The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-06


 mess he spent most of his time with his Aunt Hoggarty though he would have preferred to stroll in the fields with a certain person in the village whose name was Mary Smith and who had given him a little green silk purse with a thick curl of the glossiest, blackest hair you ever saw.
 MT. Tltmarsh's mother and sisters would have liked his company. too. But Mrs Hoggarty was rich, and they thought he might as well be her heir as another.
 So he spent all his evenings playing cribbage with her, which he hated; and losing small sums at it constantly, which he could not afford; and drinking her i'm fernal sour black currant wine, which always made him ill
 After all this martyrdom MT. Titmarsh confidently expected that his relative would make him a present of a score of guineas at least. But when the day came for his departure Aunt Hoggarty eX- pressed her qualification at finding him so steady and frugal, which, she said, put him above the need of money. "I give you" said she with a sob, "the portrait of my sainted Hoggarty, set in the locket which contains the valuable diamond that you have heard of so often. Wear it, dear Sam, for my sake, and think of that sainted angel in heaven, and of your dear Aunt Hoggarty."
 With these words she gave him a lock- ct as large as a barndoor paddock In the middle of the brooch was the DOT trait of Hoggarty in the scarlet uniform of his volunteer regiment. Around it were 1S locks of carroty red hair which belonged to the old gentleman's B sis ters. These were dished up OH a plate of blue enamel and seemed to spring from the great Hoggarty diamond.
 Luckily his aunt hated all the Hog gartys, and she insisted that her be- loved nephew must have their hair re- moved. He took advantage of the op- portunity to suggest that he would have his uncle's miniature framed because it was such a sweet picture, and then have the diamond reset. His aunt not only as- sented graciously, but told him to go to the best jeweler in London and have the bill sent to her.
 MT Titmarsh returned next morning to his labors as thirteenth clerk in the immense offices of the Independent West Diddesex Fire and Life Insurance com pany. His mother had put her little for tune of G400 into the company to pur- chase an annuity for herself. It paid her a36 pounds a year when no other com- in a24
 The chairman of the directors was the great MT. Brough of the house of Brough & Hoff, which had tremendous business in figs and sponges and zante entrants. He was a leading director, too, in the Ginger Beer company and the Consoli- dated Baffin's Bay Muff and Tippet com pany, and the Patent Pump company, all of which did an immense business and had thousands of stockholders every where. MT. Brough's name led every his church and equally great in parlia- ment, where he was foremost in support ing all great public movements.
 MT. Titmarsh was rather respected among the clerks, because he came from better family than most of them, but especially because of his rich aunt, Mrs Hoggarty. When he returned to the of- flee he soon let them know that she had given him a splendid diamond, worth at least 30 guineas, and his reputation as a young man of great connections rose ac- cordingly.
 At the first opportunity he asked leave of absence, explaining very particularly that he had important business at the West End, the mention of which aristo- cratic district made every young man in the office prick up his ears. He departed with his friend, Gus Hoskins, who had dressed himself in honor of the occasion in his best and had brought large cigal to hold his own among the fashionables As MT. Titmarsh surveyed him, with hi! hands in the pockets Of his wide trousers which he stretched out as far as possible from his hips, blowing great clouds iron his cheroot and clamping with the iror heels of his shoes, he felt that Gus reall! looked quite the genteel thing and not a all as if he were only the son of old Hos kins. the leather seller of Skinner street
 Mr. Titmarsh himself wore his blue coa
 
 with brass buttons, a sprig waistcoat anG nankeen trousers and one of Dando's sill hats that looked a good deal glossier thar the best beaver.
 At the great jewellers shop of MT. Polo nius, however, Gus held back when h' saw the great carriages at the door. H, insisted on waiting outside while MT. Tit marsh went in to have his diamond re set
 An old lady and two very pretty young ones were looking at pearl necklaces when MT. Titmarsh handed his aunt'i enormous machine to the jeweler. Int old lady stretched out her hand, tool up the beautiful trife and burst into laughter, crying: "As live. it's the grea Hoggarty diamond"
 She turned to her companions and said ssLook, girls! This Is the great jewel ol all Ireland. That red-faced man in thu middle is poor Mick Hoggarty. a cousin of mine, who was in love with me in thu year 'sk Those la sthreamers of red hail