Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-11-19

The Bracelets


II 1t had not been for Marion's ma
ternal uncle she and George would
have flown to the ills of poverty in
married couples that they VOTED not
of; from the straitened circumstances
of single blessedness, with which both
were familiar. Marion's earnings as a
stenographer were not sufficient to
care for herself and a brother whom
mental alienation kept in an asylum,
and her maternal uncle gave her
grudingly the necessary assistance.
This he threatened to withdraw should
she marry. and the girl knew her un-
Gle would keep his word.
There was nothing to do but to wait
until George got promotion with an
increase Of salary. George was clerk
in the comptroller's Office. When he
passed his civil service examination
successfully they seemed already to
hear the wedding bells. He was
equipped to take the place of expert
accountant whenever there should be
vacancy. Expert accountants in the
city comptroller's office were we'll paid
contented persons, however, who mani
Tested no haste to die or to resign.
One morning George hurried into
the little parlor and began to tell his
news before the jute portiere had done
shaking behind him.
"Old man Osprey is going to leave"
said he, "the comptroller called him
down this morning, and Osprey an
nounced that a bank the city does bus
mess with wanted him. The old man
told him to go and be something else.
So at the end of the month somebody
will go up"
"Oh George" cried Marion, 'if 1t
should be you"
I'm second on the list, and know
Kellar really wants to quit. He's after
a bank job, too"
Then II Kellar should resign, they
can't help but promote you" said Ma
rion, ioyfully.
ooh, you don't know politics, dear;
they can always help doing what they
don't want to do. That's one of the
blessings Of civil service. If only
had some influence"
"Or, If 1 had" murmured Marion
and asked at once, What kind of a
woman is the comptroller's wife?"
"a little, short, black-eyed woman
with red cheeks and vulgar manner
She bosses the comptroller they say;
anyway when she comes downtown we
hear her talking very loudly in
O'Brien's Office"
81 wish 1 knew Mrs. O'Brien," said
Marion.
"It wouldn't do any good" said
George, unless we had relatives who
are society people; that's what the
controllers wife wants-to get into
society. I'm afraid she's pretty ordi
nary as we'll as ambitious, and thai
tvpe never does anything for nothing
All the same, while waiting for ole
man Osprey to exit, there was no Law
to prevent George and Marion from
hoping, and they did hope, George 81
strongly that for Marion's birthday ht
committed an extravaganza based OF
his possible increase of salary. A weel
before the day he stepped into TIT
fanys and bought bracelet, narrow
nIain gold band. He left 1t to b.
marked with Marion's name, aftel
which It was to be delivered to hin
at the controllers office.
On the day that George made hi
purchase. Comptroller O'Brien stopped
of Tiffany's and purchased a very ex
trayagant bracelet set with diamond
ond emeralds. There was no senti
ment attached to the ornament IN thi
case for Mrs. O'Brien had given he
lord an order to buy and bring 1t hom
N her In order that she might wea
Il TO a dinner to be given by the may
or's wife. There was no place for tn
disnlav of a brilliant bracelet, in Mrs
O,Rriep's eyes, like a dinner table.
The day before the dinner the emeI
old bracelet had not reached Mrs.
O,Rrien. She ordered her lord to rem
odv the omission on his way to nj
omce He declared that he had sen
the ornament home a week before ou
ofored to drive to the jewelers. an
And out why 1t had not been sent. A
the shop he learned that the emeral
bracelet had been delivered ct his o
oce and a receipt obtained
"Who signed for it? demanded IN
.or,ntroIler. The book was produce
and he read the name OF MS cleri
George Munroe
: On reaching his ONCE the eomptro
= Ter sent for Monroe.
.eWhers is the braceletr he demand