The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-12-30
MISS pR0TnERO's EARRING.

MISS PRGTHERO's BARRING.
When old Sam Prothero, the million
aire, in fit of unaccustomed tenderness,
gave his daughter the handsomest pair
of diamond earrings that money could
buy, he took the opportunity to caution
her for the fiftleth time against holding
communication with her brother John.
OF late years, since his son had gone
hopelessly to the bad, the old man had
been very harsh parent to his long
suffering daughter, partly owing to grief
and disappointment, and partly because
he resented the womanly sympathy
which she felt for her scapegrace brother.
Old Sam Prothero was an ill-tempered,
cunning, suspicious old man, and the
unremitting precautions he took to pre-
vent the poor girl from rendering as
sistance to her brother were source of
misery and annoyance to her. Not only
did he keep her as much as possible by
his side, but he made her account to
him for every farthing she spent, less
the reprobate should profit by his sisters
affectionate and generous disposition.
Life under these conditions, and
irritable and exacting to the last degree.
was very trying ordeal, and the cease
less opportunities of her brother did not
tend to make her lot more agreeable.
Ellen Prothero prudently locked her
diamonds up, and said nothing about
them 10 her brother at their solemn in
| terviews. In spite of her fathers
vigilance she had from time to time as
sisted the young mau, both In money
and by giving him tritiing articles of
| jewelry to pledge, and though she would
willingly have sacrificed her diamond
| earrings for the same unhallowed pur-
pose, she dared not run the risk of dis
covery by parting with such valuable
ornaments. But her prudent reticence
proved futile, owing indirectly to hel
| fathers vulgar love of ostentatlon. He
permitted her one evening to go to ball
in the charge of chaperone on whose
discretion he implicitly relied, and moth
ing would please him but that she must
wear her her new ear rings.
Don't you think, father, they would
look too grand?' she urged, with fore
boding that they would be safer IN her
room up stairs.
"Of course they would look grand,
snapped the old man; ''that is why
want you to weaf 'em. I didn't give EN-
| to you to hide away I like people tc
see that ] can afford to give my ga
diamonds that will make their eyes wa
ter"
Whenever Sam ProtheroI was very
much in earnest he lapsed into the yer
sion which had clung to him since the
days when he commenced life with the
proverbial wheelbarrow. His daughter
saw that he was not to be gainsaid, anG
| therefore wore her diamonds for the frs
time to crafty his wishes.
Unfortunately events turned out pre-
cisely as she feared. Her brother, who
always insisted upon being informed o
her engagements, sent in word while the
ball was in progress that he was await
ing her in the public garden at the bacl
of the house. The poor girl stole out tx
speak to him, and found him alas! more
than half intoxicated. He wanted money
of course, his needs in this respect being
Unsuitable. Ellen's truthful assertion
that she was not at the moment able te
assist him, met withsa scornful incredu
lity. and the fatal glitter of diamonds at
tracted his attention. He seized hold oi
one of the earrings, half in rude jest and
half in spite, and, before she could pre-
vent him he had dragged it roughly
from her ear. Having onee got it in his
possession, he stubb ornlyrefused to par
| with it, and the upshot<was that the un
fortunate girl was obliged to return te
| the house without it, and to slip the re
naming earring in her pocket to avoid
attracting attention to her loss.
Next morning her fathers first ques
ton was about the earrings
they had caused a sensation. and who
had admired them. His daughter an
swered these inquiries with a sinking
heart, not daring for the life of her te
reveal her misfortune, yet knowing full
we'll that he must find it out sooner OF
| later. When the time came there would
be q dreadful scene for her father >woull
never believe her if she were to pretend
she had mislaid the earring, and would
by dint of bullying or cross-questioning
get at the truth.
The storm burst even sooner than sht
feared. The old man seemed to have re
ce1ved a hint from the discreet chaper-
one, who had probably noticed, withou
saying anything to the girl, that she hat
not worn her earrings the latter part O
the evening. No doubt her father, put
ting two and two together, had arrived
at o pretty true conception of what hat
happened; but it was not his nature t,
be outspoken; he preferred to attain hi
object by tortous methods.
Bring down the ear rings, Helen, y h
said, abruptly, after dinner. Il want t.
have look at EN-.
His keen old eyes were fixed upon her
and the girl, to hide her confusion, ros
at once from her seat and hurried from