New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-07-07
9 Was anything else taken?' asked
sitting upright. forgetting for q mo.

WAS anything else taken?,, / asked
sitting upright, forgetting for mo-
ment my weak state.
The gentleman strove to control
his emotion, but his wife was silently
weeping near the window.
EYES, our only child" he replied
brokenly. "Now 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 Tor me so long ago, and
he recognized it at once, although it
has been reset
"Was it seventeen years ago that
your child was stolen?" Iasked eager.
eyes. What do you know of it?" he
questioned hoarseiy.
II know that1 am your child then"
After | had told the story so often
repeated to me by my mother Raynor
they were perfectly satisfied that l be-
]onged to them, and their Joy beggars
description.
Their story was that my father had
given his wife q necklace Of diamonds,
and seeing how pleased her baby was
with it she had shaken the stones be.
fore it's eyes, and at last, IN spirit
OF fun, clasped it about the child's
neck. But she did not understand
the fastening, and as her husband was
away from home and she could not
get the chain over the child's head,
she was obliged to let the nurse put the
infant to sleep with the glittering or
nament abouti it's neck. But thetemp-
tation proved toogreat for the nurse,
SO she had taken baby quietly out to
neighboring jewellers and had the
necklace unfastened.
The theory we, my new-found parents
and l, formed was, that becoming
frightened at her own exploit, and not
daring to try to replace the baby-I
never can realize that that baby was
myself-lest she be discovered she con-
Guided to abandon it entirely.
"Now, where 90 these people live
who have cared SO kindly for you?
must see Them" said my mother.
Reluctantly ! gave the address.
Jack came straight to me after my
mother told her GRAND, and he look
ed SO old and worn and haggard that
for a moment I was lost in pity for
him.
Then l remembered the indicate
remarks he had made to Miles Griffith,
and in trying to be frigidly cool only
succeeded in crying weakly.
ooh, Jack! jack" l sobbed, unable
to be anything but my own impetu-
Gus self; "why did you teach me to
love you only to tire OF me SO soon?"
4"Tire! How? What do you mean,
dear?' he asked, taking my hands anx-
iously as ii he feared I was not quite
rational
ut was my birthday, jack. Don't
you remember you had Griffith up in
the studio? And you told him you
had made a great mistake in engaging
yourself to me, and-and he advised
you to give it up, and you said you
would follow his advice"
For three minutes Jack stared at
me, and then he, with difficulty repres-
ing an inclination to laugh, said
My darling, how could you believe
it? Now listen. AS you know, my
forte is landscapes Well, / thought
I'd make one more trial at portraits,
SO, while have been entertaining you
aud mother SO politely in the studio,
I Was silly taking 'sittings.' You
know your birthday, or the day we
celebrate as yours, aud mothers fall
on this same day; SO as she had often
expressed g wish to have your por-
trait painted, and thinking that you
would like hers, painted your coun-
terfeits as best I could, and then be-
fore showed them / sent for Griffith.
the falrest critic in the club. He told
me candidly chat as a portrait paint
er was q dead failure, and advised
me to lsever let the public see my at
tempts. The criticisms you heard
were Of your picture not you. Are
you satistied?' -
"Perfectly," I answered, feeling as il
could get we'll and strong at once.
"But my poor birthday was all spoil
ed,'' sighed.
To-day is your birthday, my dear, >:
interrupted my new mother, brightly,
entering the room with Mother Ray.
nor land if the other was spoiled ask
what you will and you may have it, ;"
''l'h take Jack" l said gayly.
And SO did, ''for better or worse, )"
q year from my eighteenth birthday.