Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-12-17

What's that that Charley Clarke has
in his hand? 1t has the shape of a
book | bought for Adelaide abroad. 1t
is aggresslvely Juvenile, but the pic
lures are really good, thank heaven!
Miss Adelaide Bancroft announc-
ed Santa Claus in his funny, high
keyed voice. Looks as if it came from
Europe. Now, who has been in Europe
recently, | wonderW
At this about half the assemblage
turned toward me and laughed. 1t was
like a great family around it's Christ
mas tree, this gathering of honest
hearted folks in the old First church
of Southfield.
1t certainly seemed to me that all
my presents to Adelaide were wide of
the mark, but her heart received them
every one. That a stranger coming
home across the world should have
halted now and then to purchase triv-
ial things for a girl whom he had new
er seen was sweet to her in a way that
no man can understand. My wretched
string Of queer beads made a great i'm
preston. She handled them with a
grace that made them beautiful, and
when she had put them about her
neck upon my wcrd they almost SEEM
ed worth while.
was beginning tc be foolishly salts
fed with myself when something hap
pened that changed the whole situa-
ton in a moment. One of st. Nick's
messengers delivered a small gift to
Adelaide, who was already declaring
that there couldn't be anything more
for her and that she had known
such a. Christmas in all her life. The
new offering seemed to be a small
cubical box wrapped in plain brown
paper. Presently it disclosed itself to
he a very pretty box indeed, covered
with dark green velvet and having a
somewhat puzzling spring to hold the
lid.
Adelaide solved the trick of the
spring after many trials, which served
to heighten her interest and impa-
tience. The lid flew back. and l caught
a CLEAN of light. A faint cry escaped
from the girls lips, and her form be-
came rigid. She gazed into the box
with a %devouring intensity.
"a diamondv' said 1.
"Oh!'' she cried, and she flashed a sim
gle glance upon me that expressed some
exalted emotion which | have never ex-
perienced. AS the perfumes of roses
ono pIaonrshoh Ixv ,rnGro1 on6 nI1pii0d
by endless processes that ave of
magic, so gratitude was offered to me
in its hundredth distillate in this glance
of Adelaide'S.
"No, nor said 7 weakly, and when
Aunt Anne looked at me solemnly over
the top of her spectacles l shook my
head in most decisive fashion.
"U-u-um," remarked Uncle Horatio,
viewing the sparkling gem over my
shoulder, this is very extraordinary"
"Addie,' said Aunt Anne, don't you
know who gave it to you"
81 haven't the shadow of a guess"
she replied, and gave me the faintest
flash of a look such as / have already
described.
Word of HONOR" I protested, ut
was not l."
The diamond was set in a ring and
was above two caratS in weight. as /
Judged by comparing it with a mental
Image. of a stone belonging to my sis
ter. IT sparkled with exceptional bril-
liancy and exerted upon Adelaide a
truly hypnotic fascination. | think
that her eyes never wandered from it
for more than ten seconds during the
remainder of the exercises in the
church, and when we were upon the
street she held the gem before her at
arms length and followed this guiding
star all the way home. 1t drew her
forward with such speed that we three
were able to discuss this mystery to-
gether without being overheard by her.
OF course / could contribute nothing
in the way of information. l knew
only that l had not given Adelaide the
ring and that l wished tie truth were
otherwise. | supposed that the gift
must have come from some bashful
sutton of whom l had never heard.
There's a young man named Frank
Garland said she. Hes the only one
T oon 4htpLy If who'd haxnM ,oonou