Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-23

but unfOr tunateiy-
Pearls interrupted Mr.. Black. 8.
think / can match you there, or an.
one else, for that matter. You mus
have heard of the great black pearl
so-called, not only ON account Of it:
hue but because it had been in Oul
family for many hundreds of years
since the day of-of-Richard the Con
queror, in fact
''Oh, long before that, papa. Queer
Guineverd wore it, you know sait
Emma, laughingly.
Very likely, my dear, very likely
[ have a printed catalogue describing
it Of about that date. Ny ancestor
who came over in the Mayfower
brought this pearl with him, and with
out primOgeniture law it has been
handed down from father to son ever
since Emma, just step to the library
and fetch it, there's a good girl. Here's
the key"
Now Mr.. Chauncey Auckland, for ill
Englishman, was very knowing. In
exact information regarding ''the
great Black Pearl he could give points
to its owner. He remembered its sale
in Paris, not ten years before, and
how all Europe has gossiped about
the enormous price which the Ameri-
can parvenu had paid.
! He knew, too, where 4 ready market
awaited it without the attendance of
any embarrassing questions.
But he was prepared to swallow all
the crusaders and knights of the round
table with the excellent dinner, in or
der to get Il glimpse of its glory and
Il hint Of its hiding place
Emma returned with the shagreen
case, which her father opened and
! handed proudly to his guest. The
great gem laid in a. white satin nest
and somberly glowcd like the moon
behind Il cloud
Into Auckland's little eyes came a
responsive glitter which honor never
, lIndled. The sinews of his arms tight
ened, He had fortune in his very
grasp.
The windows were wide open and
from the brow of the adjacent hill,
over which the curtain of night was
descending, stretched miles of wood
land. Was he not 4 fool to yield it
back to two frail women and q pudgy
old man?
But, no, violence was not his forte.
LanguOr had become habit and ease
a requisite. A night of concealment
in the cold, wet brush, surrounded by
all manner of creeping things, and
| fp11
What he desired he should take,
as he always had, but after his own
fashion, which left no clew for re-
gaining. HID closed the box and re-
turned it to his host
"Its unique, it's superb he exclaim-
ed with unfeigned enthusiasm. But
what a pity that anything so priceless
should be so fragiler'
'Fragile!" repeated Enoch, turning
pale at the thought. "What do you
mean by that? No one is going at it
with 4 hammer, IS there? Why, this
may have been worn by the queen of
Shdba for aught we know"
Possibly it was" returned Auck-
land, coOlly. "But that doesn't affect
the mysterious chance which always
exists of its destruction. Pearls eX-
plode. Didn't you know that? Why
! that is what [ started to tell you
about those rare specimens which once
shared with the diamonds the honor
of being heirlooms in our family.
let me see, was it my great-grand-
mother? No, my great-great-grand,
mother. the Lady Catherine, of course
ut was the eve of the majority ball
of her eldest son, Chauncey, whose
name I also bear. She went to the
SECRET crypt in the strong room to
get the pearls, meet ornaments for such
a function.
"She opened the oaken casket, and
behold! there, where the milky neck
lace should lay, was a little gray
feathery ash, and the golden wire
and links. The 100000 vanished into
air. The noble dame gave one despair
ing shrek and expired"
You don't tell mer' calculated Mr.
Black, sliding uneasily in his chair
Explode! Why should they? They
amt loaded"
Il hope they don't make noise Oh
do any damage, father" said little
Mrs. Black, meekly.
mo, madame" said Mr.. Auckland
turning courteously to the affrightet
matron. The disintdgration is sud
den, but noiseless Science has thu!
far failed to explain its cause, although
a good guess is some subtle disease
/ Il didn't bargain to buy an eNplos
, i've disease said EnOch, ruefully, quit
forgetful of Richard the Conqueror ant
the MayfOwer. us there nothing on
+ can do to prevent such a f1are-up?'
/ II would suggest that it be kept il
t some cool place where there is a Sigh
= current of air.
t ''Then the inner compartment of m
! ornamental tire-proof etagere safe
hardly the place. Let me see. There
the ormolu desk by the window in til
o library The sides are mere LATHE
4 work Here, Emma, my child, just pu
9 the pearl in there and bring me tn
/, key"
But father" again ventured poo
$ Little Mrs. Black; burglars"
Mr. Black hated to be called father
. by his wife, for he was her senior b
O a good many years, and it made hill
O feel them. She was well aware of TIL
a aversion, but unable to break the hab
@ from nervousness.
o 'Nonsensew he blurted forcibly bl
e. inconseQuently, There aren't burglar
in these days, and haven't I an elect1.