him, days, if Mr.
Feathertop won't nlind the night charge"
"Im sure, Miss Price, 1t would hs deed
of Christian charity" said Mrs Feathertop.
And as she afterward said to Mrs Rooney
=" 1t wasn't as il Miss Price were young
and pretty. She's forty, il she's day."
said the bakers wife. "And she's had
smallpox, as you mey see for yourself. Mrs.
Rooney, ma'am and her hair is red and her
eyelashes is white, and often think, nla'am,
OF what Feathertop said, when first he en-
gagged our top-story back, Peggy says
Feathertop, says ho, we've got the hunnbli-
est woman in New York for our tenant"
But Mary Price, il she was neither young
nor beautiful, possessed the rare attributes
Of SICK nurse-the soft step, the quick per-
ception, the noiseless, gliding movement
aud before she had been the guardian gen.
ius of poor John Judson's room for week,
tho fever turned and he began to grow bet
ter.
So" he said, suddenly, one bleak Feb
rusry afternoon, when Mary Price sat
stitching silently by his side, II shall get
we'll"
The doctor says SO" silently assented
Miss Price
Why didn't they let me die ?" groaned
the poor iapidary, screwing up his forehead.
Miss Price looked at him in amazement.
Don't you want 10 live 2" she said.
What have got left to live for?n burst
out John Judson. ~ have neither name
nor fame left, and can't even get the chance
to earn my own living. They believe me to
be thief. As well die OF fever as die of
starvstion."
Miss Price looked gently at him.
There Is no need of either,' said She
Il have few dollars in the savings bank.
You are welcome to them, until you can
work and earn something for yourself
Jrdson raised himself on his elbow and
stared at her
Why do you give me your hard-earned
savings ~ said he, bhiutly. Se
Because you need them more than
do" said Miss Price. sewing away.
Judson uttered a low, bitter laugh.
i thought the race of Christians was
extinct, said he. But believe there are
some left" &0oa ssN ttf8
After that, he recovered rapidly.
Bot on the day on which he first sat up,
there came laundering knock at the door,
and in walked old Mr.. Goldilove, plump.
clean-shayen, and looking eminently respect
able in his fur-triuImoi oveicoat aud new
kid gloves
Judson started
Have you come TO arrest me-, sir ?" said
he
Not at all. my dear fellow--not at all :"
saic the old geutlemau, briskiy. LOOK
here !" sf
And opening bis hand, he showed. snuoy
reposing in the palm. something small aud
sparkling. like drop of blue dew.
Its the Mordaunt sapphire I" exclaimed