The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-01-09
THE DIAMOND CUTTER.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

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''It's an old dodge" said Mrs. Bagley,
quivering with indignation, until every
fold in her fat double chin shook amain.
''I've often read Of it in the papers, and
should think, Martha Dodd, that you
were old enough"
'Not so old as you bel" bristled Miss
Dodd. "If you come to that, there's
eight good year between us yet, Jane
Bagley."
"WclI, WE'LL" said Mrs. Bagley, re-
treating before this we'll organized at
tack, "that amt nothin' to signifyl"
emo" said Miss Dodd, magnani-
mously. cage is neither here nor there.
What mean is that he's got good face"
$50 much of it rs amt covered by that
mop of hcathenish beard" SAID Mrs.
Baglcy.
"And the garden needed half days
work awful bad, and fifty cents and
meal O. victuals won't break neither of
Jus" went on Miss Dodd.
ooh, if you've mind to put it that
way" said her sister.
And so the matter was settled.
"Givc it to him on the barn door STEP"
Mrs. Baglcy urged. ''In a tin platter
And let him stir his coffee with stick.
! won't risk Grandmother Dodd's fiddle
stemmcd spoons with no tramps. And
tell him not to bc all day catin' it,
Times money, when you're pay;n' for
it, Bagley used to say"
Miss Dodd, however, piled liberal
ration Of cold frcassecd chicken, cucum-
Der pickles, home baked bread and sweet
yellow butter on the tin pie-dish, and
sweetcned the coffee literally before she
carried it out to the old man with the
Objectionable beard, the dusty shoes and
the well-worn clothing, who was humbly
waiting in the shadow of the old apple
tree by the barn.
''He looks just exactly like one-o'
them old picters of apostles in the fam
lily Bible,' said Miss Dodd, rs she
came back with the empty platter and
HMy goodness me, Martha" said she;
"if that amt up and down blasphemous,
! dunno what is"
al didn't mean it that way" said Miss
Dodd. "But he has mild eye, and he
thanked me as pleasant rs a basket OF
chips. And just look at the way he's
pullin' them frost bitten lima beans out
OF the ground!"
al hope he won't carry our best spade
and rake away with him." sighed Miss
Bagley.
.'Guess there's no danger of that"
cheerfully spoke Miss Dodd. "Hc's
diamond cutter"
"What?" said Mrs Baglcy.
"By trade" said Miss Dodd. "That's
what he told me, anyhow. 1t was pretty
hard work to understand what he said,
but made out somehow"
"Where does he carry his diamonds2"
gasped Mars Bagley.
'La. he don't cut diamonds for him.
SELF" said Miss Dodd laughing. "That's
what he does in his native couutry-or
what he did until big diamond syudi.
.szta- in ILnndA.s,v h-f,rrtrty, ana threw six
thousand diamond cutters out of work
in Poland and Belgium and them furrin'
parts"
"Bless me" said Mrs. Baglcy.
land he come TO this country because
he heard, poor creetur'! that everybody
made fortunes here, went on Miss Dodd.
making maelstrom of silver. white SOAP.
suds in the big tin dishpan, and i'm
mersing the knives and forks therein
with gentle clatter. ''And now he's
got to his last crust and his last penny.
and there won't no one listen to his story.
And he's had dogs set on him for n
tramp, and been threatened with con-
stables and no end Of trouble. I did
feel sorry for him."
''Did you, auuty2 That is lust like
you, you dear" cried sweet voice.
$50 do 10
Miss Dodd staggered beneath the un-
expected hug and kiss of n round checked
eighteen year-old girl, who had come
breezily into the sink-room, tllnging her
hat and sacquc this way and that.
"Chiid, said she, "what do YOU
know about it?"
"Oh I've been interviewing the Grand
old man out therew cried Mary Moore.
pIling her strap Of books on the shelf !
Tor she was the district school teacher, |
and had Just returned from her work. I:
''He says he IS Belgian, and he looks
rs II ned Just stepped out of picture !
frame I'd like to paint his picture i'll !
had time. See how hard he is work
ing" leaning her elbows on the window /
slll and staring out, like vignctte I
framed in scarlet-runner leaves.
81 dare say he knows we're all lookin' ,
y himS . dryly observed Mrs. Baglcv.
GA diamond cutter" thoughtfully mt.
tered Mary. "Doesn't it sound roman
tic2'
81 s,pose, said Mrs Bagley. " itsas
easy story to invent as any other"
But the majority was undoubtedly
against her, and when the night fell in
brisk thunder shower, and Mary went
out TO the barn with a lantern to invite
the poor old foreigner to share their sun.
per and occupy sevcn-foot- -squa re bed.
room at tho end of an unused wing of
The farmhouse, Mrs. Baglcy was com
PEELED reluctantly to accord her consent.
81 dare say VIC shall all be murdered
n our beds, y said she, mournfully. ,'But
my opinion never did go for nothing in