The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-05
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The Story Of Jacintha,

(From the NEW YORK LEDGER. J

Where is my diamond bracelet
Jacintha? I am positive I put it with
my other jewels on coming home last
| night from the Wilmington ball, and
now it is missing"
The speaker was a tall, commanding
woman Of 30, who was known in the
fashionable circles of Carolyn as "the
charming Mrs Kenneth" and charm
Ing she certainly was when exerting
her elegant graces in the 'gilded set
| over which she had long reigned as the
regnant star. She reserved her rather
turbulent temper for the inmates of
her own household in general and
Jacintha in Observation-Disclosures, girl
of uncertain parentage, whom she had
adopted a few years before the open
ing of my story"
II do not know where the bracelet is,
Mrs. Kenneth responded Jacintha,
looking fearlessly in the eyes of her
mistress-eyes in which there glowed
CLEAN of suspicion.
when did you see it last?"
Last night, after the Wilmington
ball.
And you saw me lock it up?"
Certainly. was helping you with
your toilet and could not avoid seeing
the jewel"
"And you have been the only person
| in this room since then-the only person,
remember, save myself. The matter
looks very black for you, Jacintha, and
do you dare insinuate that 1 stole
| the bracelet?"
The face Of the girl had turned
dead white, but there was a defiant
| ring in her voice that made her mis-
| tress flush with anger.
mo high tragedy will answer your
| 2urpose. You will find the bracelet
haf ,scs
| find yourself in jail and with that Mrs.
| Kenneth swept wrathfully out of the
| apartment
Jacintha was a brave girl, but here
| was threat that coWed her in spite
Of herself. She was shy little thing
| of only IL, with a refined spirit that
made her dread any sort of publicity.
And now-and now" she cried, fall
| ing on her knees and hiding her face in
her little hands, II shall be taken to
| Jail, and what judge or jury will fairly
weigh the words of a poor, weak,
| friendless girl like me when placed in
the scales with the testimony of proud
wealthy and powerful Mrs. Kenneth?
None-none! I am lost-lost!'
IVY, honey! W'at'n de worps de
mattah? 'Clar' / nebber herd SIGH
ermiration-heerdy o's outside ez 1 wuz
er-passin,' an 'cluded some wife Teddy
wuz er bein' done killed daid, TO- suah.
Wut's hit all erbout, anyhow"
ooh, Chloe" she cried, clenching her
fingers in passion of rage, shame and
despair, Mrs. Kenneth says I stole
her bracelet and threatens to have me
taken into custody unless find it by
tomorrow. Oh, I can't stand i'll
can't"
''Frettins ter hev yos put in de Jail house
onless yo's fin her bracelet! Fo' de Lawd's
sake! WALL, she KANT prube dat yo's tuck
6or haIIha-Sha DrO1lCkS
round too hbely she'll wush she hadn't,"
and the old servant shook her turbaned
head with mysterious air.
why, auntie. what do you mean!
"Doan yos ask what I mean, but ef de
missus lays fedder in yo's paff she'll heah
frum some un. Dah's secret bout de
"A secret, eh?'' queried a sharp voice-the
voice of Mrs. Kenneth, who had entered the
apartment stealthily and heard the whole
conversation. "A secret Ell? Well, you will
have the chance to prove that statement to-
morrow, when cause the arrest of this mis-
| cradle creature. In the meantime, pack
your things and leave my house forever.
II wuz er gwine to lebe on my own
'sponsibility tomorry, missus, but few
houahs doan make no diffunce ter me-" The
old woman had reached the door as she spoke,
and turning on the threshold. she added:
EFF yo's hawm one ha'r O. dat chile's haid
YOU wush yo's hedn't. Min dat now missus
min dat
AS usual thing Mrs. Kenneth treated
with hot arrogance what she saw proper to
call .'the insolence Of interiors; but in
this case her fury broke bounds, for there
was something uncanny in the prediction of
the old seryant-something that made her
shudder as one shudders when suddenly
smitten with presentment Of evil. Chloe
had rapidly retreated after hurting her last
shaft at her mistress, who now turned upon
Jaeintha.
Il have been looking through your letters,
GIRL, she said, "and / find that you have
been holding clandestine correspondence
with certain Ray Dalton.~ I presume this
is the youth I had the pleasure of ordering
from my house because of his attentions to
your"
YES Mrs. Kenneth; you had forbidden
me to make any inquiries concerning my
parentage I disobeyed your command be-
cause it was my duty. and"
Your duty And | presume 1t was your
duty to correspond with this Dalton?''
1T was. He is a lawyer, and kindly Of
fered to help me in tracing the whereabouts