The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-08-23

lu1SuL wear II, dHy Wow. hIAil Di
back long before Aunt Abbie, and shl
viii never know. Oh, it is such temp
tationl" thought poor Becky.
1t was not, however, temptation tina
would not, probably, have been yielded
to hae not Amy's voice at that moment
called to her from the foot of the stairs
1.-THE carriage has come, Becky. They're
waiting for you"
Becky hesitated Just an instant Then
81 will wear i'll" she muttered, and
thrusting the case back into the drawer,
she turned out the gas, caught up her
cloak and rushed downstairs.
''Let me see how you look, said Amy.
But Becky, flushing hotly with the con
seriousness of the borrowed piece of jewelry
at her throat, said she couldn't stop, and
hurried out to the carriage waiting at the
gate.
The concert was to be given in the
Town Hall. A dressing-room had been
fitted up at one end, and into this Becky,
with half a dozen other girls was ushered
on her arrival. A temporary dressing
table had been made of large table, over
which hung mirror, and about this the
girls crowded as soon as they removed
their wraps.
"We have no time to waste. Ii is
almost eight o'clock, +" said Carol Cresson,
as she gave a finishing pat to her hair,
and away she hurried, followed by all
except Becky, who had taken off the
brooch in order to put the lace collar a
little lower down, and had been waiting
chance to get before the glass.
20 Becky" cried some one behind
her, 'I'm so latel Do help mel Just
tie this horrid bowl l can't do thing
with it, my fingers are so coldp'
She turned and saw Florrie Goddard,
who had just come in, and was throwing
off her cloak and nubia. Becky lent her
aid at once, and was pulling out the
loops of the bow when Mr.. Starr, the stage
manager, put his head in at the door
"Yodng ladies, we are waiting for you, "
he said. Come; the curtain is about to
rise"
Both girls followed him Immediately,
all in a futter of excitement, and Becky
did not think of the brooch again until,
in the middle of the second song, she
to put her hand to her throat
The shock of discovering that the brooch
was not there made her brain reel. Every
particle of color left her checks, and the
song died on her lips.
She went through her part mechanically
after that, not conscious what she was
dong. People in the audience said they
had never heard her sing so badly, and
wondered what made her so white. How
she was when at last she was able
to leave the stagel She seized upon a
small boy in one of the wings, and with
the promise of reward Of fifty cents, sent
him in search of the missing brooch
With what agonizing Impotence she
waited his return-only to be told that
the article could not be found.
at must be there, " shesaid, frantically
''I'll 90 myself and look"
But her looking was in vain. The
brooch had disappeared.
Poor Beckyl what she suffered can be
easily imagined. She looked like the
ghost of her bright, happy self when, at
eleven o'clock, she reached home, and
hurried upstairs TO her sisters room. Amy
mad retired, but sprang up, lighted the
gas, and unlocked the door when she
heard Becky's imperious knock.
why, what's the matter, Beckyl" she
,ried YOU'RE as white as a sheet.
81 feel worse than look, said poor
Becky. "Amy, something dreadful has
"Pye lost Aunt Abbie's |
,rooch.n
'Lost Aunt Abbie's broochin repeated |
Amy, sinking into the nearest chair.
Becky, you surely never"
''Yes, l did. borrowed it without
Ter leave It was awful, know, but l
,aatel ne 80 Iuncn. o Amy, uon't look I
Ike that l feel bad enough as i isn
And then Becky, needless of her
lainty silk dress, threw herself on the
ed, and wept until she was almost hys-
erical. Amy tried to soothe her, of
curse, but could say nothing comfort
ng. Indeed, comfort of any kind was
nut of the question, for the terrible fact
emained that the brooch was lost, and
you'd, in all probability, never be seen
gain. And the thought that Aunt Abbie
iust be told weighed on both the girls
Ike 4 nightmare.
"But you needn't tell her tonight"
aid Amy, ''for she has been In bed two
ours, at least She didn't have to sit
p with Mrs. Mills, after all
Becky was so pale, so nervous and so
oppressed during the next few days that
my wondered Aunt Abbie did not re-
mark upon it. Every morning when
'ecEy rose she said to herself, ''I'll tell
er to-day but when night came, the
errible confession had not been made
he longer she deferred it the greater
rev her dread of making it.
~ can't tell her." the poor girl would
AZ when Amy urged her not to put off
he evil hour any longer. You know how
hell look; she'll wither me with one
lance. 1shall never have another happy
our after she knows about that brooch. "
''You're not having many happy hours
ow, think, "rejoined Amy. "And she
lust be told some time, Becky"
Becky groaned.
'Just the fact of losing the brooch is
lough to make me wretched all my
fe, she said. "But to have to tell Aunt
.bbie-that is awful Amy, I was
eighed yesterday, and I've lost three
ounds. Now don't tell me l haven't
Iffered. It's wonder my hair hasn't
lned white Ii
Five days after the concert Aunt Abbie
lnounced at breakfast that she had ac- {
spted an invitation to visit friend in an .
ijoining town, and would leave home
iefollowing morning.
'I'll get my things ready at once" she
id. Becky you can lend me your large
tchel. RIB gone so short a time it
MT worth while TO take trunk"
Becky went upstairs after breakfast to
II the satchel, and Amy, who was dust J
& the balusters, followed her into her I
'om, and carefully closed the door. {
Becky, you'll have to tell her now" I
lie said. "There's no help for it, for &
ie always takes that brooch when she '
,es visiting" I
'.Yes, l know it, said Becky, in I
ice Of hopeless despair. II thought {
that fba moment ebe enoka abo,,t 49,, =