The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-02-20
.HEARTs AND DIAMONDS.


wear It for . little whileT she asked.
Though they were in the park, John
risked public opinion, and taking the
little hand ia his, held it tightly for q
minute. AYou shall have it for good
some day, and 90 better ones" he said,
eonndently. Meanwhile wear it as
long Is you like, that is, till my old dad
comes to town, which viii not be for
some time yet
ct was very good Of him to give it
% you"
YES, because he prized il, and al
ways wore Il himself. But I wanted
no rewskd tor passing 81 ordinary
exam. that hesps IS other fellows
through as a matter Of course; besides
I don't care for 5ewelry. I'd just as
soon have had e mug engraved with
present for a good boy / shall only
wear it to please him, and you shall
wear it to please ne"
Elsa hardly heard what he said
che was deep in thought and spoke
dreamily. 81 think it is the cruelest
thing in fate-to have expensive tastes
and no means to crafty them"
That's something that can be con
quered,' said John, c~heerfully; there's
always q second best, you know"
"Ah, il L could only realizs it-but
I can't" Elsa answered, despondently.
Sand here is a case in point: Mrs.
Ponder gave me an awful brooch on my
lbirthday-bogus jewels mounted in
brass. L never give a mean present.
she said, and anyone would take this
to be worth at least s4O.' I thanked
her, but / have never had the courage
to wear 1t. Had / only been able to see
it with her eyes / should have been de-
lighted with it."
''She meant we'll, - said John, softly.
20, John, she ought not to have had
me so well educated-we have not u
taste in common. She would have been
happier with her niece, the grocer's
daughter"
you must take more exercise, Elsa;
that typewriting is too much for you,"
'sNo, it is not that; besides I have the
daily walk, and I'm better away
from home. Then / must have some
money Of my own can't come to Mrs.
Ponder for it, feeling as l do-and l
pay her as much as I can, and try to
make things last, but o! / am so tired Of
tall"
Johns healthy mind could not gauge
Nalese fits of despondence. He saw no
reason for them. Why conld mot Elsa
work on sanguinely towards the future
as he did? She must have little faith in
Aim.
He gently pointed this out to her, but
abe only shook her head, snd leaned
back, closing her eyes. They sat in 81
ience for awhile until the mood passed;
then Elsa rose, slowly drawing her
shabby little glove over the beautiful
ring.
John rose and drew her arm through
his, in his bourgeois fashion. ut il
rather impossible, when you come t.
think Of il" he said, laughing, ito veal
big diamond when you're hard up.
couldn't stand the temptation, yol
know. I'm glad you've got it."
Mrs. Ponder prided herself OF bein!
very outsDoken, but hers was the can
dor Of vulgarity that spares no one
feelings, least Of all those of dependents
She also demanded, and could digest
an unstinted amount of praise, and, a
long as this was bestowed, was a fairl
amiable person to live with. II Els
eould have borne with this most irr
Eating Of foibles she would have had
comfortable home; for, though Mr.
Ponder mourned over her want of ter
6erness and sympathy, she cherishe
= secret pride in Elsa's beauty and mic
manners, which she attributed to he
own influence in the girls training
But Elsa had not the tact of hypocris
that helps so many waits to claim Luz
urious lives; she had the Impotence
intellect, and the stress of uncongenii
c-ompanfonship told on her and aus
constant chickering's.
When John called late one ~afternoc
70 reclaim his ring, he found Mrs. Pc
der much aggrieyed, An a~ltercatiC
had taken place in the morning in re
e to some chintz draperies she hs
chosen that did notmeetwith Elsa's a
provaI.
.sShe's not home yet" snapped MI
Ponder, in answer to his difident
quiry, "and the longer she stays awi
b better. She grumDles at Chls--s
grumbles at that-she says she'll 10
her door, because / want her to hs
a pretty, clean room-and I'm not
interfere with her things. Her thing
why, she hadn't a rag to her back VIII
/ took her int Look what I've do
for her! The paltry sum she insi
on giving me doesn't pay for ]
breakfast. But / don't mind tn
she hasn't a bit OF sense, and 1
won't nsten-that's what annoys m
John endeayored unsuccessfully
stem the wrathful recital OF woes.
his desire to soothe her he said exac
the wrong things. "An girls are
same, / suppose; they like to be in
pendent. / shouldn't worry about
ii / were you; perhaps she's right, !!
see. And Of course she knows all
owes you
aShe doesnt-that's just what
doesn't" exclaimed Mrs. PonC
angrily. Suddenly she lowered
voice in q mysterious whisper. mo
- 4-.4A so ono would n