Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-06-01
Her Lesson.

The wife of prominent citizen, a
year or two ago, was turning over q
box of jewels, when she drew out q
string of opals
81 value that necklace above my
rubies or diamonds" she said to
friend
Her companion looked at them.
why, they are not real!" she ex.
claimed.
Il know, poor imitation. But
will tell you their story, and you will
understand why ! value them: My
husband when I married forty years
ago, was poor school-teacher in
Western town. We lived for q year
happy in little house, keeping with
in our means. We had few good
friends, intelligent. unpretentious
people, whose habits were simple as
our own. We met them often at
quiet dinners or teas, in which there
was no display, but hearty cordiality
and much real enjoyment
"But Ihad a secret ambition 10 en-
ter a rich and fashionable set in the
town, though saw no way to ac-
complish it.-At last, the mother of
one of my husbands pupils, a veal.
thy and influential woman, asked us
to a reception which she gave. I
was greatly excited; examined again
and again my black silk gown and
lace collar, wondering how they
would look among the other rich CO.'S
tunes.
Zone day, passing shop, 1 saw
in window this necklace of opals.
All, if could own such magni6cence
as that! l went in to look at them
closely, and asked the price.
Twenty dollars, the man replied:
They are paste, of conrse,' be sd-
den, but only an expert could detect
it."
Twenty dollars! Why could I
not take the money we had laid by
for the rent? 1t would be supposed, I
reasoned, that the jewels were worth
thousands, and consequently my
r light to enter fashionable society
would be settled. For / was 80 ig-
norant that thought social position
depended on dress.
II bought the necklace. Then I
convinced myself that it needed q
handsome gown to set it of. bought,
on credit, a pale blue satin, white
slippers and gloves, and all accessor-
les of an evening toilet. kept it all
a secret from my husband.
"He knew nothing Of my purchases
until [ took off my cloak at Mrs.
Blanks, and appeared before him in
all my cheap splendor. the opals en-
circling my bare neck. / shall never
forget his look of amazement and dis
gust.
1--WE entered the drawing-room.
To my dismay, 1 found all the ladies
in dark, rich dresses and hats which
they would have worn in the streets.
AS / walked through the rooms I de-
tected looks of curiosity and amuse-
ment on the faces of some of the least
well-br among them. My hostess
received me with cool civility, but
made no attempt to introduce me to
her other guests.
Gas soon as 1 could escape, / fed
to the dressing-room, full of shame
and misery. Two ladies were in the
next room, and through the open door
heard one ask, who is that woman
in cteap satin, with string of paste
about her neck?"
"She is the wife of poor teacher
down town. answered the other.
She is trying to push herself into 30
ciety.-Her husband is respectable,
sensible man, they say. l pity him.
1--WE went home. was surely
the wretchedest woman in the village
1t needed two years of hard saving.
and work to pay for that nights fol-
".
1.-THE lesson was hard one, but it
lasted me all my life. / haye kept
the pa ste opals, and whenever / have
been tempted to make display on
false grounds, look at them, and 60
hack to reality and common sense.
Do you wonder that I say they are
worth more to me than rubies and
diamoIds?"