The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-03
A LOST NECKLACE.

Renee MaizerOy was a deNcate, Pietey an"
charming girl, very much above her station
In life and her surroundings.
Her father was a poor government CLERK,
and ms both he and her mother had but little
money. no friends and no social position,
abe could not even hope that a brilliant mar
rioce might some day transfer her from the
terrible mediocrity Of her life to something
better and more in accordance with her re-
fined tastes and aristocratic inclinations.
Thoroughly disheartened, she married "a
Junior clerk in the treasury department.
She suffered bitterly, however, for she reit
that she was born for a life OF luxury ana
endowment. and cbafed continually under
the more than commonplace nature OF her
new surroundings, which were hardly better
than her old ones.
To live in dinghy furnished lodgings was
70 her q torture. Everything around her
Jared OIL her feelings Of refinement and on
her violent longings for elegant luxury
while the meager dinners, eaten on a coarse
table cloth, out of common ~chinaware, ana
her scanty wardrobe, containing neither furs,
laces nor jewels, were o perpetual source OF
misery to her. -.
Besides this she bitterly felt the absence OF
flowers, draperies and bric-a-brac in her poor
little rooms, and grew every day more and
more disconnected with her lot.
What exasperated her still more was the
fact that her husband, who was thoroughly
commonplace, did not even seem to perceive
the numerous deficiencies Of their life, and
when, on coming home from his office, no
would sit down TO a dinner consisting OF a
thin SOUP, boiled beef and potatoes and q
niece OF cheese, with q beaming face and
GOOD appetite, she felt like strangling him
with her own little white bands, to punish
him for his intense vulSarity n lack OF
sympathy.
One evening, on coming home to dinner,
her husband handed her, with q triumphant
smile, q large, Official looking envelope, say
ING: swell, my dear, here is something that
will surely please you" -.
, II was an invitation from the minister OF
tho interior TO a ball which his exceNency
was about to give at the ministry.
Instead Of being delighted, as her husband
had hoped that she would be, the poor giri
threw the unlucky invitation on q side table,
with every token Of disgust and vexation,
saving: What am / to do with thatT
but, my dear" no replied, II thsrght
that you would DO so pleased. Yod are al
ways complaining Of not gong in society.
This is q magnificeE. opportunity OF doing
20, ! assure YEA. / had the greatest difficulty
in obts:.nng this invitation, and l went to
al, the trouble Of doing so only in the hope OF
giving you pleasure" 49,
s'And what am l to wear, II / do gof
asked Renee, impatiently-
l. Ill NOT PHI t-r ht NJ This md
he stammercd: "Well, would not your black
silk do. dearl With n few alterations, would
It not be good enoughf'
He stopped short, perfectly thunderstruck,
for his wife had buried her head in the sofa
cushions and was sobbing as it her heart
would break.
.'For he ems sake what is the matter with
YOUR he exclaimed in great distress.
Sho looked up with a tear stained face and
an angry look about her eyes and cried: Il
cannot go there dressed like a beggar. Give
your invitation to one Of your friends. All
their wives are sure to be better dressed than
should be"
Deeply chagrincd beyond all expression,
the unfortunate husband asked TREMENDOUSLY:
Look here, Renee, how much would a pretty
but simple dress costl Something that you
might be able to wear again on similar occa-
sionsf'
A blush Of pleasure mantled her lace, ana
after rejecting for O few moments she SAID
h~esitatingly: II I'M not quite sure, but l
think that it might be done for 400 francs"
he turned slightly pale, for this was just
tho sum which he had set aside with great
difficulty to buy himself a gold watch. He
replied, however: 'All right you shall have
800 francs, but try and get q handsome dress
for the money, as it will be q long time be
fore l can buy you another one"
As the great day drew near Renee, although
her dress was finished and was very pretty,
began to look sad and downhearted again.
Her husband having inquired as to what
might DO her new trouble, she acknowledged
rather shamefacedly that she was deeply hu.
inflated to have TO 60 to the ball without q
single jewel to wear. -.
She assured him that it woui look so odd
that she would much sooner not 60 at all.
Thoroughly annoyed at her want of com
MOI sense, he told her TO stick some flowers
in her hair and on her dress, and assured her
that it would look just as well as any jcweiry.
She refused to be convinced, however, and
WITH III itltthNaie III stN Af| H''N 'N'
.Well, my dear" he said at length, Il do
not see why, If you are so anxious to wear
jcwelry, you should not so aud ask your old
schoolmatc, Nine. Forester, to lend you
some Of hers for the occasion. She is very
wealthy, and will, / am sure, be delighted 10
be OF service to you"
Iscnco jumped with Joy at the idea, and
putting on her bonnet and cloak went
straight of to borrow somc Of her friends
Jewelry.
Mime. Forester, who was a kind, amiable
woman, Immediately brought out her jewel
box and asked her friend TO choose what she
liked best.
There were lots Of bracelets, lockets and
earrings, and poor Renee could not make up
her mind, but kept trying them on before
the glass, unable TO decide what was the
most becoming to her delicate style OF beauty.
While turning tho contents OF the box in
side out she suddenly discovered q 0at, black
velvet case, containing q superb diamond
necklace. Her heart began to beet violeptly
s