Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-04-21

my OWH HloOOi w q oUlluSCl.
A whole month had lain there and
no one had called.
And my pale, thin hands showed
how near to deaths door / had been.
As I lay looking at my wasted fingers
I noticed my ring was gone.
Hastily inquired where it was.
Ny new-found acquaintance blushed |
and then said
"Will you allow my husband to
talk with you few moments? He
has your cameo
In a few moments tall, handsome
gentleman accompanied her into the
room.
"Years ago." he began, after apol-
ogizing for being the cause of my ill
ness and congratulating me upon my
recovery, II had pair of canoes
carved in this city. They were unlike
anything ever seen here. l had them
set in pair Of earrings for my wife.
One night our house was robbed by a
trusted servant the canoes were ia
ken, along with other valuables."
"Was anything else taken?' | ask
ed, sitting upright, forgetting for
moment my weak state.
The gentleman strove to control
his emotion, but his wife was silently
weeping near the window.
"Yes, our only child" he replied.
brokenly. 'sNow will you tell me
how you came by this cameo? for it
is the same. / to-day took it to the
person who carved it for me so long
ago, and he recognized it at once, al
though it had been reset"
"Was it seventeen years ago that
your child was stolen?' | asked, ca
gerly.
eyes; what do you know of it,"
he questioned hoarsely.
Il know that am your child then y
After / had told the story so often
repeated to me by my mother Reynor,
they were perfectly satisfied that l
belonged to them, and their JOY beg
gars description.
Their story was that ny father had
given his wife necklace of diamonds,
and seeing how pleased her baby was
with it she had shaken the stone be-
fore her eyes, and at last, in a spirit
of fun, had clasped it about the
child's neck. But she did not un-
derstand the fastening, and as her
husband was away from home and
she could not get the short chain over
the child's head, she was obliged to
let the nurse put the infant to sleer
with the glittering ornament about
its neck. But the temptation proved
too great for the nurses cupidity
so she had taken the baby quietly ou
to the neighboring jeweler and had
the necklace unfastened.
The theory we, my new-found par
ents and /, formed was, that becom
, ing frightened at her exploit and no
daring to try to replace the baby
never can realize that the baby was
, moself-lest she be discovered, sht
, concluded to abandon it entirely.
[ ''Now where do these people liv'
: who have cared so kindly for you?
must see them,' said my mother.
Reluctantly l gave the address
Jack came straight to me after m,
/. mother told her my errand, and b
e looked so old and worn and haggar
that for a moment [ was lost in pit
k for him.
o Then | remembered the indelicat
remarks he had made to Miles Grit
Ii fifth, and in trying to be frigidly coo
y only succeeded in crying weakly.
: s'Oh, Jack Jackn / sobbed, ur
q BILE to be anything but my own, i'm
1t petuous self, "why did you teach m
is to love you only to tire of me s
@ soon?''
''Tire How? What do you NEAR
Is dear?" he asked, taking my hands
q anxiously, as if he feared l was nt
9 quite rational. And then, as | gre
ot calmer, had to confess how / ha
's descended to the contemplate bus
a ness of eaves-dropping, and what
~ had heard.
cit was my birthday, Jack. Don
: you remember you had Griffith in tt
studio? And you told him you ha
. made great mistake in engagir
Yourself to me and-and he advise
" you to give it up, and you sold you
3 follow his advice.
:, For three minutes Jack stared
, me, and then with difficulty repres
ing an inclination to laugh, said:
w Darling, how could you belle,
a. it? Now listen. AS you know, n
Of forte is landscapes. Well, / thoug
lv I'd make one trial of portraits,
while lately / have been entertainr
ed you and mother SO politely in Il
studio, was slyly taking 'sittings
he You know your birthday, or the d;
1v we celebrated as yours, and mother
fell on the same day; SO as she h;
mr. often expressed wish to have yo
7 portrait painted, and thinking th
q you would like bers, / painted yo
ba counterfeits as best / could, and tn,
c;- before / showed them | sent for M
IN Griffith, the fairest critic in the clu
inf He told me candidly that as pc
Inf trait painter | was dead failur
o,l oJx 40 ~ al10rv