Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-31
'.THE BLOOD RED CROSS. !.

In the month of November In the year
1899 found myself a guest in the house
of one of my oldest friends Geo, Rowland.
His beautiful place in Yorkshire was an
ideal holiday resort 1t went by the name
of Rowland's Folly and had been built on
the site of a former dwelling in the reign
of the first George. The house was now
replete with every modern luxury. 1t, how
ever, very nearly cost its first owner, If not
the whole fortune, yet the most precious
heirloom of the family. This was pearl
necklace of almost fabulous value. 1t had
been secured as booty by certain Geof-
frey Rowland at the time of the battle of
Agincourt had originally been the property
of one of the dukes of Genoa, and had
even for a short time been in the keeping of
the pope. From the moment that Godfrey
Rowland took possession of the necklace
there had been several attempts made to
deprive him of it. Sword, fire, water, pol
son. had all been used, but Intellectually.
The necklace with its eighty pearls, smooth,
symmetrical, pear-shaped, of a translucent
white color and with subdued, iridescent
sheen, was still in the possession of the
family and was likely to remain there, as
Geo. Rowland told me, until the end Of
time. Each bride wore the necklace on her
wedding day, after which it was put into
the strong room and as rule, never seen
again until the next bridal occasion. The
from f2.00O 10 $4,000 EACH but the lstori-
cal value of the necklace put the price al
most beyond the dreams of avarice.
1t was reported in the autumn of that
same year an American millionaire had
offered to buy 1t from the family at their
own price, but as no terms would be lis
tended to the negotiations fell through.
Geo. Rowland belonged to the Oldest and
proudest family in West Riding and no
man looked a better gentleman or more fit
to uphold ancient dignities than he He
was proud to boast that from the earliest
days no stain of dishonor had touched his
house, that the women of the family were
as good as the men, their blood pure, their
morals irreproachable, their ideas lofty.
went to Rowland's Folly in November
and found a pleasant, hospitable and cheer
ful hostess in Lady Kennedy, Rowland 8
only sister. Antonio Ripley was, however,
the center of all interest. Rowland was
engaged to Antonio and the history was
romantic. Lady Kennedy told me all about
it.
''She Is penniless girl without family -
remarked the good woman, somewhat snap
pishly. Il can't imagine what George was
thinking off,
How did your brother meet her?'' 1
asked.
I'VE were both in Italy last autumn;
we were staying in Naples at the
Vesuve. An English lady was staying there
Of the name of Studley. She died while we
were at the hotel. She had under her
sc young SlIi, Lie same AntOnld VINO
is now engaged to my brother. Before her
death she begged of us to befriend her, say
Ing that the child without money and
without friends. All Mrs. Studley's money
died with her. We promised, not being able
to do otherwise. George fell in love al
most at first sight. Little Antonio was pro-
vided for by becoming engaged to my
brother. 1 have nothing to say against the
girl, but / dislike this sort of match very
much. Besides, she is more foreign than
English.
Cannot Miss Ripley tell you anything
about her history?''
Nothing, except that Mrs Studley adopt
ed her when she was tiny child She says,
also, that she has a dim recollection of a