The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-11
TO FLOAT ALONE.
THE EMERALDS.

We we're standing In the CaTrera de San
Geronimo and were reading the title OF one
Of Mery's books at Duran's. As my atten-
ton was attracted by the singular title, and
mentioned it to my friend. lie replied as
be leaned lightly on my arm:
at is a beautiful day. so let US take
turn around the Fuen Castelans and l will
tell you a story in which enact the chief
part After you have heard il you will
have no difficulty in understanding the
title but will consider it the most natural
thing in the world"
had plenty to do, but as l am always
glad Of some excuse for idensss / accepted
his proposal and he went on as follows:
Some time ago, rs I was roaming aim
lessly around the city one evening. stopped
before Samper's showcase. had examined
all the collections Of photographs and stamps
In different shops. and had chosen in my
mind the bronzes with which [ would acorn
my dwelling, if should ever have one.
Il had been there some time and had
amused myself by comforting, in MY imagn-
alton, this or that jewel on some handsome
woman | knew, when ! found myself una
bic to decide who might be worthy of a
magn fcent set IF emeralds, as costly as
elegant, which especially attracted my a.
tentiOn among the others by tie beauty and
clearness of its stones. just at that mo-
ment l heard a soft, sweet voice, which
aroused me from my reYerie as it said:
How beautiful those emeralds areP
" / turned my head in the direction Of the
voice. It must, l thought. belong to a
beautiful woman. l was not disappointed,
for she was charming. Although | saw
her for only a short time, her beauty made
a profound impression on me-
There was a carriage standing at the
door of the jewelTy establishment. Tbs
fair one was accompanied by an elderly
lady. who seemed TO be her mother. They
both entered the carriage and drove Of,
while was left stupidity gazing after them
until they we're lest to sight
How beautiful those emeralds areP she
had exclaimtd d. Did she long for them? and
If so, why. asked myself, does she not get
them? She must 0e wealthy, for she has
stylish eQuipage, and believe | saw a crest
ofnObillty on the carriage door. Undoubtedly
there is some mystery in this wOman's life.
Such were the thoughts that occupied my
mind until she was lost TO sight. And
although her life seemed so enViable, so
peaceful was quite sure that there was
some mystery there. l shall not tell you
bow, but finally became acquainted with it.
SHE had married at an iearly age a
dssipated man who, after squandering his
own fortune, had sought for other means
IN a brilliant match. HIS bride proved TO
be an exemplary wife and mother, and sac
rifieed everything in order TO save some Of
her estate for her daughter, and 10 retain
the place IN society which belonged 10 her
BY right though her wicked husband had
deserted her and fed to foreign country.
people talk of :women's great sacrifices,
but believe that there are none, IN view
Of their peculiar organization, comparable
TO the sacrifice they make Of an ardent de-
sire in which vanity ana cOQUetry have
share. From the time | became aware
of the pf this pyornan'e aXistanoa
through the ecceRtTiclty of my dispO-
sition, my chief desire was to obtain that
set of emeralds and give il to her, in such
way that she could neither refuse il nor
know whence il came
Among the many difficulties before me
In accomplishing this ambition was the fact
that | lacked funds. But | did not give up
my idea. How shall | get the money!
said to myself, and thought Of the marvels
of the Arabian Nights, OF those magical
words, to the sound Of which the earth
gaped open and displayed its hidden treas
ures; of the magic wands that were so won
deEfnl that when one touched a rock a stream
would issue from 1t, not Of water, but Of
rubies, topazes, pearls and diamonds.
FINALLY resolved 20 write a book and
sell il. To draw money from stony editor
was hard task, but l succeeded. l wrote
an original work which did not please the
popular fancy. for only one person could
understand it, and it was an enigma 20 all
ABb ltcts Nn44SU ttib DObh LIS Gel VI ul-
eralds, and signed only my initials to it.
"As / am no Victor Hugo, but only
simple writer, | assure you that | did not
reap as much money as the author of 'Notre
Dame de Paris obtained for his last work.
However, had enough to begin to carry
out my plan. Tue set Of emeralds was
valued at S14, 900. and as | had only about
$1,000 had recourse TO the lottery. BY good
luck won all that needed.
"On the following day went to Samper's.
But as threw on the counter the roll of
bills which might have paid for a pleasure
trip through Italy. and afforded me a life of
enjoyment for some years at least, 1 hesi-
tated, you viii say. No, indeed. | cast
them down with the ease. the same satisfac-
tion, that buckingham experienced when
be broke string OF costly pearls and scat
tered them at his lady-love's feet.
Il bought the gems and took them home
with me. You cannot imagine anything
more beautiful than those Jewels do not
wonder that women heave a sigh as they
look at the dazzling display In shop win
dows, or that Mephistophees chose pearl
necklace in order 20 tempt Marguerite. Al
though am man, / would have liked to
live 10 the East and be one of those fabu-
lcus monarchs who encircle their forms
with gold aud precious stones, so that /
might have adorned myself with those
sparkling gems.
Gas soon as / had purchased the gems
began to think how | should send them 10
her. At the end Of few days, thanks to
the money had left. succeeded in bribiBg
one of her maids TO place them among her
Jewels without her knowledge, and bribed
her to silence by giving her a thousand reals
and making her promise TO go off TO BARGE
Iona as soon as she fulfilled her task-and
she did so.
You can imagine the surprise of this
woman whom / adored from afar, suspect
ing that her maid had stolen from her, on
account Of her hasty flight she found those
magnificent jewels in her desk Who could
have OWNED my desire?' she cried. Who,
indeed, could have suspected that she still
thought of those gems with faint sigh Of
regrets
thine passed on. knew that she had
kept my gift. and that she had eDdeayored
TO discover whence it had come, but she
never wore them. Did she despise my
offeringf All, | reflected, if she only knew
the sacrifice it had cost me! Ii she knew
that was almost equal TO that lover who
pawned his winter oyercoat TO buy
banonet of fowerg for his lady.lOyel Does