The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-09-28
DORA'S CONFESSION.

had been three months at Tide Hall.
II sounds like a grand place, but it
wasn't grand at all-only ruinous old
brick house standing behind row of
soraggy poplar trees on dreary stretch
Of seashore, where the rocks broke the
tide into white sheets Of foam when it
thundered up twice a day, and the very
shrubs In the garden were sprinkled with
salt spray when the wind came from the
eayt
Here. all alone, except for deaf old
man who came to work In the garden
and bring GOAL and water, lived Mrs.
Oadgets, my fathers cousin, and hither
had been sent to take care of her when
she was stricken down with rheumatic
fever. Jenny, my elder sister, had re-
fused 10 leave New York. "Just when
Pm getting along so nicely in my art
school," said she; and Georgiana had
laughed at the idea. "Me shut myself
up at Tide Hall like clam in it's she'll
not while tho Euterpe sociables are go
ing ont" And my father and mother
had decided that Dora must go. Dora
was generally the victim Of the family,
and there was nothing for 1t but for Dora
to submit.
Sand besides" could hear my moth
en- whisper to my father, "it will be a
grest thing to get her out Of jacks way
for the present
She thought didn't hear, but / did.
Poor Jackl He was, in his way, as
much Of victim as l was. It really
wasn't Jacks fault that the officers of the
bank where he was employed declared
fhat he had no financial talent. Nothing
seemed TO 60 right with Jack. My father
called him a rolling stone who would
gather no moss. My mother said he was
thoroughly inefficient. Jenny and Georgy
laughed at him, and wondered what Dora
could possibly see in him. But liked
him, and couldn't help II.
So when Mrs. Cadgett's summons came
thought I might as well be unhappy at
Tide Hall 90 on Twenty street.
Ihad plenty to do. All the housework,
except what old Owen could do, fell to
my share, and my old relative required
endless waiting on. But then, when she
was in her more genial moods, she would
ts1 me the history Of her old tapestries
and antique furniture, show me her jewel
casket, and even permit me to clasp
around my neck certain old necklace,
stained purple with the glow Of anne
thysts, and outlined around with tiny
white diamonds.
lit has been In the Cadgett family for
hundred and fifty years." said she.
my husbands niece, Jemima Cadgett
expects 10 inherit 1t, but 1t Is mine tc
leave TO whom please. And though
Jemima wants my jewels she isn't will.
ing TO come here and live with mel'
Nor was the amethyst necklace all oi
the Cadgett jewels There was a soil
taire diamond, as large as cherry stone
set In ring. There was an odd cameo
brooch and pair of sleeve buttons oi
pigeons blood" rubies. and a quaint
little dagger with its hilt incrusted in
small brilliants. / was never tired Of
hooking at these trinkets.
eyes, child, yes, they're pretty
enough" Mrs. Cadgett had said, "but
what use are they to an old woman like
me- / sometimes think it isn't safe fol
me TO keep them here In this solitary
place, and only two women in the house
Only, TO be sure, nobody knows o.
fhem!"
"Are they very valuable, Aunt Cad
ge%T" asked I, for by that name she haC
hidden me to call her.
They're worth thousand dollars a
the very least" said she.
30 that one stormy night when mas
cufine figure emerged out Of the hyin(
spray and deepening twilight close t,
the back door, I gave great start
Owen had trudged to his home and
was all alone, amusing myself, as oftel
did on the sly, by looking at Aunt Cadg
ett's ornaments and trying their effec
on myself before the hall mirror, with
strange breathless sense the while O
- transgressing some unwritten law, 70
the old lady never knew but that the,
were safely locked in her chiffonier, O
which kept the key. OF course, it wa
wrong, but was only IT, and led sucl
solitary life.
had the jeweled dagger stuck through
my hair, and the necklace clasped aroun,
my neck, and was holding the candl
first this way and then that to catch tn
coruscations Of the tiny facets, when
CHANGING to turn my head. / saw fac
fiattened against the window glass. 1
mans Iacel
For second my heart stood still.
was for a second only, however, for In
stantly recognized the heavy black mus
tache and merry, sparkling eyes Of
jack Mornington.
"oh. Jackl oh, Jack" 1 cried, flynn
to open the door and let him In.
disappearing, chr" said Jack, afte
he had given me hearty kiss.
'fPlease don't tell of me, Jack. Iva
only trying on Mrs Cadgett's Jewels
One must do something in lonely plac
like this" pleaded l.
by Jovel though, it is lonely" sal,
Jack. 81 thought never should find it
and don't know now how I'm ever {.
get back to the mainland"
"How came you here, JackP" 1 asked
II wanted to see you, Dora, to tell yol
good-by. Those beastly bank people hav
turned me out, and Pm going to seel
my fortuner'
Where, JackI' questioned.
"Heaven only knows, don't"
And, like two silly children that W
We're, we looked at each other and burs
out laughing, still in the glitter of Aun
oadgett's jewels, Jack warming hi
chilled hands at the kitchen fire.
And then he explained to me his plan
for the future, and l promised to wal
for his fortune to be made, even if
were seven times seven years. And tn
rain drove in sheets against the side @
the house, and the thunder Of the risin
tide filed the silence like the constan
discharge Of artillery.
"You can never go away from here i
this storm, at this time of night, Jack,
said !. "Its all one can do to keep ou
of TIP quioksands by daylight, Owe
Says"