Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-07-19
THE sEYNE SAPPHIRES.

my last place, and better mistress a
poor Girl never hadl Of course she was
bit hasty now and then, being of
French blood, you know, and when
ANYTHING crossed her, why, instead of
being cool and dignifed like lady of
her station ought TO have been, she
Just ilared right out and scolded like a
fish-wifei But when the vexed feeling
passed away. or she found out that she
was wrong, Lor' bless you, sir, she was
as humble and kind as could be!''
"Her name was Madame Seyne-the
rich Madame Seyne, of Cedarcroft, do
YOU say? Yes, to-be-sure! You We
heard of her, see; but did you ever
hear about her wonderful sappires being
stolen? No? Well, it's no wonder, for
they tried to hush it up. Even Miss
Ethel did. But just wish you could
have seen the jewels! Such dazzling
bit of beauty | never laid my eyes on!
They were kept in big silver box, all
fancy-work on the outside, and white
satin inside. And you don't know how
lovely they looked against the pure
lining-those great, purple stones, ever
shining like bit of summer evening
sky with star set in it. A whole set
sure-necklace, earrings and bracelets
TO say nothing of ornaments for the
hair. And madame did look for all the
world like queen when she wore
them.
"Let me see, the last time she had
them on was at the grand ball given
in honor of Master Ancel's twenty-frst
birthday He was her only child, you
know, and heir to all the big property.
He was the very apple of her eye you
] can better believe, and had been
watched over like a prince of the blood.
He had been educated at Eton or Ok
ford, or some other of those places,
and a finer young man it would be
hard TO find-always pleasant spoken
to everybody, in spite Of his pride and
dignity.
''He was very fond of Miss Ethel
haven't told you about her, have /?
She was distant relative of the family.
Her father, Guy Seyne, had been an ar
list and had gone away to France, and
had there married girl who had moth
ing but pretty face and an aristo-
cratic name, for her ancestors-the
most of them-had lost everything,
even their lives, in that awful fuss they
had over there in France mean
and the poor, pretty queen.
'Guy and his wife managed to get
along somehow; but, rs ill-luck would
have il, both were taken sick and died,
and when on his death-bed, he sent a
letter TO madame, who was his favorite
cousin, begging her TO take care of his
daughter
at seems he had put the child in a
Ii 30, s,,L .,x,I
she could stay there until her education
was finished; then he wanted her brought
to Cedarcroft And madame, who
was, ! must say, as generous as sun
shine, was perfectly willingto do as her
poor cousin asked.
''Miss Ethel was only seventeen when |
she came to us, but such mere slip of
a girl that you would have thought |
her younger. Childish in her manners, |
too, but very graceful and perfect |
lady, from the crown of her shining, |
chestnut hair to the tip of her dainty
feet.
Handsome? Well, one wouldn't |
be likely to say so at first, for her face
was so small and brown; but when she
began talking, or got Interested in any
thing, my! a color as rich rs q damask
rose crept into her cheeks, her pretty,
white teeth pceped out from between
her red lips. and her big, brown eyes
sparkled like diamonds. And when
the grand ball | told you about was
held she was the most beautiful there,
and that was saying n good deal, be-
cause two of the, bellies of the county
were there-Miss Adelina Plympton,
great, snowy creature, dark and rich as
Spanish lady. and pretty pink-and-
white Dora Davidson.
"And, my, how grand they were
dressed Miss Adelina in ruby velvet
and Miss Dora in blue satin and love-
" point-lace Miss Ethel wore plain.
white silk, with ropes of pearls around
her neck and wreath of hollv-gIe cen
leaves and red berries twined in her
shining, brown hair; but / can't des-
crbe how perfectly lovely she looked;
there was something just dazzling
about her, and young Master ANGEL was
bcwitched from the very first.
'IDid his mother like this? Bless
you, no! She looked black as a thun-
der-cloud every time they danced to-
gethcr which was so often as to at
tract attention, can tell YOU.
"You see, she had planned for him TO
marry Miss Adelina or Miss Dora-for
both were great heiresses- she had
never dreamed that the little brown
eyed lassie, the dependent, would over
turn her plan.
"But true love is often wilful, YOU
know, and l rather guess that Miss
Ethel and Master ANGEL both found out
that they loved each other
'And for the next month there wasn't |
much peace at Cedarcroft, you can bet
ter believe. Madame was so cross that |
none of us servants knew whether we
stood on our heads or our feet. And
finally, when Master ANGEL was off in
Scotland hunting with some friends,
madame and Miss Ethel had dreadful
quarrel, which ended in the young lady
packing her trunk and leaving the
house,
And that wasn't the worst of it, |
The next morning. early, was called |
into madame's room by sharp ring of |
her hell, | knew the minute / got in !
there that something unusual had hsp- |
pened; for madame was standing in the |
middle of the room, her face pale with |
anger and her great black eyes spark
ling.
"The daring hussyr she cried. Look, |
Martha! The sapphires are stolenr
"And with her long, lean fingers,
trembling with excitement, she held out |
the silver casket.
Not a solitary sapphire sparkled ON
its white-satin lining.
"'0h, ma'am!' | screamed out, for |
was dreadfully startled however do |
you s'pose the thieves got in? There
wasn't door nor window left unfas-
tened last night saw to them myself!
And all the silver is untouched n
spoon gone!'
"'Don't be an idiot, Martial mad
anne snapped out 1t wasn't COM
mon house-breaker that robbed me-
It's that viper I've been warming in my
bosom-it's Ethel Ethel Sevne! I'm
sure she's taken the sapphires.'
And in spite of what every body said.
she still stuck to this belief, and before
Master ANGEL came back to hinder her,
she had sent for detectives to find Miss
Ethel who had gone nobody knew
where.
''But, my stars! | never saw mad
der man than young Master ANGEL
when he returned and found out what
had happened!
He was lust as fiery tempered rs his