Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-03-04
THE LOST NECKLACE.

Roberta was making pies in the kitchen
when me- aunt called to her from the par.
lor: "Roberta, go up stairs and bring dowl
handkerchief. You will find the keys o.
the bureau on the mantlepiece."
Roberta rubbed some of the flour off he
hands and went up stairs. She had beer
invited to q large party that night and
thought of asking her aunt's permission te
wear necklace that had been in the family
for many years. When she opened the vel
vet case and saw the jewels she was tempt
ed to clasp them around her neck.
Then she said to herself: II can put
them back before she misses them; I'll wear
them without asking"
So thinking, she pinned her null ichu
close about her neck, locked the case into
the cabinet, and hurried downstairs with
the handkerchief.
The seanee went on in the parlor. The
jelly tart was finished 10 the kitchen. About
twilight Roberta ran upstairs to dress her
self for tea. She caught her light hair up
into knot, and unfastened her fchu, and
put up her hands to undo the necklace; bat
felt nothing. With d-beatiug heart she
rushed to the glass-the necklace was not
where she had placed it.
1t had come undone; it had fallen off
somewhere. Where? Oh, where?
Roberta shook her dress, shook her f1chu,
shook her garments, took little hair
broom and swept the room, like little Dame
Cramp; dressed in trembling haste and went
downstairs backward, feeling every stair;
crept over the floor of the hall, and rum
mayed the whole kitchen and dining room.
Still she did not find the lost jewels.
'sIf you'll tell me what you're after, miss,
I'll help you find it, said Nora, the cook.
But Roberta dared not.
ga piece of jawely," she muttered, hasti-
ly, locking into the stove oven. Her heart
was in her mouth. One comfort only sha
had. She had not been out of the house.
The necklace must be there, even if it were
lost for while. She only prayed that Aunt
Priscilla might get off without missing it.
Aunt Priscilla did. And no sooner was
the carriage cut CT sight than Roberta be-
gan search which would have been bril-
liant one for detective
1t lasted all day. Not until, with her
eyes swollen with weeping, her back aching
with STOPPING, ard her arms with sweeping,
Roberta sank, at o'clock, into deep arm.
chair, SO sunk ia woe that she could not re-
strain her emotiors. did she confess to cook,
the ancient, WHO had made crullers fer her
when she was baby visitor at the house.
"Cook" beid up her hands in horror as
she listened, and shook her head until she
seemed about to shake it off.
"What pityl'' she said. "You was
misled no doubt, bat it wurn't no harm just
to wearit."
Roberta did not 60 to the party; she went
to bed instead, with the awful prospect of
full confession next morning before her.
She heard 10 strike; 1-2-3
She said:
81 shah't sleep tonight; I'm convinced
of that
And saying it, lost herself.
When she awoke her aunt was sitting on
the bed.
'Im so glad you have walked up at last, -
said Mics Priscilla "I'ee such a thing to
tell you. The spirits have granted me a
proof OF the truth. | am heart and soul
with the Free and Enlightened Rappers'
Saciety.' After this I've put my name down
for large contribution. AZ, it's perfectly
heavenly. Are you atteuding?''
Yes, aunt" said Roberta.
''Yeste,day," proceeded the lady. call
went as usual until we had lunch. There
WAS writing, rapping and SO on, but the
sneaking under Influence wasn't good.
Howsver, we sat down to lunch, and l was
next to Mr.. Barley coru, the medium, who
eau always pail red tape out of his cars
whenever he Likes, a spirit that was once "a
lawyer puts it iLeit.; and took tart, your
lively jelly tart bafore me to cut it, when,
just as / helped the last rieca to myself,
sonething fell out. of it into my plate
Roberta. it was my sapphire necklace, the
. family heirloom that bad left locked
up in the cabinet at horne. Mr.. Barleycaru
hacame instantly entraneed, and told me it
~ brought by a lovely, fair, spirit, who
had been lowering shout me. I nearly
nted, bat still it wss blissful experi-
nee. J never felt SO cemforted-after the
first shock. | knew it az once. l dom
fhink there IS another liAe II; teeides, our
fsni'y IL " on the clefp. | flew to my
bex at o c.. vixen reached home, unlock.