The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-05
THE Great BLACK PEARL.


authenticated correspondent hesitated and
suggested other engagements. as IL he had
not adroitly sought the bidding, and then
accepted, thus giving To courtesy the
zest OF the compliment And mr. Black
went down TO his home Friday night, pre-
pared TO stay there and get things in
readiness for the distinguished arrival on
the following afternoon.
1t is said that married people grow alike
with years. But this condition occurs, it
seems, when there has been constant attri-
ton, as two stones will polish each other,
or as pebbles become rounded in the
brook Now in their poorest days little
Mrs. Black had never dared resist her
burly husband. and prosperity had dead
ened her with the bludgeoI. Of surprise.
There are couples that become. separated
in the race for success and while one
reaches the goal and finds it a very every
day affair after all. the other remains
hopelessly entangled amid doubts and
fears. Such a pair ruled over the Black
household like an active and passive verb
in a single sentence. The master had
achieved. and was wei satisfied that he
had merely attained his due; the mistress
was spent and was making her bed among
the brambles
So when Enoch Blacb. announced that
his particular friend. Nj. Chauncey Auck-
land Of England. an "Out-and-Out swell
me morrow, and that tleY must all dust
pretty lively for he knew what was what,
and no mistake" Ms. Black family
smiled-an expression, ty the way as de-
void of comfort as a martyrs resignation.
Her husband understood this peculiarly
through that intuition which Is such an
aid of marital infelicity. He straightway
grew angry and sought an explosion in
arguament Craving a subject OF common
interest for disagreeInt mt, he found one
in the absence of his daughter
Where's Emma?" he asked iercely.
81 don't know" ans xered her mother.
family still. but no lOnler smiling.
And haven't 1 told you that you must
watch over the child Don't you know
that she is young and foolish, and that
designing people know it, and know. too.
that in the course Of azure she must m
herit all the Black wealth? Yah. and yet
you let her wander Though the neldS IKE
a farmers daughter. j shouldn't be sur
surprised if she was walking with FRANK
MaxOn this very moment
Il shouldn't either, and the Ialht shllIe
re ar en 80. s.,.. = ,hst.s tat said
SO once, and that settles II for all tune
OH l know what you would say IN your
mOlish way. He's an old friend ana IN
dustrious and talented and all the rest OF
the twaddle. Perhaps ne is; but he can
keep up with this procession Mrs. Is. lie
may in time become a country justice ana
and preside at town meetings
But my daughter. My dollars! Oh, no.
ance, that's the word; and when you see
my friend Auckland. YOU viii see where
we can get one. AT least YOU would II
you could see any thing beyond your nose:
But no. I've talked and I've preached
and on, Observation-Disclosures poor Mrs
Black closed her eyes as one Will before
the incessant din Of a mill. There was a
light step. a graceful young arm was
thrown protectingly around the matrOn
and clear, sweet voice CRED w ny
what's the matter, papa, are you talking
about me?'
panoply of concelt which the candid glance
of his daughters eyes could always pierce.
Somehow when she looked at him he felt
unworthy OF his parentage; she was 50
dainty, charming. beautiful, ike the
fresh bloom or the arbutus, while he was
so rough. 50 coarse. So mcOuth, like the
sodden rock which il disdained. His hands
and feet had always seemed eninentl$ use
full and comparatively ornamental TO him,
yet at such times he became uncomforta-
bly, conscious of them. lie now twitched
the former and shufiied the latter as he
tered: We were Ouly wondering where
you were"
''Oh have been walking with Frank
Maxon He is a good comrade. don't you
''Huml Perhaps So as a comrade."
Il wouldn't want him as groom-I mean
and SO fond Of mamma
well. we'll my child, it's natural. / sup
pas 54at You sR9lld f Te IN per b your p St
These young sprigs are apt 10 be presump-
tiOus. You have a position to maintain,
you explained 10 me- Nob-nob-"
NOblesse Oblige%'
"Ah. that's it, That means, l take it,
that the possession of stocks and debent-
ures and obligations of all sorts confers a
nobility Now We are rich. remember, very
rich
Rather. papa that position imposes
lofty principles and noble actions"
well. that's what ! said. isn't it2 Now,
in my friend Auckland, who comes tomOr-
row, you viii find one VINO is your equal
he %
higher nature in a way that no paltry
good comrade' could And Mr.. Black,
effort of preserving the continuity of un-
usual speech,couShed solemnly and wdd-
died away.
I'VE know that I shall hate him. don't
we mamma, dear2" said Emma.
The Black family, with their distn-
guished guest, fingered over the fruit and
coffee of an elaboate dinner the next even
through the broad low windows that
opened on the garden and gave a rudy
sDarIxle 10 the cut7elsss decanftrs En1c6
Black had preached his favorite topic of
possession and his friend was meeting
him more than half way.
'Oh, yes" said Auckland. I'VE have in
our own family a parure Of GOlconda
stones handed down from that historic
ancestor of mine who in Elizabeth's time
eircumnaVigated the globe and burned the
. fleet of Spanish galleOns off Trafalgar.
You may have come across the incident in
Yes said Mr.. Black, who must have
happened upon il in newspaper then.
1T has been sacredly preserved as an
heirloom ever since. Even in the DAYS of
Charles I. when gold and silverware
proclaimed our loyalty from the melting
pot 1t was untouched. Even after the fine
and sequestratiOn resulting from Prince
Charlie rising II was spared by distress.
And So too, would the pearls have been.
but unfortunately"
Pearls, interrupted Mr.. Black Il
think can match You there, any one
else, for that matter. You must have
heard of the great Black Pearl, so called,
not only of its hue. but because il
has been in our family for many hun
dreds OF years. since the day of-of-Rich-
ard the COnquerOr. in fact"
''Oh. long before that. papa. Queen
Guinevere wore 1t, you know" said Emma,
laughingIy.
VERY likely. my dear very likely.
have printed catalogue describing il of
about that date. Ny ancestor. who came
over in the Mayhower, brought this pearl
with him. and without any primOgeniture
law IL has been handed down from father
70 son ever since. Er1ma. just step to the
library and fetch IL, there's good girl.
Here's the key"
Now. Mr.. Chauncey Auckland. for an
Englishman, was very knowing. In exact
Pearl he could give points to its owner
He remembered its sale at Paris, not ten
years before. and how all Europe gOssipped
about the enormous price which the Amer
lean parvenu had paid He, knew. too.
where a ready market awaited II without
the attendance Of any embarrassing ques-
tons. But he prepared tocwallOw all
the Crusaders and knights of the Round
Table with the excellent dinner, in order
H. l.