Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-08-20
"Wise woman" groaned Mr.. Tor

.'Wise woman" groaned Mr. Tor
rance.
"And so, you see, didn't accuse
Mildred in the first place. searched,
and took every precaution. didn't
think of such thing till l saw her
stand there turning more colprs than
the lady in the lobster"
lyon don't say that YOU really have
accused her?''
"Well, what if I nave? l must
lose my diamond chat my dear
grandfather gave me when l was
married, and that treasured so, and
endure it all in silence for fear
some little hussy's feelings will be hurt.
My feelings are of no consequence at
all! 1t isn't to be reckoned to my &C
count that l was ready to gice her the
diamond-and love diamonds. Idon't
think there's anything so beautiful in
the whole world. There's no other
tie; l don't mean money or money val
ues. 1t IS the concrete essence of sun
shine-really. materially. Once that
identical stone of mine, ages before
man was made, was nothing but flood
of sunshine, married to the wet air as
it reached one spot of the earth, and
wonderful tree sprung from that mar
rage, and fourished and Powered and
fell, great strong marvel OF growth
that belongs to those past 9Ons when
the earth itself was but half crystallized
out of It's gases, and that grows now
nowhere. For they can't find any sub
stance that can quite produce it. And
that made my diamond-by slow concen-
trat;on. Or else, even if it is not that, it
is the very compression of that ancient
atmosphere, almost all carbon, which
hung over the earth in that first mys-
terry of chaos. And at any rate, it is
of the purest physical perfection known
to-day, and of the simplest chemical
composition. sou
MY love, how much you know! You
take my breath away. 1t seems to me
wickeder to have stolen your diamond
than to steal the Koh-i-noorr'
lit is The Bible says so. Nathan talked
to King David about the eve lamb.
And that was all the diamond had. 1t
would seem so to you, really, if your
head clerk had stolen it, or any body
had stolen it but this pretty Mildred"
"But, Janet, you are always so posi-
tive"
"How can You say so? What am l
ever positive about? You wouldn't
have me distrust the evidence of my
senses? And if ever saw guilt on any
face"
There is nothing more fallible than
the evidence of your senses"
Il beg your pardon. can see as tar,
and hear as quickly, and taste as keenly
as any one alive. And for YOU to begin
to run down my eyes nOw-perhaps
they're not so bright as they have been
but l never thought-to hear you
INVITING me of growing old--in this
way, all of sudden Crying hard to
swallow her sobs -''because- you re
interested -in-in my servant-maid-'
"For Heavens sake, Janet, think
what you're saying"'
II do think what am saying" she
cried then, in a fury. And l say,
whatever the evidence OF my senses may
be. have every evidence that you
care nothing at all for my feelings, and
can see me robbed without lifting your
voice, and-and- oh, husband ought
to love his wife, and protect, and take
her part" And here Mrs. Janet rose
hurriedly and pushed over her chair,
and was running from the room.
But Mr. Torrance was not to be out
done by any such sleight of foot, and
had caught her in Ills arms before she
reached the door. ''And do you think"
he exclaimed, that l don't love you,
you abominable little mass of contra
d ctions? DO you suppose won't pro-
tect you with my life itselfp Do you
fancy for q moment that I won't take
your part, when You deaide what your
part isP"
"Let me go! Let me 90, STRIP she
exclaimed ''Or else, at any rate, let me
find my handkerchief And she strug-
gled for her handkerchief that the kisses
her husband gave her might not be too
salt, and pulling it from her pocket,
something in great arc and stream of
luster whirled out with the violently
wrenched handkerchief, sailed through
the afr like nothing so much as flying
IdluUOW, stlu lcll al HcI 1ccSs
1t was the lost diamond.
Mrs. Terrence stopped in the midst
of her tears, blushing, disheveled,
acknowledgement herself, as pretty
sight as rose bush in shower, and
held back her skirts with both hands
while she looked at the great shining
eye there before her on the carpet.
THE horrid thing" she said. The
horr;d, unwinking accusing thing! 1t
is calling me all sorts of names.
shall never want to see it again. Only
think, if l had denounced that poor
girl. I'm so glad l never breathed of
it to her. ] remember had on this
very gown when Mrs. Veasey was in.
How stupid of me! Now, I'll take this
down to a diamond brokers' to day, and
Mildred's Mabel shall have her thou
sand dollars, worth of lessons. l dare
say she'll sing at our parties by and by.
She'll be our particular prima donna.
And by that time shall have improved
Mildred into companion. Oh, l should
think you would despise such ridicu-
lous, wicked little wife as l ami she
cried, turning to her husband: "You
ouSH' W nave maTIiou sdluI. WHat
good man you are, Archy!'
my dear" said Mr.. Archy, life
with any other woman who didn't
arrange these little circuses for my
morning entertainment would be to
stale, fiat and Improbable to endure.
l should run away from the saint, and
take to the flying trapeze and you. y
Harriet Prescott Spoford, in Harper's
Bazaar.