Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-01-30
A BAG OF JEWELS.

I0e exclamation came nom beneath
the heavy. dropping white mustache of
the pasha-the white pasha-General
Templeton.
Yes, general, your jewelsl We
want to see themp'
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 pair of arms like col
umns of smoked ivory.
The doughty general clasped the
wrists with his sunhurned hands, and
drawing the willowy creature onto his
lap as he swung in the hammock re-
piled:
II am sorry, Verua, but cannot
show them to you. Your mother asked
to see them yesterday. They are not
here. How did you know had jewels,
child7"
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,
just rising over the liquid boulevsrds
of Venice. 1t was perfect night. The
sound less voices of million lights, tell
ing of the great floating city's gram
deur, spoke from ell 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-
casional splash of gondolier's sweep
and the sweet laughter of this beyy of
lovely women who were assembled up
on the portico Of the Palais du Regina.
Tell us all about it, won't you, un-
cle7 Come here. girisl Hear General
Templeton tell us a story!''
Handsome Yerna was always leader.
Directly the passengered hammock
was surrounded by half dozen as
handsome women as ever an Italian
moon shone upon. The SCARED veteran
thus environed drank in the aroma of
animated femininity, smiled admiring-
ly at the several upturned faces and said:
How much this reminds me of the
very night received the jewels Ye1na
wants to see and hear aboutI And prob
ably it is in association of ideas that ]
find willingness to do what never did
before-relate how they came into my
possession. 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 of my experience is not lost upon
you. then will not regret having made
you my fair confessors.
% was in command of the foot forces
Of his majesty, crossing corner of
the desert. The march was very IA
tiguing. the outlook dismal, and l must
confess, soldier as was, felt very
much discouraged. To add to my de-
preston had not heard from my fiancee
in some weeks. and found my mind
dwelling more anxiously upon her daily.
Il may indicate the Importance of my
mission by adding that while was
making all possible haste to relieve
Meldon Pasha l had buttoned in my
jacket the entire outline of our cam
paigu, which l was to deliver 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
dier came to my tent and informed me
lady desired to speak with me. l was
very weary and utterly ejected-Teally
loyesick, 1 am ashamed to say"
The grizzled veteran looked down into
the fair faces about him as he said this,
but they were absorbed in the story and
expressed none of that hurt he imagined
they would indicate at his last remark.
Such thing as visit from lady
in that remote locality aroused my Curl
osity, and glad to have chance to talk
with one because she was of the same
sex as my absent love followed the
soldier to the very outskirts of the
camp, where 1 found an Arabian horse
of peerless majesty, and standing beside
him a Moorish girl. who so closely re-
Eembled my affianced uttered cry OF
astonishment. This seemed to delight
the little woman greatly. They have
such naive ways about them and are
such clever judges of human nature.
She instantly exclaimed:
remind the pasha of some one.
AT the same moment she motioned
me to dismiss the soldier.
II did so.
= confess. madam, said, YOU
resemblance to dear lady friend II
England is very pleasing to me-
Then she piled her arts as only the
educated Moor can. Never suggestion,
but such languishing sweetness and in
todcating grace and winning artifices
they are indescribable.
Fl. Pasha,' she said in puresi
French, ! have come to yen upon an
errand Il mercy, for bring you deliv-
erance 1Iom this life of deprivation.
4