The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1895-08-06

/ full nature. The self righteous are often
harder to live with than the sinner.
Leander Clarke had been a good son,
and he intended to be a good husband.
He was both proud and fond Of his
wife, but certainly regretted that he
could not give her all the luxuries that
she could appreciate, not even the grand
piano that her musical talent deserved.
But he went to work with will to
make her happy and hoped in few
years to be able to add all other needful
things
Among the wedding presents of the
Young couple was one that far outshone
all the rest-a superb set Of diamonds
sent by an uncle of Leander's who was
near to death and gave the residue of
large estate in this extravaganza present.
Leander himself was genuinely sorry
that such an undesirable gift had been
made, but he argued that his wife was
sensible woman and would turn them
into something more suitable to their
condition in life-a piano, for instance,
which was a necessity rather than a
luxury. What was his surprise when his
bride said:
II never was SO pleased in my life.
Diamonds represent to me the crystall
zation of everything beautiful in art and
nature. never dreamed that I should
possess such magnificence. "
| "But these have no associations, said
her husband. "They are not heirlooms.
They will be. All diamonds were
new at some time. And are they not as
ISOLATED with the dear old man who
gave them?"
The dear old man had been terror in
the family and had only given the dia-
monds to Leander's wife because he
hated that nephew little less than the
others, whom be hoped to make horri-
bly, jealous and angry and had succeeded.
When Leander asked his wife to keep
her diamonds in the bank, she promptly
declined.
"But you surely will not wear them,
dear?" he suggested.
why not?" she asked.
1T would injure our prospects and
not be consistent with our position.
FThey were gift to me. Surely /
have the right to do as I please with my
own.
''The right, yes. But I thought my
wife had more discretion. did not
know you cared for gewgaws, Mabel. !"
So the first cloud came on the horizon
of their love, but Leander was good
tempered and Mabel satisfied, and it
disappeared The truth was that Lean
/ 10 30
money from this very uncle, who was
bachelor and very old. But age had not
mellowed an ugly disposition to thwart
his relatives, and after raising the young
man s hopes he took malicious pleasure
in disappointing them.
The young couple began life in a
pretty furnished cottage on the modern
plan of a chatting dish aud hand painted
china, and it worked like a charm. Ma
bel presided over the dainty cuisine, the
buffers pantry, the parlor, and really
did wonders. Leander fell in love with
her oyer and over again. But for the
diamonds they would have been as hap
Ply as larks
Did they hear sound at night-it
was burglar after those precious gems.
They were afraid to leave the house
and one or the other of the two was
compelled to be the hiding place of the
jewels when they went out together.
Mabel did not care to adorn herself with
diamonds when she went to market or
to church, but she could not listen to a
sermon in peace if the gems were not
about her. And somehow it did annoy
her to carry concealed wealth like a
brigand or a smuggler.
But when Leander had a chance to
| buy shares in the Little Catawba Lum-
Der company and to make as much in
three months as he would in year by
his Clerkship Mabel would not listen to
the suggestion that the bank would ad-
vance enough on the diamonds to enable
him to make the investment
Then Leander discovered that his wife
could be very obstinate woman. It
was in vain that he laid before her the
benefit that would result from tran
sient disposal Of the gems. She replied,
not without logic ON her side, that the
Little Catawba might be failure, and
then her precious securities would be
| forfeited. Leander, man fashion, grew
angry, and after some hot words reached
the penultimate of passion.
Il wish, he said in tones of invec-
tive, that burglars would get the hate
full stones. They might at least be of
some use to them''
1t is said that curses, like chickens,
come home to roost. After Leander had
asked forgiveness for his rudeness and
Mabel had sweetly extended the olive
branch of Cancellation he suggested that
she be doubly careful of her cherished
possessions
The town is full Of burglars, and
they know the people who have fine dia-
monds, and if they once set out to get
them they'll succeed"
Mabel did not sleep with the dia-
monds in the same room. Womanlike,
she thought if she secreted them in
some place where they would never be
detected they would be safe. Neither
the ash barrel nor the ragbag entered
into her calculations, but places just as
inconsistent did.
|
One night there was a crash in the
room below. Mabel shook her sleeping
husband and whispered in his ear:
Burglars Get your revolver and go
| down stairs. The diamonds are in the
bottom of the clock.
Leander was startled and confused,
but as the noise continued he hurried
on his clothes, and taking his revolver
ran softly down the stairs. Mabel re-
manned where she was, shivering with
| fear.
There was fearful commotion be-
low, the noise Of falling furniture, open
ing and closing of windows and the
rapid firing of the revolver after some
flying robber. Then regard for her hus-
bands life compelled Mabel to hurry
to his assistance She found him lying
ON the floor, grasping his revolver
She did not faint nor shrek, but,
I kneelin0 beside him. bathed his face