The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-01-03
A FATAL BARGAIN.

DOuuOIT.
Warm aud perfumed, and full of soft
empurpled light where the sunshine
came through curtains of violet satin,
it seemed very bower of rest to the
worn, sad-looking woman sitting there
in her faded brown dress, last years
bonnet, and gloves darncd and mend
ell with innumerable tiny stitches.
Mrs. HarcOurt walked in, putting up
her eye-glass, for the room was semi
darkened, and the lady always affected
fashionable uncertainty of vision.
"Oh!'' said Mrs. HarcOurt, lowering
the glass, al see. It's Mary Rivers!'
For these two women. the one sur
rounded by so many evidences of
wealth, the other who looked so out of
place amid such luxury, had been
schoolmates in the halcyon days of
youth and happiness that seemed so
far away.
IL hope am not interrupting you,"
said the visitor uneasily.
''Oh, mop Mrs. Harcourt glanced
up at the enameled dial in pearl and
pink under its glass shade. II have
an engagement with my dressmaker at
twelve. But in the meantime | am
quite at your service"
With an evident effort Mrs. Rivers
produced from under her shabby shawl
little packet.
Carrie" she said, umcousciously re-
lapsing into the familiar speech of
their school days, 81 am very poor. l
need money sadly. No,"-as Mrs
Harcourt slightly drew back-''it is
not my intention to beg; l have not
yet fallen so low as that''-with n Bit
ter curve to her lip-"but / have some
jewels which are not valueless. You
are rich; will you buy themP"
Mrs. Harcourt toyed mechanically
with the chain of her eye-glass, as
Mary Rivers united the pasteboard
box, revealing Il set of opals whose
reddish light glowed upward like the
flash of a baleful eye. Involuntarily
Mrs. Harcourt moved nearer.
Il do not care, as Il general thing, to
buy second hand things" said she.
"But if you do not ask too exorbitant
II price, ! will perhaps take the opals."
"They are real Oriental stoncs,n said
Mrs. Rivers. My husbands uncle,
who was judge of rare jewels,
brought them from Hungary. The
original cost was more than fifty
Mrs. Harcourt recoiled coldly.
"But. of course, you don't expect
anything like the original value?" said
she.
mo" said Mrs. Rivers sadly. "But
/ think they are worth at least half
that money. Look ut their size and
coloring.n
..Opais are out of fashion," remark
ed Mrs. Harcourt indifferently. Be
sides, they are said to be an unlucky
stone; and really don't particularly
care for them. Perhaps, after all, you
had better try to dispose of them else
where"
81 must have money!" cried Mrs.
Rivers in despair. ''Will you give me
twenty pounds for them?"
lido not think they are worth more
than tive," said Mrs. Harcourt slowly;
s.but as you are an old friend, don't
mind Offering you ten. Not that am
especially anxious for them. l have
alf the Jewels l need, and if l bought
them at all, it would only be out of
charity for you. OF course, you can
do as you please; you are not obliged
to sell the opals.
"Only ten pounds for these opalsr'
repeated Mary Rivers. turning red and
white; sit is like giving them away!
Just as you choose" said Mrs. Har-
court ostentatiously looking at her
watchP "but I'm really afraid l have
no further time to spare you this morn
ing"
Mary Rivers laid the box down on an
inlaid table close by.
"They are yours!' she said hoarsely.
"But, oh, Carrie!--you have taken a
cruel advantage of my necessity"
That's all nonsense" retorted Mrs.
| Harcourt, sharply. Nobody compels
| you to sell your miserable old-fashion'
able trumpery. give all ! can afford
| and really don't believe the stones
| will be worth the trouble and expense
| / shall be put to in re-setting them"
| Nevertheless, her eyes glistened tri
umphantly as she counted the money
| into Mrs. Rivers wan hands; and NJ
sooner had the visitor departed thai
| she hurried into the next room, where
a beautiful young girl was sitting, ar
ranging freshly cut rosebuds in a slen
| der-throated Bohemian vase.
| Look, Ethel!" she cried, exultantly
..Did YOU ever see such beauties il
| VOur IIlbss hetl oIlcilGtl OpdiS' WI u
a hundred pounds if they're worth ;
penny Aud I've got them for tent
of the money!
'.Oh, mamma!-where"
MRS. Rivers was here just now. Sh
has lost everything, and is in grea
straits for little money. | do believ
could have got the opals for les
money yet, if L had chosen to stan'
out little longer, only, of course, on
doesn't like to grind the faces of tn
poor, and all that sort of thing"
mo, of course not, mamma" SAT-
Ethel Harcourt. still admiring the re'
and purple lights that came and wen
in the polished hearts of the opals
.Oh, what beauties they are"
~ never saw finer stones IN m
life," said Mrs. Harcourt. complacentlN
s.Not that they are so large. but til
colors are so exquisitely blended. An
now I'll tell you what, my love: wi
have them reset, with n row of di;
. monds around each, and they shall b
your wedding gift. Shall you /
pleased with thatP"
"Oh, mamma, how good you are!
cried Ethel, holding up one of the iieI
stones close to her small car to mar
the effect. while the light of innocel
girlish triumph illumined all her fac,
| N-o Haroourt stoonad and Kissed I'll