The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-09-11
D0RA'S CONFESSION.

wasn't grand at all--only a ruinous old
brick house standing behind row of
scraggy poplar trees on dreary 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 re-
| fused to leave New York. ''Just when
I'm getting along SO nicely in my art
school," said she; and Georgiana had
laughed ct the idea. ssMe shut myself
up at Tide Hall like clam in its shell!
Not while the 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.
"And besides" could hear my moth
er whisper to my father, sit will be a
great 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 I was. 1t really
wasn't Jacks fault that the officers of the
bank where he was employed declared
that he had nofinancial talent Nothing
seemed to go 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 it.
So when Mrs. Cadgetts summons came
thought might as well be unhappy al
Tide Hall as on Twenty seventh street.
had plenty to do. All the homework
except what old Owen could do, fell tc
my share, and my old relative required
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 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.
at 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 will
ing to come here and live with meD
Nor was the amethyst necklace all OF
the Cadgett jewels. There was soil
taire diamond, as large as a cherry stone,
set in ring. There was an odd cameo
brooch and pair of sleeve buttons Of
pigeons blood" rubies, and quaint
little dagger with its hilt incrusted in
small brilliants. was never tired OF
looking 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 for
me to keep them here in this solitary
place, and only two women in the house.
Only, to be sure, nobody knows Of
them!"
"Are they very valuable, Aunt Cad
gett?" asked I, for by that name she had
hidden me to call her.
They're worth thousand dollars at
the very least" said she.
So that one stormy night when a mas
culine figure emerged out of the flying
spray and deepening twilight close to
the back door, gave great start.
Owen had trudged to his home and ]
was all alone, amusing myself, as often
did on the sly, by looking at Aunt Cadg-
ett's ornaments and trying their effect
on myself before the hall mirror, with q
strange breathless sense the while OF
transgressing some unwrittcn law, for
the old lady never knew but that they
were safely locked in her chiffonier, OF
which kept the key. OF course. it was
wrong, but ] was only II, and led such
solitary life.
Ihad the jeweled dagger stuck through
my hair, and the necklace cIasped around
my neck, and was holding the candle
first this way and then that to catch the
coruscations Of the tiny facets, when,
CHANGING to turn my head, I saw face
fattened against the window glass. A
mans iacei
For second my heart stood still. II
was for second only, however. for l in
stantly recognized the heavy black mus
tache and merry, sparkling eyes Of
Jack Mornington.
"Oh, Jacki oh, Jack" cried, flying
to open the door and Jet him in.