The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-08-19
DIAMOND AND AMETHYST
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

Marcella's birthday was approaching
and desired to give her present. 1:
grieved me TO think that / could not af-
ford costly one. l should have been
rejoieed TO be able to offer Marcella dia-
monds, rubies or emeralds, but since this
was impossible, did the best l could.
A ring is always an acceptable token OF
love or friendship, and having spent an
evening or so roaming the Bowery, /
yentured into shop in which the unre-
claimed pledges of pawnbroker were
displayed for sale, and found amongst
the jewelry very nice amethyst ring of
the right size, at the modest price of ten
dollars.
Worth double, so help me Simpson" /"
said the young man behind the counter.
Worth double, or I'll eat my head" 1t
was such a large head that this was q
very impressive offer; and 1 knew that
it really was a nice amethyst, and 1
hoped that it had never been stolen.
OF course, Marcella would never know
where l bought it, and poverty drives
US TO strange deeds.
! bought the ring took it home, polish
ed it up with an old nail brush and am
monia, rubbed it with wash leather, and
resolved to get handsome box for it.
/ had barely time enough to do this
and express the ring in season to reach
my darling by the dawn of the anniver-
sary OF the day on which she first saw
the light; for she had gone with her
mother to visit an aunt in Boston, and
the aunt was not favorable TO my suit !;
and even if l had had holiday, which
had not, had no invitation to visit
her. The ring must be sent, and before
six o'clock, and l hurried in the direc
ton of Broadway, toward the establish
ment of well known fashionable jeweler.
/ was acquainted with one of the clerks !;
and the boxes there must be handsome
if they would sell them. Young Doughty
was at a counter and unemployed, and
he exhibited some little boxes Of satin
lined Russian leather which were very
handsome.
"Give me your ring" he said, "and I'll
fit it to one" gave it to him and he
went away. When he came back he had
two boxes in his hand, and handed one
of them to me, the other to an elegantly
attired lady, who, after receiving it, pass
ed to q carriage which stood before the
door. A footman in livery opened it,
coachman to match was upon the box.
Mr.. Glitter himself opened the door, Mr..
Glow bowed in the background.
"Notice that lady, Parkin?" said my
friend.
"She's very handsome woman" I re-
piled.
Very well for married lady of forty"
said Doughty. 'But l was taking what
you might call a professional view of it.
She is said to have finer diamons than
any other woman in the country. They
say there are a lot of duchesses and all
that on the other side that couldn't show
their equals. OF course, she don't wear
'em on the street, but Of an evening she
blazes with them. Her husband is i'm
mensely rich, but they say he hates to
hand out ready cash, and now and then
but there is Glitter coming this way,
and he don't allow gossip-that's pretty
amethyst Of yours; shell like it. Ha
ha hap
And glad TO escape, for l had not
moment 10 spare, ] rushed out of the
store and to the express office. longed
to look at my ring again, but Doughty
had put il into such a workmanlike little
parcel that hated to undo it. The clerk
at the express office directed it, and l
rejoiced to know it was on its way. Two
days after i received a note from Mar
celia.
"DEAR CHARLES Your magnificent
present took my breath away. Have you
come into a fortune? / am utterly
amazed. The name on the box told me
at once it was something very fine, but l
never in my widest dreams thought of
50 lovely" etc, etc.
OF course, 1 do not mean to give you
the whole of Marcella's love letter II
was so kind of the dear girl, who had
many handsome ornaments, to make
such fuss over this little amethyst ring.
But it was Just like her carried the
letter next my heart until / heard that
she had returned home and / went to
see her.
When she entered the room, smiling
and holding out her hands to me, l for
got everything but her beauty, at frst,
but when we were seated on the sofa to-
gethsr she held up her finger. Upon it
she wore, firstly, the little pearl engage
ment ring which 1 had given her, and
above it shone the most magnificent dia-
mond 1 had ever seen, as large as her
fnger-nail and q perfect well of blazing
light.
"Your diamond, Charles" said she.
@My diamond" repeated in bewil-
dered way.
Il suppose it is an heirloom or some
thing of that SORT" said Marcella; 1 was
never 50 overwhelmed. But do you
know, you have won Aunt Matilda by IL
Her own diamonds are very fine, but
when she saw this she fairly screamed.
ss,a Ia. rnada nm her mind that / max