The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-06-05
THE DIAMOND CROSS.
by ANNA SHIELDS.

me its great value, and that ! must
cherish it as an heirloom as well as for its
rare beauty. 1t comes to me by inherit
ance, but Aunt Myra has worn it since
my mother died. How beautiful /
thought it, rejoicing only this morning
in its possession. 1t is old. fashioned;
the cross formed of round bars crusted
with small diamonds, while five large
ones of purest water, blaze in the centre
and at the ends.
Proud of my gems, took the Cross
down stairs to show it to Nellie. knew
she was in the parlor, but did not see
Alfred Barclay there until she called him
to admire my diamonds. did not like
the greedy way in which he looked at
them, and turned the cross in the sun
light to bring out the colors, but then l
never liked Alfred Barclay.
When Nellie told mo she was engaged
to him, and l knew the wrench the news
would be to Jack Trueman who has wor-
SHIPPED Nellie since she was child, l
had half mind to tell her l had de-
clined the honor of being Mrs Barclay,
but, thinking that she loved him, l re-
Trained.
But be does not make Neil happy. She
is a bright, careless little thing, easily
influenced, and he tries to persuade her
that Aunt Myra acts unjustly in adopting
me, and promising she will leave me
Meadowland. Nellie has small fortune
Of her own, bnt not so large as mine is,
even without Meadowland, but she is not
Aunt Myra's own niece, but her hus-
bands, while l am Aunt Myra's sisters
child, and her only living relative.
We all hoped Nellie would marry Jack,
until she came to visit US at Mcadowland,
and met Alfred Barclay She was cap.
tivated at once, and will not see that his
courtesy is exaggerated, his smile false,
his fattery too broad and his dress f,.shy
One of his ornaments q is a horrible
grinning skull of ivory that he wears as a
scarfpin, and makes me sick every time |
see it. tits the only one ever saw, aud
it grins at INC from the silken tie till I
long to snatch it away, and throw it into
the river.
Well, as / was saying, Nellie seemed
10 forget Jacks very existence as soon as
Alfred Barclay began to pay her attcn-
ton, and it was not long before she told
me of her engagement. When she came
TO my room after Alfred left, to-day, she
was most unlike her sweet, bright self,
and it was not long before / knew that
he had put envious thoughts into her
mind.
"Alfred thinks you are too small and
fair to wear diamonds, " she said; "thoy
suit me better"
"But my cross is an heirloom, said
"it should be mine, if l never wear it.
shall put it on tonight for Mrs. Cam.
erons party, and Ia honor of my birth
day"
We were going to small party at Mrs.
Cameron's and l was already dressed
when Dolf wrote me note, excusina
himself from escorting me, as he wa'
called to a dangerous case at Sloan
Mills, five miles from our own village
Dolf is DR.. Sanderson, my betrothed, m,
Dig, ugly, darling sweetheart, who i
worth dozen little daprer wretches
ike Alfred Barclay.
/ call Mr. Barclay wretch, because
but ] am coming to that presently.
Nellie and went to Mrs. Cameron's
and Jack offered his services as my cs
cort. Poor Jack. All the way to til,
party he was watching Nellie as sin
wa ked in front of US coquetting wit
Alfred Barclay. He would not blame
her, but knew how his honest loya
heart was aching. 1t was after midnIgh
when we started to come home; ant
when Nell and l were ready, Alfred Bar
clay had disappeared. We looked 70
him for few minutes, and then Jacl
was called up for double duty, and Wy
started for home.
Now Meadowlands cannot be called
gay place, but it is generally very SAT-
one. There have been crimes COMMITTEES
at Sloan Mills, but 10 one in Meadow
land has any fear OF robbery or murder
1t may have been this sense of perfec
security that made me loiter behind ,Iacl
and Nellie, end give him a chance to tall
with her, and show her how much NOR
of man he was than her dandy lover
Then fell to castle building, an
loitered still more, till suddenlya ma
jumped from ahedgo in front Of me, m
barred my way. He wore u long ulste
coat, a soft felt hat, and over his face Ia
tied piece of Grape. Without speaking
he spatched my diamond cross, tearin
the delicate lace it pinned at my throa
and then sped away. 1t was all done
flash, but dazed as was by its suddc
rapidity, was still sure of one fact.
I saw Alfred Barclays horrible ivoT
skull upon the thief's nccktic
So am writing all this in my ow
room, while Nellie sleeps, and t0-mol
row Iwii! show it to Doll, and tell n
one else any more than that I have bee
robbed.