Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-22
THE FAMILY JEWELS.

I always do iho buttonhnles-pcn said, 90 she
finished the last seam Of pretty Aauncl dress
"Tm thinking Eotho that I viii not mako
you any Christmas present this year, but take
the money shouid spond for it and buy Ably
a nice pair Of blanhets'
al should enjoy that" sHil, "moro than
any gift you could make me, and instead Of my
giving yuu o present IN send thif, warm
rug for shivcr when / think OF those dear
ltte children in That cold hog house"
We tou5ht it would be nice ~ have This box
reach Abby about Christmas, and We would rut
IN il some toys and books for the hlt.o ones, ard
30 the first fine day W. went 30 town 10 make
our purchaser, we went about a good deal,
looking at blankets and carpets, for We & 70 NJ
u il werc Abbys money wr were going b. rnarl,
and thatwc must spenuit 10 the best advantage
Finally, wt made our purchases satisfactorily,
and then went b. lunch
That morning had noticed that many ladies'
in Che stores and on tie streets wore tho. littie
stu-sharsd sparkling jot earrings that were so
much IN vogue a few years aga. know that
thoy were Inexpensive, and l Thought how
becoming pair would be- for Pen should
like 10 make her some triling giit Christmas
morning. Just 70 surprise her, and 80 | deter
mined 30 slip on and got ler pair II possibly
could.
As we were eating our lunch / saw o lady
sitting nelr as who wore pair of the earrings
"Plu,' ] said, calling her attention to the
lady don't You think these black earrings
are protiyH'
"los said Per, 81 have seen such earrings
number Of tinos this morning, and they arc
very pretty; and after a LITTLE pause she went
ON M an aleent-uinlrd sort Of a way, "les,
they ere certainly worry pretty indeed"
had found oIi that Pen liked tho earrings
That was ono point gained. Az W. ros. from
the table, ] said, a. meant 70 have bought some
stationery when we were IN Lhlt bookstore;
you know We are nearly uUt Of l.ticr paper, and
/ viii $50 back and got some. If yau dil pay at
Che deiL and bUu cit down near the door aud
wait for me, ll BE- back To- q Few miuuius.'
Pen chcnriully assontad. and presently was
hurIylng down t4e street gOt the stationery
first, thon went Into store where / saw some
OF the sparkling black brooches aud earrings IN
a window. / asked for jet earrings, aud o large
Tray containing different sizes and styles was
placed before M.
How much are tbcsoY 7 asked. selecting
! pair That liked very well.
Zone dollar, ma'ain," said the young lady
who was waiting ON me.
Cheapcr than l had thought care they
strnngY' ! asked.
"Oh. worry strong" said the young lady
touching her own rs shf spoke, have since
thought perhaps 60 ascertain II thOy were oil
there
81 will take this pair. sold. and she put
them mp carefully in o little box, which ! slipped
into my pocket, and thon hurried bach To the
restaurant Pom was not there, but she came
Al a minute hter looking ~ If she had been
huuying.
81 thought l would 20 and look at some Of
the holiday g"ods I'M the Window slr said,
forcstafling any inquiry Oh my part She asked
rrta
and then we went to the station and took Aic
afternoon train home, feeling on the whole that
We had had very satisfactory day and l was
quite elatod thinking Of the pleasan! little sur
prise had planned Tor Pen.
10 was a fortnight ~ Christmas then. Once
or twice, when know that Pen WAS busy down
stairs took out tho earrings and slipped them
IN my ONn cars, just 20 sHe how they would
become Pen, Of course; fOT we look very much
alike, though Pen Is some years older than l.
One dry, inst a week before Christmas Pen
had sick headache. We had planned that
afternoon 90 call on oar friand Mrs. Arnold.
who was going to Florida Tor the winter
con, dear SAID Pen; Il can't Life my head
from the pillow. You'l have 10 80 alone and
say good-by for me-"
so, as Pen did not need anything except per
feet quiet, dressed Ia 20 out Some imp nut
It into my head 10 wear those carrings Pen
would not see them. HRS. Arnold always had
the latest and newest things; but / know abe
had nothing like them. She would be sure TO
admire them. I could give them to Pen all the
same Christmas morning, and she would never
know had worn them unless told her. / took
the box from my own private drawer and went
down stairs. I put the earrings in my ears
before the sltting-rOOm mirror, and after OBJ
serving the effect sufficiently l went out Mrs
Arnold did notice them at once. She Thought
them very becoming. and she expressed her in
tention Of getting pair when she reached the
city.
II was nearly dark "a I approached home.
wondered If Pen would he Still ON the bed or if
she would be down-siairs. Possibly the latter
30 | thought 1t wise to take the earrings out
before l let myself in at the front door.
put my hands up. Good heavens One Of
them was gone. l felt OF my scarf looked
down az my skirt and dress, but l saw no car
ring. went slowly down the steps and walked
back all the way 10 Mrs. Arnolds, looking care
fully for my lost jewel. found no earring.
II might have vanished from the face of the
Garth for aught saw Of il then or ever after.
II was quite dark by the time got home now
with my one earring. Pens headache WIS
better She was downstairs and had sea
ready. l ran upstairs 10 put away my cloak
and hat IdepOsted the one solitary earring. a
solitaire in truth, in the little box, and pushed
it into the back corner of my drawer in a some
what dized condition.
Christmas dawned 8 snowy clustering
morning. We loitered over our late breakfast,
wondering if Abby had received our box. and
talking Of the weather and the church festival
that would be held in the afternoon. As l
moved back from the table, "Nettie, said Pen,
paused and looked az her
II thought, she said, that should like to
give you some little thing this morning" She
hesitated and then went on slowly, as if she
hardly knew how to say what she intended to
say, some mere tribe, you know /" and she
lifted from a receptacle below the table a single
earring-that lost earring, as 1 Immediately
supposed
" Why, Penelope Dillingham; where did you
find it ~ ! exclaimed, in amazement.
" Find it !" echoed Pen, plaintively II did
MOI find it. bought it in Boston. bought a
pair Of them 10 give you tO-day-you know YOU
told me you liked them, hut I'm so sorry, I've
broksn the other. l took them out 10 look at
theR one day, when you were downstairs, and
then heard you coming up, and in my hurry /