Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-10-31
DORA'S CONFESSION.

Hall.
1t sounds like grand place, but it
wasn't grand at all, only a ruinous old
brick house standing behind row of
scraggy poplar trees on adreary stretch
of seashore, where the rocks broke the
tide into white sheets OF foam when it
Numbered up twice day. and the very
shrubs in the garden were sprinkled
with salt spray when the wind came
from the east
Here, all alone, except for deaf old
man who came to work in the garden
and bring coal and water, lived Mrs.
Cadgett, 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 refused to leave New York.
just when I'm getting along so nice
ly in my art school," said she; and
Georgiana had laughed at the idea
"Me shut myself up at Tide Hall like
u clam in its shell! Not while the
Euterpe sociables are going on!' And
my father and mother had decided tn at
Dora must go. Dora was generally
the victim of the family, and there was
nothing for it but for Dora to submit
And besides" | could hear my moth
er whisper to my father lit will be
great thing to get her out OF jacks
way for the present"
She thought didn't hear bat ! did.
Poor Jack! He was in his way, as
much of u victim as | was. " really
wasn't Jacks fault that the officers of
the bank where he was employed de-
clared that he had no financial talent.
Nothing seemed to go right with Jack.
My father called him rolling stone
who would gather no moss. My moth
er 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 it.
SO when Mrs. Cadgett's summons
! came | thought | might as well be
unhappy at Tide Hall as on Twenty
seventh street.
had plenty to do. All the house
work, except what Old Owen could do,
fell to my share, and my old relative
require ed endless waiting on. But then,
when she was in her more genial
moods, she would tell me the history
of her old TAPESTRIES and antique furni-
ture, show me her Jewel casket, and
even permit me to clasp around my
neck certain old necklace, stained
purple with the glow OF amethysts, and
outlined around with tiny white dia-
monds.
ut has been in the Cadgett family
for hundred and fifty years." said
she. MY husbands niece, Jemima
Cadgett, expects to inherit it, but it is
| mine to leave to whom please. And,
though Jemima wants my jewels, she
isn't willing to come here and live with
me!'
Nor was the amethyst necklace all of
the Cadgett jewels. There was soil
taire diamond as large as cherry
stone, set in ring. There was an odd
cameo brooch and pair OF sleeve but
tons of pigeons blood" rubies. aud u
quaint little dagger with its hilt in
crusted in small brilliants. | was new
er tired of looking at these trinkets.
"Yes, child, yes, they're pretty
enough" Mrs. Cadgett had said, .'but
what use are they to an old woman
like me? 1 sometimes think it isn't
safe for me to keep them here in this
solitary place, and only two women in
the house. Only to be sure, nobody
knows of themn'
Are they very valuable, Aunt Cad
gett?" asked |, for by that name she
had hidden me to call her.
They're worth $1,000 at the very
least" said she.
So that one night when masculine
figure emerged out OF the flying spray
and deepening twilight close to the
back door, gave great start. Over
had trudged to his home aud | was all
alone, amusing myself, as | often die
on the sly, by looking at Aunt Cadgett:
ornaments and trying their effect on
myself, before the hall mirror, with ;
strange breathless sense the while o
transgressing some unwritten law, TO-
the old lady never knew but that thel
were safely locked in her chiffonier, o
which | kept the key. OF course, il
was wrong, but was only seventeen
and led such solitary life.
had the jewelled dagger in my hair,
and the necklace clasped around my
neck, and was holding the candle frs
this way and then that to catch thu
coruscations Of the tiny facets, when
CHANGING TO turn my head, saw fact
tlatJened against the window glass. A
mans face.
For q second my heart stood still. |
was for second only, however, for
instantly recognized tho heavy black
moustache and merry, sparkling eye
of-Jack Mornington.
an III II, lit A..
to open the door and let him in.
disappearing, eh?" said Jack, af
ter he had given me hearty kiss.
"P!ease don't tell of me- Jack. wa
only trying on Mrs. Cadgett's jewel s
One must do something in lionel
, place like this pleaded |.
,, ..By Jove! though, it is lonely,
saidJack. ii thought | never shout
find it, and don't know now how II
ever to get back to the mainland.
How came you here, Jack?"
asked.
, Il wanted to see you, Dora, to tel
you good-by. Those beastly bank peopl
have turned me out. And Pm goin
to seek my fortune
Where, Jack?" / questioned.
Heaven only knows, / don't"
,, "And, like two silly children tina
we were, we looked at each other an
burst out laughing, still in the glitte
of Aunt Cadgetts jewels, Jack warm
ing his chilled hands at the kitcnel
| fire.
And then he explained to me hi
plans for the future, and | promised t
wait for his fortune to be made, eve
= il it were seven times seven years
, And the rain drove in sheets agains
:, the side of the house, and the thunde
OF the rising tide filed the silenc
. like the constant discharge OF al
q tillery.
!. '.You can never go away from her
, in this storm at this time of nigh
, Jack" said |. 'It's all one can do I
a keep out OF the quicksands by daylight
Owen says"
"Will the old lady keep me?"
Ishook my head.
, ''She has horror of strangers,
saidI. But | won't ask her, Jack
|, I'll make you up bed OF blanket
and soft pillows on this kitchen sette'
!, You'll be very comfortable, and yO
must be off before daylight, lest Owe
. Ringgan should discover you. An;