The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-10-09
THE DIAMOND NECKLACE.


She was one of those beautiful girls,
born as if by mistake of destiny, into a
family of laborers. She had no dowry,
no prospects, no way of becoming
known, loved, and married by a rich
and distinguished man; and she gave
her hand to petty clerk of the Bureau
of Public Instruction.
She was as wretched as disinherited
princess. A woman's beauty and
grace take the place of birth and FAM
ilv. Her native refinement, her in
the seal of royalty, and make daugh-
Ter of the people equal with the great
est lady.
She suffered constantly from the
wretchedness of her abode, the bare
ness of Its walls, the age and ugliness
of its furnishings. She dreamed of si-
lent ante chambers, hung with Orien-
tai stutfs and lighted with lofty bronze
lamps; of great drawing-rooms draped
with ancient silks, and of coquettlsh,
perfumed little parlors, for long and
intimate talks with close friends.
When she sat before the round table,
covered with thrice-used cloth, oppo-
site her husband, who uncovered the
soup-tureen with the delighted excla-
matron, ''Ah, good soup! there is moth
ing better!' she thought of delicate
dinners, of cleaning plate, of tapes
tries to people the walls with ancient
ipersonages and strange birds in the
depth of enchanted forests; she
thought of whispered gallentries re-
ceiVed with a mysterious smile, while
the fair listener partook of the rosy
flesh of a trout or q wood-hen's wing.
She had no dresses, no jewels, moth
ing; and that was all she cared for
all she was made for. She had no ir-
resistable longing to charm, to be en-
We'd, and admired, and courted. She
spent days IN weeping with regret and
despair.
One evening her husband came
home with proud look bearing an in
-vitation to ball at the residence of
the Minister of Public Instruction.
Instead of being delighted, as he
had hoped, she threw the invitation
spitefully to the floor, murmuring:
'.What do you expect me to do with
'tWhy, my dear, thought you
would be pleased. You never 90 out,
and this will be fine opportunity. l
have been at infinite pains to get it."
She looked at him with irritation,
and demanded 1mpatiently:
''What do you expect me to put on
INV backP"
He had not thought of that. He
sstammered:
"tWhy, the dress you wore to
the theater. 1t looks very well to
me"
He stopped, stupefied, overwhelmed,
at seeing his wife in tears. Two
great drops rolled slowly from the
corners of her eyes to the corners of
her mouth.
''What is the matter, dear p' he
began.
But by desperate effort she
overcame her distress and an
swered calmly, as she wiped her wet
cheeks:
Nothing. Only, I have no dress,
and, consequently, L cannot 90 to
the ball. Give the card to some
friend whose wife is better fitted out
than /.
He was in despair. He tried once
more:
ssLet us see, Mathilde. How much
would a suitable dress cost; something
simple. which would be useful to you
Ion other occasions?"
She reflected few seconds, count
ung up the sum, taking also into the
question the amount which she could
ask for without calling forth an i'm
mediate refusal from her economical
husband.
AT last she replied, hesitatingly:
81 cannot tell exactly, but it seems
ITO me that could get along with 400
francs"
He turned quite pale, for he had
-saved just that sum, intending to buy a
gun and join some hunting parties the
following summer. He replied, how
ever:
ssVery well, 1 will give you 400
francs. But you must get a handsome
dress.
The day of the ball drew near and
.Mathilde seemed sad and anxious. She
mad not been like herself for
three days. To her husbands s in
.quiry as to what troubled her she
replied:
Ito wear. shall make a very mean ap-
ypearance. had almost rather not GO
-at all.
But he exclaimed:
elbow foolish you are! Go to your
friend. Nine. Forester, and ask her
to lend you some jewels. You
- are quite intimate enough with her to
do that"
The next day accordingly, she told
her perplexity to Eer friend.
Mime. FORESTER brought large case
from her cabinet, and told Mathilde to
take her choice.