Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-06-28
THE DIAMOND TEST.

some of them, you knOw-that he got OF
wild fellows that never guessed thelI
value and some that he took for debts
and some that he got goodness knows how.
And he Travelled all over the world with
this fellow with him, don't you see, and
got fond of HIM, and all that, and at last
WAS taken ill, paraiyzed or something.
and tins fellow, who knew which side his
bread was buttered, waited on him. nurs,,i
him, carried him about, saved him from
being robbed and murdered, | believe.
And so, when the old fellow died, he left
all his diamonds TO this young fellow, don I
you see, And he's enormously rich, and
he's here for the summer, and every glrl
in the place will set her cap at him-oi
course, you among the rest"
Nonsense cried the girls in a chorus
Absurd! As if We. But tell us, Is he
handsomey"
No." said the cousin.
But he was The girls saw him soon
after on the piazza OF the hotel, and de
cided that Charles was either envious or
had no taste He was charming. A little
fellow, to he sure, hut with jet black hair
and big, Oriental, velvety eyes. He had
white hands, too, and chin like Il Greek
statue, and he wore one Of the dla
mOnds in his bosom and another ON his
finger.
~Wouldn't a set of that size look we'll in
my ears,' thought Elsie Rune, rs she
peeped into her glass that night and re
membered them. And I'm sure he
looked at me Oh, dear, do believe I'm
falling in love with him"
Grace, said Maud Ripley to her sister
a almost fha TnnmRDf .lhnnlHn't
you think that so very dark a mani
mean that any very dark man-would
fancy a perfect blonde, Now, Elsie be
lieves dark men fall in love with her, she
is 50 vain. There are laws and rules
about such things, rs often tell her; and
you never see a dark woman really adored
by "A dark man
I'm sure don't know" said Grace. Il
shouldn't think it persons ways you'd
like, not his coloring"
That is because you are neither one
nor the tUther," said Maud But there's
no one talking to you, child"
Other girls in the hotel were specializing
on the hero of the diamonds, but Maud
and Grace Ripley aud Elsie Rune were
blessed with cousin who was not unwill-
ing TO see any, or all of them, married as
SbDu rs IbOSSIblt, anu " lO lltsl ~
quaintance with the stranger on board of
the ocean steamer in which they had sailed
together, so that the introductions were
neatly managed.
Rides, drives and sails followed, and the
best match at Newport that season seemed
cast at the very feet of the prettiest girl
there; for, though Grace was neither
brunette like Elsie, nor a blonde like
Maud, she had two dimples in her cheeks
and another in her chin, and the cheeks
were carmine and the chin pearl Then,
too, she was gentle, sweet and tender,
while Elsie and Maud, though brighter and
possessed of more aplomb, were already
little hard and worldly; fiirts Of the first
water, and with keen eye to the advant-
age of position and money.
No prudent chaperone was needed tO
warn them from the ineligibles; while
Grace was forever making a goose of her
self by melting a little toward penniless
boys and the young students Of art and
medicine.
Secretly, however, Grace had already
bestowed a genuine admiration on this
man of many diamonds His wealth had
nothing to do with it. He would like
Elsie, of course. She must not think of
him; she must drive him from her mind,
and she strOve hard to do so. For years
she had seen no male society, but had
lived the life of a hermit.
First he made love to one girl, then to
the other. lnnoceIt little Grace had her
share of flattery and smiles, and all New
port declared that the diamond man
would surely marry one of them.
One evening Maud stole TO her room.
with a diamond ring on her finger. The
next Elsie had one in her pocketbOOk. and
on the third little Grace held great gilt
terlng thing under the candle flame and
whispered:
Il wonder W hat he meant by it,"
To Elsie the young man had said some
thing abou, diamonds matching her
eyes"
To Maud he had said that this diamond
would. for the first time, become precious
if she wore it.
To Grace nothing OF the sort At first
she had refused to take it, but he had
answered.
Il gave your sister Maud one last
night"
And then she had slipped it on her
finger.
A tear as bright as the gem fell upon it
as she hid it in little casket where she
kept her few ornaments. and asked
heav,l to forgive her if she still cherished
a thought that would be wrong if he be
came her sisters husband.
Girls, said Charles that evening, com
ing into their parlor, "Fve come to give
you a warning There's a story atiOat
about young Edmunds. They say his
III nt told
some men at the hotel 50. He may be an
impostOr.'
Maud started Elsie grew pale. Grace
looked indignant. The entrance of some
strangers stopped the talk, and later on
Elsie sought an interview with her cousin
Charles, and showed him her ring. and
told him its story.
1t will be as well to have it tested, she
said Il don't want to make any mis-
takes"
You're cool girl" said her cousin, in
admiration, Il will have the thing done
An hour afterward another ring was in
his care. Maud had brought him hers.
But Grace never thought of doubling thas
the glittering stone ON which she had
dropped tears was genuine.
Cousin Charles went cityward that day,
and returned very pale and serious. He
bowed coldly TO young Edmonds as he
pass ed him on the piazza; and Elsie and
Maud knew what had happened when they
had looked at him, but each went for the
jewellers verdict all the same. As rendered
by Charles it was this:
Paste, by Jove!"
Then the girls waxed furious So
ciety had cut Mr. EdmOnds before the
next night come, and the landlord re
garded him doubtfully as one whose bill
was not likely to be paid. Only one friend
stood by hint was little Grace. One day.
as she saw him walking on the Des,ch, she
went to him and held out her hand.
Mr.. Edmonds," she said, Il want you
to know that don't believe you knew it.
The old gentleman who left them TO you
deceived you, I'm sure. Please tell every
one so. know YOU never c""id he an sd-
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