San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-30
THE GOOD LITTLE GIRL.

SNS nau 10 ne COnUenLeu WlUD tlaJ.
On the evening following this CONVEX
satiOn Cousin Dick entered the sitting
room the moment after his return from
the city and found his mother to all ap-
pearances alone.
What a dear, sweet little guileless
angel Cousin Priscilla is, to be surew
WIS his first remark.
Then you have sold some of the
stonesr cried aunt Margarine. "Sit
down, like good boy, and tell me all
about it..
We'll" said Dick, Il took the finest
diamonds and rubies and pearls that es-
capped from that saint like child last
night in the course Of some extremely
iSparaging comments on my character
and pursuits took those jewels TO Fay
sett - EoSewaters, in New Bond street
yoU know the shop. ON the right hand
side as you go up
"Oh, go on, Dick, go on-never mind
where it is-how much did you get for
themT"
Pm coming to that; keep cool, dear
mamma. Well, | went in and saw the
manager, and | said, Il want you to
make these up into a horseshoe scarfpin
for me-"
You said that! you never tried to sell
one! On, Dick, you are too provoking"
Hold on, mater, haven't done yet.
So the manager-a very gentlemanly
person, rather thin on the top of the
head-not that that affects his business
capacities, for, after alp
Dick, do you want to drive me fran
tic?"
81 can't conceive any domestic occur
renee which would be more distressing
or generally announcement, mother dear.
You do interrupt fellow SO. forget
where | was nOw-Oh, the managerial,
yes. Well, the manager said: we shall
be very happy to have the stones made
up i'll any design You may select'-jewel-
~, by the way, seems to exercise Il most
refining influence upon the manners
this man had the department of duke
you may select he said; but, of course,
need not tell you that none of these
stones is genuine"
Not genuine!" cried Aunt Margarine
eXcitedly. They must be-he was ly-
ing
West End jewelers. never lie," said
Dick; but, naturally, when he said that,
told him should like to have some
proof of his assertion. will you take
the risk Of testing? said he. Test away,
my dear mani said l. SO he brought
little wheel near the emerald-whizz!
and away went the emerald. Then he
let drop Of something fall on the ruby
and it fizzled up for all the world like
pink champagne. Go on. Don't mind
me! | told him; so he touched the dia-
mond with an electric wire-phit! and
there WAS only something that looked
like the ash of Il shocking bad cigar;
then the pearls-and they popped like so
many air balloons. Are you satisfied"
he asked. On, perfectly said |; you
needn't trouble about the horseshoe pin
now. Good evening And so l came
away, after thanking him for his very
amusing scientific experiments.
And do you believe that the jewels
are all shams, Dick; do you, really"
Il think it so probable that nothing
on earth will induce me to offer single
one for sale. | should never hear the
last of it at the bank. No, mater Dear
little Priscillas sparkling conversation
may be unspeakably precious from
moral point of view, but it has no COM
mercIal value-those jewels are bogu
shams, every stone of them"
Now, all this time our heroine had
been sitting unperceived in corner be-
hind a window curtain, reading The
Wide, Wide World" work which she
was never weary Of perusing. Some
children would have come forward ear
Her. but Priscilla was never a forward
child, and she remained as quiet as a lit
tie mouse up to the moment when she
could control her feelings no longer.
1t isn't true" she cried passiOnately,
bursting out Of her retreat and confront
ing her cousin. Its cruel and uukind
to say my jewels are silams. They are
real-they are, they are!
"Hullo, Prissie!' said her abandoned
cousin. 80 you combine jewel drop
ping with eavesdropping, en-
How dare yOu!" cried Aunt Margar-
inc, almost beside herself; you odious
little prying mink, setting up to teach
your elders and your betters, with your
cut-and-dried priggish maxims! When
| think how | have petted and INDUCED
you all this time, and borne with the
abominable litter you left in every room
you entered-and now to find you are
only a little, conceited, hypocritical i'm
postOr-oh, why haven't words to ex-
press my contempt for such conduct?
Why am | dumb at such moment as
this?"