Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-07-04
THE STOLEN RING.

GIVE brought home the young lady's
bonnet, miss, please" said little Rachel
'Oh, it's the milliners apprentice, is
it r said Green, the parlor-girl. "Just
step into the hall, and wait minute.
Miss Madison's own maid will be down
directly. We're having quite q state of
things up stairs, Green added, bustlng
around to fasten up wooily white poo
die which had contrived to snap the
links of his golden chain. "Miss Madi-
son has had diamond ring stole. And
they've sent for detective gentleman,
and Miss Madisons uncle from Wall
street. And missus has had mysteries,
and the doctor is there giving her drops !;
and the cook says, up aud down, She
won't stay in no family where the help is
suspectedw
Dear, dear!" said little Rachel, open
ing her blue eyes as round as two mar
bles.
And as Green hurried away in answer
to a shrill summons from above, she
looked timidly around her.
Sbe was always pleased to be sent to
the Madison house. 1t was her ideal of
Aladdin's palace-of the beautiful man
sions wherein dwelt the heroines of song
and story.
When she described it to the little ones
at home, after her days work was over
they could scarcely credit its splendors.
There was a circular hall, with rallied
gallery, extending around the second
story, and dome of white and amber
glass overhead, and great bronze statue
of some tabled warrior kept guard on
horseback in the middle of the marble
floor.
There was deep fireplace, lined with
china tiles, where fire of scented logs
blazed on tall iredogs of polished brass
deep, plush easy-chairs were drawn up
beside it, and a pair of monster Japan
vases, which reached up to Rachel's shoul-
der, were always full, whether the Febru-
ary SHOWS carpeted the outside world, or
the March winds shook the easements, of
delicious, half-blown roses, with long
stems, and satiny, shiny leaves.
For the life of her she would not have
dared to go up and smell of them, or to
touch their perfumed petals; but she
stood afar off and breathed in their sweet
ness, and looked at their tints of pearl
and pink like humble worshiper of the
beautiful.
'NIiss Madison has a new paroquet, y
she thought. 81 never saw that little
beauty in the gold cage before"
Adrienne, the French maid, came hur-
rying down directly-a tall, bold-lookine
young woman, with jaunty cap perched
in the midst of her black braids, and loops
of cherry ribbon on her white muslin
apron. She had an absent expression on
her face, and looked at little Rachel as il
her mind was preoccupied with some.
thing else, and she did not see her.
"Its the reception bonnet, miss,
please" explained Rachel, with a cour.
tesy.
ooh, the bonnetl" said Adrienne.
"You work-people are always coming al
the wrong time. Oh, yes, dare say it is
all right But with sudden, smiling
assumption of interest, 'you are wet.
1t rains and you will take cold. Take
off your shawl, and come to the fire and
dry yourself"
ooh, no, ma 'am-thanks said little
ltaOHOl, icdCHlnS oub lOI INC sudWl WHICH
AdrienneThad ofliciously removed, and
resisting her efforts to lead her to the
fire. "It don't rain; it only mists O
little"
"But it does rain," sharply spoke
Adrienne, giving the girls faded skirt a
shake as she spoke Don't you see the
drops2 Well' with shrill laugh, ''ii
you don't choose to dry yourself, the
fault is your own"
81 was to return as soon as possible,
ma'am," said little Rachel, rather en-
barrassed by all this extra attention
eff Miss Madison was suited"
Adrienne caught up the bandbox
which Rachel had held all the time, and
whirling around on her heel, ran W
stairs into the reception4apartment
where Miss Madison herself stood, sur
rounded by group of people.
Miss Madison was tall, blonde-com.
plexioned young lady, with clear, haze