Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-17
THE NECKLACE.

Now. madame. what do you think of
THAR asked Nine. Valois, drawing
from little mauve colored velvet case .
necklace of curious beads, Of substance
resembling amber, but having in the
heart of each light like that of the
finest opal. and being generally Of the
color of which we speak Is crushed straw
berry.
"What are those stoned"
~ think the necklace beautiful" I ~
piled. but you must tell me what the
stones are, for | can not even guess; !
have never seen anything like them, nor
do they tally with any descriptions that
l remember"
Nine. Valois looked pleased.
"Ah. madame. cannot tell you," she
said. spreading her hands abroad, "no9
can any one. believe. They have been
examined by many people learned in
such things without having . name
given to them. They are pretty now, but
when the warmth Of the wearer's neck
acts upon them they glow like rubies.
The little clasp also becomes transparent,
and you see that a toad is carved upon it.
1t has been in our family q century and
half. and many celebrated jewelers. and
lapidaries have seen it. never dreamed
that should be the first to get clew to
the mystery, but think have done 90.
1t was by reading your Shakespeare,
madame. You look astonished, but it il
true. am much indebted to your
Shakespeare" said Mime. valois. What
. wonderful man he wasl 1t was
while reading his plays that I solved
problem that has puzzled many gener-
atoms Of our family. You remember
what he said:
"'Likea toad. ugly and venomous, still
hides precious jewel in his head"
my necklace, l am assured. Is made
OF those jewels that are mentioned BY
your Shakespeare. l will tell you my
reasons for thinking SO:
"You must know that have In Avi-
gnon a very old yet still very pretty cha
teau which l now lease to an American.
"A hundred and fifty years ago our
family resided there, and one day Va
lois brought home to the chateau . very
gay and pretty Partisan wife. Nine.
valois, coming young bride to her hus-
bands chateau in Avignon, thought 1t
gray and gloomy, and felt that. after
Paris, it was very stupid. To bs sure,
there was a great garden. but it vas %
infested with toads that at first her walks
among the borders always ended in her
flying homeward in an agony Of terror,
crying out that the little wretches were
too disgusting to endure.
Zone day. however. - she sat upon q
bench beside an old stone fountain she
heard close to her little singing noise
and saw squatting close beside her ON the
bench little toad. 1t sat quite still and
made this little plaintive musical sound
continually. Its eyes were fixed upon
her and she noticed that they were very
bright.
Poor little thing she said to herself.
Really. it looks hungry And, havinga
little cake in her pocket. she crumbled 1t
upon the bench.
1.-The toad looked at her as she did %,
and when she said kindly:
"'There, Toady. 10 your breakfast Il
hoped forward and eat every crumh.
Then it did a strange thing. 1t sat upon
its launches and touched its fore feet to
its forehead q an Oriental does to make
an obeisance. and hoped away.
1.-THE next day Nine. valois awoks
thinking of the toad, and whenever shs
eat anything she liked very much shs
saved some bits, saying Toedy would iks
that. and at sunset she went to the foun-
tain, carrying . basket. and at down
upon the old bench.
Mot five minutes bad she been ssassd
there when she heard the soft, singing
sound. and there sprung TO the bench b.
aide her the toad she had fed the day b.
fore and four Of the most charming little
toads any one ever saw, evidently Ame
Toad's family.
''She at in the middle with two on
each side Of her. and they eat the crumbs
ArAe. valois gave them, and when III
were gone Nine. Toad made Q salutn-
ton - on the first occasion. and hoped
away backward - people are expected
to retire from the royal presence. and
Mime. valois went homo and wruts In
her journal-which b preserved 70 this
day-sn The pazticulasI have sssounssd
70 you
''shs ~ nov quils = love with Ma
49, ssd svs7 dax - vet = -