Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-09-10
The Pearl Necklace.

Mr.. james farkef HUTCHINSON
was q ieweler in o moderate way OF
business. His shop was situated in
Crawford street. and he had, BY
dint Of hard work through nearly
half Q century, saved some thirty
or forty thousand pounds.
He often thought OF retiring. but
rest was not of his mind; he liked
the hustle and noise of the shop
was at home with his customers,
and being a bit of q miser, was fond
Of adding to the balance sE bis
bankers. =
His wife did not in the least care
about being lady. They had nc
children, and so, having enly them
selves TO think about and please,
they lived in Crawford street, des-
pissed suburban villas, and refused
to 60 in for spurious gentility.
One day q. handsome carriage
drew up at the door of Mr.. James
Parker Hutchinson's shop, and q
foreign gentleman alighted and en-
tered.
1t being winter, he wore a thick
frock- coat, trimmed with Astrachan
fur, his figure was erect, his bear
ing martial; he wore a small, neat
ly-trimmed, peaked beard; his eyes
were black, and his complexion
swarthy.
"What can | have the honor of
showing you ?" said the jeweler,
in flutter Of expectation.
Il want to look at some fine
pearls, replied the stranger with q
slight foreign accent, but in very
good English.
Pearls certainly
Il am the agent of the Queen of
Spain, there is my card
sThe Duke S'Alvarez,' calculated
ed the jeweler, with q low bow, as
his eye fell on the card.
The same
'And your excellency is desirous
of making some purchase on her
Majesty's account, / presume p
you are right said the duke.
Il have very fine stock ef pearls;
how many would your excellency
require p
Permit me to see them first. !
fear the size may not be equal to
that | am commissioned TO seek
for
Parker unfastened a safe, and
took from it a box containing some
pearls of unusual size and beauty.
The Duke S'Alvarez produced q
pearl from his pocket which was 9
marvel of perfection. Handing
this to the jeweler, he said, 'Thil
is a single pearl which was giver
me by my Royal mistress as a sam
ple.'
'Yes, your excellency, it is yer,
fine,' said Parker, examining i
through q glass.
what would you estimate it
value at
Upwards of a hundred pounds
It would be well worth that sum il
the trade
'Ah = said the duke, you hav
estimated it well. Now l want
; necklace made Of pearls resemblin
this. 1t must have ten rows, an
in each row must be twenty-fiy
pearls
Estimating each pearl at on
hundred pounds, the first COT
would amount to twenty-five thou
sand pounds. Then / could NJ
make a fair profit unless / charge
an additional five THOUSAND. Coz
sequently, were / to execute yor
order, my charge would be thiri
thousand pounds
"A very moderate charge, too
said Duke S'Alvarez, still smilin;
sWill you. make up your mind
execute this order now, or shall
give you time to think of it, as yo
are not in a very large business
exclaimed the duke.
Il have money enough for th'
and to spare answered James Pa
ker Hutchinson, with self-satisfis
air. Il presume l may keep yo'
specimen pearl as pattern p
'Pray do so. 1t will be more sa
isfactory to both parties to have
written agreement, | think
For my part | reply in the q
firmative,' said the jeweler.
Call at my house, If convenien
this evening, and bring your agre