The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-10-10
THE PRETTY GOLD
LINK BRACELET
A Story OF A Young Girls InOrdiaate
Love OF Finery,

Muriel and her sister Flo were in fiut-
ter OF delight. Aunt Marian was Uncle
Fred's wife and they had never seen her
before At first they felt somewhat shy,
for she was very stylish and pretty, but
their shyness soon wore of. for they
found her very Rind-heartcd and amiable.
she delighted the girls with her lively
ways and her good companionship, and
one of their great pleasures was to so
TO her room and gaze al all the pretty
things she had 10 show them--her rich,
dainty dresses and hats, her fans and
parasoIs, her laoes and her jewelry.
This last was what Muriel liked lest
to see. for she had a weakness for triak-
cts, and Aunt Marian had such beautiful
things-sparkling diamond rings. pearl
brooch. and opal pin, a hair-dagger set
with turquoises, gold neck-ehain, with
heart-shaped locket, and many others,
But what Muriel admired most was a
gold braoslet.
This was Of dainty workmanship, with
slender chased links and a little paSiloek
set with a monogram in pearls.
Il value this more than anything else
/ have. I think" said Aunt Marian. as
she sat with her jewel-box on her lap
and Muriel and Flo on the fioor beside
her. ''Not so much because OF its beauty
OF value, but because father gave it TO
me the last Christmas / spent Al home,
and he died soon afterwards. l would
not lose it for anything in the world,
and 1 seldom wear it."
She had ciasped Il on her wrist as she
spoke and Muriels eyes fingered on it
wistfully What would she not have
given for a bracelet like that, she thoaght.
am not sure that Aunt Marian's dis
play OF dresses and pretty things was
just the best thing for Muriel. although
Aunt Marian herself had no thoughI
beyond giving her young friends pleas
ure: she did not dream that it might
snduce certain little demons OF envy and
discomfort 20 creep in to their hearts.
It did not hurt Flo in the least. for she
was a sensible, intelligent. oontented girl
who enjoyed looking at pretty things for
their own sake, and never thought Of
feeling covetous or discontented on ac-
count Of them. But Muriel was very diff
ferent she was pretty, prown-eyed girl
of fifteen. and she wanted a great many
she did not. and could not, and perhaps
ought. not 20, have
Before Aunt Mar1ans adven sne mac
simple pretty gowns and hats, and the
little pin and brooch that were her only |
jewelry But her simple finery seemed
very poor and insignificant beside Aun, |
Marisn's city splerdor ,
Flo coud put on her new gingham and 1
walk serenely down the street with Aun
Marian in her summer silk, and enjoy
herself thoroughly; but Muriel could not.
Foolish? Yes. Of course she was foolish.
II is always foolish and maybe wicked.
as well, 10 let thoughts about our clothes
or envy Of someone else's, interfere with i
our own comfort and happiness.
Muriel thought entirely TOO much about
dat bracelet CT Aunt Marian's. an6
{ ighed whenever she thought of it II /
only she had one like that How the
girls at school would envy her.
When Muriel went into Aunt ----.4a's
room with fresh towels the next day,
she found herself alone Aunt Marian's
jewel-casket lay open on the dressing
table and there, in its box, on a bed
Of perfumed pink cotton. lay the dainty
thing itself Muriel picked II up a little
doubtfully and fastened It on-she had
pretty wrist and the bracelet became it.
''oh, I do wish II were mine" she said
despondently. i've always wanted a A.,
bracelet so much and chains are all the
rage now. might as well wish for the
must have cost a great deal" .
She unlocked it ami put It tack with
/ sigh; but she did not leave with It
her discontented longing; she carried tina;
with her wherever she went, and she
slipped in to peep at the bracelet a great II
many times, when Aunt Marian was out,
forgetting that the first stage Oh ihs
road to temptation is a very gradual one
One day Muriel received a note from
Clara Howard inviting her TO a birthday 4
party the following evening Flo was Il
not invited as she was not in Clara's
class at school. but she did not feel dis
) mn nj ad 1I1
ian had planned a drive to the city the
next day, to visit Aunt Isabel, and they
intended TO remain over night
Muriel was in a futter Of expectant
delight. She enjoyed parties and Clara
Howard's were always delightful for
Clara's father was rich and denied her
nothing. She was sure Of having a good
time and she had pretty new dress
to wear to it; besides, her father gave
her new pair Of slippers, and brother
Charlie brought her the very prettiest
silver belt-buckle imaginable.
Muriel dressed alone that night. miss.
ing Flo's skill and aid not a little; but
very pretty indeed, she looked when she
finished her simple toilet and stepped
back with bit Of pardonAble vanity to /
smile at her radiant reflection.
But It takes good deal to satisfy
some people, and Muriel was not salts.
ied. She wanted bracelet; all the girls
at the party would have one, and she
felt decidedly ill-used because she could
not have one, too. Then Mur1el thought
OF teh gold-linked bracelet in Aunt Mar
ans box. oh, if she could only wear
hat to Clara Howard's birth day party |
How the girls would envy her!
When people allow such ideas TO take
possession Of their minds, they very often
get into trouble. Muriel should have
resolutely banished such thoughts but
he did not. Instead, the foolish girl went
into Aunt Marian's room and looked long y