Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-02-15

NV uer luSDa0OS cousin,
~ Mrs. Morris, and if she
had one ambition eolipsing another,
it was to eclipse Mrs. Morris in every
direction. If Mrs. Morris set up a
wall.baske ct, Mrs Templeton com.
passed hanging cabinet. II Mrs.
Morris had new ivy pot, Mrs. Ten
pleton would have nothing less than a
window garden. A single vase on
Mrs. Morris's piazza caused Mrs. lem
pleton's premises to break out with
urns till they looked like stone cut
ter's yard. II Mrs. Morris gave high
tea, Mrs. Templeton had a dinner
party out of hand; if Mrs. Morris had
luncheon, Mrs. Templeton had a
ball, or what answered Tor one in the
limited round OF pleasures of their
place OF abode; and if Mrs. Morris in
dulged herself with a new silk, Mrs.
Templeton always counted her
hounces, and made her own phylac.
teries broader.
When one day, then, Mrs. Morris
appeared at church-the usual place
in the town of Carleon for ladies to
exhibit their toilets-with a pretty
little pair OF diamonds sparkling in
her ears, you can imagine the state of
disgust and wrath in which Mrs. Tenn.
pleton walked home, and the very dis
agreeable time that Mr.. Templeton
had OF it as he walked beside her, Ell.
deavoring to look like the happiest
domestic man in Carleon. The SER
mon was criticised, the minister made
out time server, the parish de-
nouncea collectively and personally,
his own peculiar friends among the
rest, and finally his cousin Hetty was
reached, and her habits, her manners
and her dress were made the text on
which to hang anathema maranatha of
worldliness, a1fectation, bad taste, low
moral sense, irreligion, and last OF all,
extravagance-his dear little harmless
Cousin Hetty, whose red curls lighted
such a frank, child.like countenanoe,
and whose two diamonds, he had been
guilty of thinking, just matched the
limpid sparkle of the clear dew drops
of her gray eyes. But Mr.. Tsmpleton
had far too much experience to say
anything of the sort. Games Morris
could not pay his debts if he we're sold
out to-day" said his wife. "And look
at his wiie's dress Maria. how many
times must tell you to keep those
children inside tho curbstone?-his
wife's dress; Just one glitter Of satin
and jet. And l declare it was impossi.
bic for me to fix my eyes on the lectern
for the way in which she kept those
diamonds twinkling before me, with
her head on the perpetual dance. A
pretty place for diam onds- church! l
know woman who wore them to her
fathers funeral; 1 suppose she would.
l should think, at any rate, she could
have controlled her inclinations, and
waited till next Sunday-diamonds ON
Palm Sunday? But it's high time of
day. l must say" warming up with her
husbands silence, "when [ am without
single diamond to my name. and
there is James Morris's wife-James
Morris, who owes you $4,000 borrowed
money"
1t was very weak in Mr.. Templeton
to interfere; hut one cannot be always
on ones guard.
81 understand, Juliet, my love, said
he, "that Hetty's Uncle Roberts sent
her those earrings"
"Uncle Roberts, indeed should
like to see Uncle Roberts for once. if
he is not mythical parsonage alto.
gether," cried his wife, with the air
of expecting Mr.. Templeton to pro.
duce the alleged Uncle Roberts i'm.
mediately. "Unole Roberts! Uncle
Roberts. 1t is always Uncle Roberts.
And you Understand forsooth! Why
didn't understand? Why were the
earrings concealed from me? For all
I know, you gave them to her your
self. Perhaps you are this Uncle
Roberts who is always brought to the
front at every pet piece OF extrava.
eance. For my part, wish I had
even a husband, not to speak of an
Uncle Roberts, who would not see
me trodden under foot by any little
mink who choices to toss her head
above me-"
"My dear my dear just remember
where you arej Just remember the
children" murmured Mr.. Templeton,
foundering in little farther.
"Where 1 am? suppose you don't
wal, al Cartoon to hear how I'm out.
ragged, You'd like to keep it a secret.