Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-06-12
Mabel's Jewels.
BY KATHERINE HYDE.

A1UUOA ~ OOU O1O .
BY KATHERINE HYDE.
"A touching sight % exclaimed
Josephine Lyle. with light wave Of
her fan.
Her companion, Philip Vernon, did
not ut once reply. His gaze followed
her toward abay window ct the further
end Of the room, where two figures stood
together In the fading twilight
The woman's form was tall anc
graceful her hand rested OH the arm OF
the man beside her. aud she was speak.
ing, low and earnestly.
Philips cheeks flushed with sudden
pain, for of late that " sweet face at the
window had been the goal of ell his
day dreams.
He had scarcely realized this truth
himself, and had certainly paid NO
moro attention 70 Mabel Lyle than to
her stylish cousin Josephiae, but the
spell she had thrown around him WAS
none the less strong for that fact.
She was an orphan, and had been for
years dependent upon the kindness and
protection Of her uncle. Nobly had Mr..
Lyle discharged this trust, and though
burdened with large and extravagant
family, he had placed Mabel at one OF
the best seminaries in the State, and
bestowed upon her every social and
advantage.
This generosity had indeed proved to
be ~ "bread osst upon the waters"
At Madame Dubard's seminary
Mabel had formed . close and intimate
with Elsie Vernon, . bright
little maiden and only daughter Of a
retired and wealthy merchant.
When Mabel ut the close OF the ses'
sion returned to her unclc's home in
Philadelphia, she was distressed to find
that Mr.. Lyle's business affairs had OF
late become much involved. His wife
was indolont and pleasure-seeking; his
Josephine, . thorough society
girl, and his only son, Arthur, the
pride and darling Of his heart, reck
less young spendthrift, who considered
himself, at tweuty.fv q hardened
man Of the world.
The lavish expenditure Of such a
had nearly ruined poor Mr..
hDd q young and active partner. with
capital sufficient 70 push the business,
that he might yet retrieve his ruined
fortunes.
The elder Mr. Vernon Was Just then
looking r0und for some merchant oil
high business integrity with whom he
might place his son Philip, and Mabel,
having learned this fact through hsI
with Elsie, FASTENED tO
lay 1t before her uncle.
Communion ions ensued, which re-
suited in giving Mr.. Lyle exactly she
partner he wanted, and in bringing
Philip Vernon into the most constant
and friendly intercourse with the two
pretty cousins.
From the a st he was forcibly taken
possession Of by Josephine Lyle, intro
duced into her circle as Tour friend
Mr.. Vernon" and regarded by all her
lady friends as Josephine's devoted ad
mirer.
1t was at this juncture that Arthur
Lyle, who had hitherto eschewed
business, 10 the surprise of all his
friends, applied for q clerkship under
the new firm.
His father hailed this proposition
with JOY, as q sign that Arthur had
sown his wild oats But his apparen,
sprung from another and a
far different source.
When Mabel returned home from
Madam Dubard's, she had been won't
TO lecture him, aB nrsS with all tn.
freedom Of q cousin, on his dissipation
and extravaRance, and though he
by laughing at her Puritan
notions, he ended by loving her with all
the strength Of his reckless and untamed
nature.
Josephine's keen eyes had penetrated
her brothers. secret, and abe could no'
refrain from droppingja hint, As he call
sd it. to Philip Vernon on tine evening
with which our story opens,
g. did not KNOW" no said hurriedly,
=" that Miss Lyle and your trother were
"Oh!" she interrupted with smile,
lit has never been formally recognized.
Mabe. delights to keep secret, and
Arthur cannot, of oourse, afford &c
marry yet. But we are perfectly
ievored TO Mabel, and presume 1t will
be all right in due time. You must
have noticed how little she cares for
general society"
Yes, he had noticed, and Josephine'f
bore just the fruit she had
desired. That ingenious young woman
totally omitted to state tLat Mabel had
taken on herself the education
Of her uncle's younger ohildren-a
TASK which, faithfully performed, left
her but little time or inclination for
general society. Moreover. the very
plain wardrobe which was ell that
Mabel would receive from her uncle,
was another barrier to her acceptance
Of general invitations.
But of these facts Philip was profound.
ly ignorant He only gathered from
J0sephine's words that IN. woman to
whom he had un wiatinkiy given his
heart, loved another. and that other 3
reckless, dissipated youth like Arthur
Lyle. He could not hear the earnss,
with which Mabel was be.
seeching her cousin to abandon forever
his old mode of life aud his former com
panions, nor could he catch Arthur't
words, as he gloomily answered
=" My fate Is In your hands, Mabel. Gould
l only gain your love, should be q
different man."
fortunately for herself, Mabel wal
TOO sensible girl to believe in such a
reformation. Her rejection of Arthur
had, from the first. basn frank and
decided, but she loved her oous n toe
we'll not to Try every metnod of parsua
sion when she saw hun gradually fall
ing back into the old evil courses
from which her coming had reused
him.
He had but one answer to all her 81,
treaties:
+" H. IL you who can make or mar my
life, and she left him at last with q
feeling of sucl utter helplessn cas- at
almost amounted to foreboding Of
evil.
A few mornings after, as Mabel was