Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30

eEASSAIIy4fSrs tal where great
things are done su-
~S~ perficially to tighten
the burdens of life.
But December there is usually so very Dit
ter and biting, so pervaded with sensa-
ton of being pierced to the bone by raw.
wet cold (Which is not visible to the naked
eye. like the cold of genuine white Win
teri, that the clear, frosty atmosphere, tenn
pered by a ray of thin sunshine, put Us
all in the most unreasonably exultant spir-
its.
Our pension was filled to OVERLOOKING
with an amicable mixture of English and
Americans, weighted by a German baron
ess with three or four preternaturally plain
daughters, and Russian countess, who
was thought to be a socialist, because she
never by any chance entered into a politi-
cal discussion.
There was the usual desultory chit-chat
at table dhote, and an extra amount OF
tolerant sociability in the salon after din
ner, as the guests were tempted to dis
cuss their Christmas purchases. even going
so far, upon occasions. as to display holi-
day bargain or two.
The person who had most purchases
to discuss was a Mrs. Thompson, wife Of
an American colonel-the handsomest wo-
man in the house, as we'll as the cleverest
and most entertaining. We never found
out what the husband was colonel OF. nor
even what was his name, as he had regis
tered Colonel Thompson and WIFE" sign
ing himself facetiously Ever yours. &C.,
the Colonel" upon one or two occasions
when courtesy demanded a social note
from him. Nor did We know where the
handsome couple had come from. They
had a cosmopolitan air of having lived
everywhere, and their not-in- the-least-reti-
cent remarks and "reminiscences savored
equally Of New York. Boston and Wash
ington. About Chicago they were also
very enthusiastic the colonel saying-but
that is not a part Of my story.
They seemed to be wealthy, with that
carelessness of expenditure at which the
Englishman stares, while the rest Of .he
world pronounces Yankees to be dis
gustingly rich But they made no boasts
and threw out no insinuations as to their
income. In truth, they were exceedingly
well bred, particularly the wife. as is the
way with Americans.
She was a charming woman, beautiful.
sociable, good tempered. with that spice
of originality which makes the women OF
the United States the despair Of their
German and English sisters, the rivals
of their more witty. if less amiable. French
cousins.
Everybody liked Mrs. Thompson, whose
only claim to be distinguished from hun
dreds of other Mrs. Thomsons was the
''p'' in the middle of her name. After IT
all happened-the incidents of my story,
/ mean-we wondered why some one had
not thought Of questioning her or her hus-
band about their connectiolls-their setting,
as ii were, in the large world from which
they had come. Had there been the least
particle of brag about them. or even. on
the other hand, any suspicion of reticenCe.
doubtless the lady from Boston, who kept
our social books, would have taken the
pains to be informed. She was the only
one who did not like the colonel and his
wife. 1 think she inferred that they came
from below Mason and Dixon's line. How
ever that has nothing to do with the story.
They were a very devoted couple. Col
onel. as his wife invariably called him
Gas though he were a collie dog" said the
English dowager), was always buying
pretty things for "Hetty." He called her
Hetty with a frankness which quite won
the PENSIONS heart They went every
where together, and we had a feeling that
most Of their time was spent in visiting
the shops and selecting Hetty's pretty
things. Often one or another of us had
been invited to assist at these shopping
expeditions. choice Recommendations
Ghetto being feature of the occasion. 1t
CHANGED to be my luck to accompany them
one day, about two weeks before Christ
mas. After an exciting visit to the Grand
Magasin du Louvre, where Hetty appeared
to buy everything under the sun she had
not already bought, We went to the Palais
Royal for our dejeuner. Just we were
about to mount the steps into the choicest
of those admirable restaurants a prix fixe,
Mrs. Thompson stopped before the door OF
one of the wonderful jewelers. shops which
seemed to display their entire stock of gems
in the tiny window-gems magnificent
that one is perpetually tormented with a
suspicion that they must be paste.
'Oh, do wait minute, colonel!' she
cried, in her bright, girlish way; this is
the place where We saw the exquisite dia-
mond necklaces. Miss Harper must see that
necklace! Do come in for a moment, both
Of you"
In her pretty frank fashion she hustled
toward the solitary counter behind which
stood the solitary Frenchman (who does
not know the solitary statesmen of the
Palais Royal jewel shops0 who never
seems to sell anything. and yet whose stock
is always so surprisingly new and well
selected. A Partisan jeweler would rather
retire from the trade than show you an
old-fashioned brooch-unless he were GER
tain you would not find it out to be old
fashioned.
Monsieur Vigot bowed his perfect French
bow, and grinned his plausible French
grin. He had just the precise amount OF
suavity and "complaisance"-that ultima
tum of the Partisan code of good morals
and he handed Mrs Thompson the diamond
necklace even before she had breathed
rapturously, "Ah, here it isr'
lie VOLTA, madame. Is 1t not magnfi-
que?" 1t certainly was magnificent; more
fit for a duchess than for the wife of an
American colonel. And 1 will do Mrs.
Thompson the justice to say that she did
not in the least appear to covet it for her
self.
Isn't 1t superb" she cried, turning Gag
erly first to me, then to her husband, who
stood contemplating her rather than the
necklace i thought. Certainly. she made
a charming picture. Her eyes were as
bright as the diamonds which she held
up naively to her white throat with both
hands. In her soft, round cheeks the color
came and went with the excitement of her
genuine admiration, and the curves of her
laughing mouth were bewitching. The col
onel seemed to think so, too. He took
a quick step toward her and laid his hand
over hers, diamonds and ALL Would you
like them very much?' heard him say
The color ebbed altogether from her
cheeks and then came back in a wave OF
vivid carnation; she was sensitive crea-
ture, and the sudden question evidently
startled her very much.
Il? Oh, 1 never thought of such a thing
-neverv'
But this is the third time you have been
in here to look at them, Hetty."
ITO look at them-oh, yes-because they
are so beautiful! But to buy such dia-
monds-we could never afford it."
But If we could" he persisted. his hand
still covering hers. his eyes looking ador-
ingly into her own.
'Oh, Jack!'
1t was the first and last time ever heard
her use the name, and / could see that
she cincaralv