Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-10-16
A FAN0Us GEM.

CHR said Uncle yenabla. eYou-
want-to-sti Barriedt'
IF you don't mind. SIR ssil Yorhona.'
dropping her pretty head, while a blush
like the lining Of a pink sss shell crept
over her face.
"But what nonsense that isr7 said Mr..
Venable. shutting his cabinet drawers
leaning back in his chair and looking at
Nerbena with eyes Ike gimlets. "Who
Is the young mans
PLEASE, uncle. its Fritz, whispered
Verbena, half inclined to run AWAY and
hide herself.
Fritz reared Mr.. Venable. 'That
farmer fellowg' .
"He's a farmer" admitted Verbena,
"but he owns his own farm, sir, and his
mother Is very anxious for me to come
there, becausen@
"Oh, l can imagine thatr' said Mr..
Venable with q sneer. you, "a Yenable,
talking about marrying q farmerl You,
the heiress of the MalmalEcn emoralds
You, that might take any place in socic-
ty that you wiah when once the value
OF the gem is known. TO talk Of allying
yourself to a clodhopper like that, who
doesn't know an opal from d moon
stone!r
verbena burst into tears.
"He isn't a c~lodhopper," said she.
''And / wish there wasn't any such
thing rs the Malmaison emerald"
Mr.. venable transised his niece
through his spectacles with o glare chat
might have paralyzed her.
"Silence, miss.' said her edo You know
it is on the reputation Of the Malrnnison
emerald that the Yenables VIII 90 down
70 faine7 The Empress Josaphine"@
81 don't care for the Empress jose
phine." said Verhena, who, haying
drawn the sword, WIS now minded to
cast the scabbard away. aud I'm not
particular about fame, and don't sup
pose | shall be a Venable forever
This sort of talk won't do. Yerbena, ="
said the Old gentleman, solemnly.
"Where would society be If every one
refused to bear the responsibilities and
shoulder the cares Of his station? You
are not merely my niece, Yerbena. You
are the rcpresentative-tle last enrviy-
ing representatige-of the Venables. To
you in my viii is left tho guardianship
of the Malmaison emarallr-
''Tm SICK Of hearing Of y%ehelnently
protested Nerbcna.
"And," went on Mr.. Yenable, II de-
sire you to give up all idea Of mnrIyang
this young man. It's entirely out Of the
question-entirely,
= q e
"But what 81 this about the Melmaison
emeraldy asked Fritz Elcoube, in q be-
wildered way. when he fonud Yerbena
crying by the sitting room window q
few hours later. Her blue eyes sparliled
e. their veil Of tears.
don't mean, " said she, "thGt you
hive never heard of the famous Mall
maison elnerall:'
"Thata my meaning cxactly," adj.
mitted Fritz. do consider in my be-
half that I've only been here a year, and
have much shll 20 learn"
We'll. listen, sail Yerbona, half cry
ing. half angry. "its a famous unset
gem"
"Oh, it is, Is ~
sAsd auage % beiongto the Empress
Jostphine
~nldit. intoedt
AMI uwofe u 10 ID Be days at Mai
maison
Heooa BIO liahs. ehs
supp0ae 70. And Queen Hortense
gave It 20 SOME ono who soldit to some
body else, and it WINS finally Siven to
one OK the Venables who was q surgeon
In the English army by a dying officer
out In Hindoostan, to whom he had been
able TO tender kind Offices and so it has
come down to us. n really is q wonder
fnl stone
- should suppose &c." politely inered-
ul0ns
"They cay went on Verbena. "thal
when uncle kept it IN the little iron safe
let into the guest chamber wall, whoever
slept there used 10 dream of o beautiful.
sad faced lady, who walked up and down
IN a marble terrace under tho trees and
wrunq Der hands. That was Empress
Josephine. oi eourse."
"Qt corfn tfiil more incredulously.
"tli int & declares TINT the colOl
in t1c sIaa n siways dim and iurbid
plW .he anniversary Of the poor lady.
death comes around" further added
Nefhen4.
that Is exceedingly probable, =
dryly observes Nlr. Elc0mbe.