Connecticut western news., 1894-02-15
A BAG OF JEWELS.
My iewelsi''

my JcWClbt
 The exclamation came from beneath the neavy. dropping white mustache of the pasha-the white pasha--General Templeton.
 Yes general. your jewelsl We want to zee them!"
 The speaker was a lovely girl, quite creole in her dusky beauty. AS she spoke she approached the reclining sol dier from behind and placed about his swarthy neck a pair of arms like col umns of smoked ivory.
 The doughty general clasped the wrlsts with his sun nburned hands, and drawing the willowy creature onto his lap as he swung in the hammock re- piled:
 T am sorry. Verna, but l cannot show them to you. Your mother asked to see them yesterday. They are not here How did you know 1 had jewels. child2"
 Oh. we heard SO. And the hint was dropped that you came by them in a very romantic way.
 The snowy head of the veteran was laid back in the hammock and his pierc- ing eyes were fixed upon the full moon, )ust rising over the liquid boulevards of Venice. 1t was a perfect night. The soundiess voices of million lights, tell ing of the great floating city's gran deur. spoke from all sides, and then an swered back as they danced in the rip pling waters. Nothing else disturbed the poetic quiet of the night but the oc- caslonal splash of gondolier B sweep and the sweet laughter of this bevy of lovely women who were assembled up on the pprtico of the Palais du Regina,
 Tell us all about it. won't you. un- clep, Come here. girsi Hear General Templeton tell us a storyi"
 Handsome Verna was always leader
 Directly the passengered hammock was surrounded by half a dozen as handsome women as ever an Italian moon shone upon. The scarred veteran thus environed drank in the aroma of animated femininity. smiled admiring- iy at the several upturned faces and said
 How much thls reminds me of the very night l received the jewels Verna wants to see and hear about And prob ably II IS in association of ideas that find willingness to do what never did pefore-reiate how they came into my possession l have an idea. ladies, that when conclude my narrative you will feel disappoin ted. but my story has a moral and if you absorb it. and the point ot my experience is not lost upon you. then will not regret having made you my fair confessors.
 l was Tn command of the foot forces of his maJesty. crossing corner of the desert The march was very ia tlguing the outlook dismal, and l must 1 confess. soldier as l was, felt very much discouraged. To add to my de- pression had not heard from my fiancee | in some weeks. and 1 found my mind dwelling more anxiously upon her daily. may indicate the importance of my mission by adding that while l was making all possible haste to relieve Meldon Pasha l had buttoned in my | packet the entire outline of our cam paign which was 6deiiver to Meldon in person from the minister of war. | Night came upon us as we entered a piece of palm forest We halted and made camp. Late in the evening sol ,iier came to my tent and informed me lady desired to speak with me. l was very weary and utterly dejected-really lovesick. l am ashamed to say. The grizzled veteran looked down into the far faces about him as he said this, nut they were absorbed in the story and expressed none of that hurt he imagined they would indicate at his last remark
 Such a thing as visit from a lady Tn that remote locality aroused my curi osity and glad to have chance to tall with one becanse she was of the same sex as my absent love 1 followed the soldier to the very outskirts of the camp where l found an Arabian horse ot peerless nlaJesty and standing beside nim Moorish girl. who so closely re seInbled my affianced 1 uttered a cry oi astonlshment This seemed to delight the little woman greatly. They have such naive ways about them and art such clever judges of human nature She instantly exclaimed:
 re,nind the pasha of some one.
 At the same moment she motionei me to dismiss the soldier.
 I did 30.
 1 confess. madam, l said, 'youl resem blance to dear lady friend il England Is very pleasing to me.
 Then she piled her arts as only tn, educated Moor can. Never a suggestion but such languishing sweetness and in toxicating grace and winning artifces they are indescribable.
 M Pasha. she said in pures French. have come to you upon al errand of mercy. for bring you deliv erance from this life of deprivation You are young man. and bring yol the power and the means to return t England. wed your ladylove and live i peace and luxury for the balance your days. Seer
 ''She was seated upon the soft so beneath the high leafed palms, throug which the moonlight streamed. In he lap she unfolded parcel, and = sh opened it l beheld the most magnihceI amethysts had ever seen. They were should say, thousand in number
 both large and small.
 l. Seel she repeated. These al z yours. pasha. if you will but give n , the papsrs you have to deliver to Il