The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-02-23
A EXPENSIVE WEDDING GIFT
tAchauge.


 i. WIS certainly mos; unpleasant CO., incidence that one ot pair of opal ear- rngs which had been gwen to Miss Con so, .or a wedding present, was missed iioe4 its case immediately after Mrs. Car negie had had the case in her hand Fms awkward episode occurred al an
 sfternoon held A, Mir. Consol's house a, lleen's Gate. on the day previous to Mss Consols marriage. when the we'd ding gifts were displayed in the drawing room for the inspection of a crowd of friends and acqaaintanoes
 The earrings, which consisted of two tine and beautifully tinted opals. sci with diamonds, had excited universal admlra- tion. and were said 10 be extremely val ua ale. if not positively unique. Mrs. Car negie had, like many other people. gone into ecstacies over them, but had passed on to inspect another group of costly of iefings, when somebody discovered the loss. 4 great commoiion al once sued. and careful search was made for the missing ornament. Every article Tn the ,1clniy of the spo. was shifted abou, and l8f'ei up, circle vas drawn around the ,abie and the floor anxiously ssgu,iniled. ttsAE Fl ihNh. SfNi NaS 4pbC NltIl- oat < moments delay ,o recover the lost earring. All these efforts proved iaile. heaevef and II was quite impossible to believe that. with so many pairs of eyes on ;he alert, i, would have escaped ob- sefsa,.on if l, had been lying anywhere aoeu, the room
 Everybody present iel, ,Iiile uneom- fotta5le, bu, especially Mrs. Carnegie >he vas very proud and sensitive little woman. and she Was keenly conscious iha: people had remarked the fact that she had been the last person to handle he ear.ring. OlS Mir. Gonsal. had been rather particular iB hIs inquiries as 10 whether she had replaced the ornaments in their case. l; was very unpleasant te oe singled out from a room full of guests io answer questions of ihls sort. especial ly as the process drew general attention toward her. Ot course she dld not for an instant imagine that she vas seriously suspected of pufloinlng the ear-ring, but the very fact of having perfectly clear conscience. and feeling tha, her honor was above suspicion. rendered her in- c'.aed 10 resent even harmless and nat aral questioning. HeT temper was slight
 
 opportunity she wen, up 10 the hostess ard said good bye. taking caie. however. .o conceal her se re; ve~a.tos.
 II Mrs. Carnegle could lave got .e4r away after this. the matter would no doubt have blown ever Though she was quick-tenpered and sensitive. she was not the kind of a person ,o harbor petty resentment, and little calm reilce- ton restored her equaniml;y Bit as Ill la X would have it. she came face to face with old Mir. Consos in the lower hall
 Sow. Mir Consols vas one of the most <ind-hearted old gentlemen in the world. ou, he was rather vulgar. ard had blunt way of expressing himself. which otten gave otfense when nohe Was ia- tenaed. He was evidently very malh put out about the loss of the earring. and on pereeiving Mrs Carnegie he l, once advanced 10 speak to her
 '' am regularly mys,ihed about tha, eaF-r'ng. Mrs Carnegie" he said. rather abruptly. Everyone have spoken to says you had l, last Tn yoIr hands.
 Ina, IS quite possible" returned Mrs. 1arnegie. turning pale with suppressed anger. = am not responsible for l,s dis appearance. nevertheless
 ou are sure you returned Il to the case:" asked Mir Consols. with rather unnecessary persistence.
 Really, Mir Consols. can no; sub mit 10 further cross examination" ex- claImed little Mrs. Carnegie, drawing herself up. have answered your ques- ton over and over again
 Where in the deuce can that ear ring have got to. them" mutiered the old gentleman, suikily
 The probability IS iha, old NIT. Con- sois gave ut,erance to ;h.s reflection from sheer perpleSity. ard w.thou, the slight est intention of woaading hts gues- $ feelings. But Mrs. Carnegie chose t0 take the remark IS conveying a deliher- ale sspersion upon her integrity. and cer- talniy Mir. Consols tone and manner manifested lamen,abie wan, of tact. Her temper immediately tiared up, and bst fer the opportune arrisal of some other guests, she would probably have answered her host in d manner that would have astonished him. As II was. she took her departure without another word bu; her rage and indignation were so great, that on reaching home she could not refrain from confding her wrong to her husband.
 MT. Carnegie was furious at the reef tai. He was one of those men who d. ways seem rather glad of an excuse 10 quarrel with their neighbors. He es- pcused his wife's cause warmly. and de cizred that he would make Mir Consols apologize for his behavior. kuoAing his dangerous tendency to magnify gIievan- ces, Mrs. Carnegie endcavo.ed 10 smooth matters over little. when she perceived how enraged he was. but only succeeded in bringing down a share of h.s Indlgna- ton upon herself
 Ny dear, it is impossible to md ex- cuses for him his conduct was delIber- ately insulting" he sad. impa'iently
 :. don't think that he meant io oe de- hberafely insulting hazarded Mrs Car negie-
 What else could he mean. Really, Frances, your remark IS childish re-