Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-07-29
MY LADY'S BRACELET
BY GRACE ETHEL WEEKS.


where he invested the proceeds In oil
territory, of which the Octopus Oil
company kindly relieved him for a
consideration. Zeke took the consid-
GRAFTON to New York, where he became
a great stock and cotton Spectator
and by the time he was thirty was
worth so many millions that he didn't
know what to do with them.
Meanwhile Zeke, having determined
to see something beside his own coun-
try, went to London, where he kept
house in fine style Having made the
acquaintance of several impecunious
nOblemen who gave him intrOductions
(for consideration, it was vt long be,
fore he found himself a member of the
celebrated smart set headed by the
king of England. Certain profess
sional beauties of the British capt
tai, without stopping to consider the
origin of his accumulations, proceeded
to lay plans to transfer as much of
them as possible to themselves. A few
preliminary efforts in the way of mod
crate amounts were so successful as to
encourage them to strike for something
higher.
Among the reigning bellies of that
season-married bellies, not young
ladies; the bellies of London usually
are encountered with husbands-was
Lady Arabella Richmond. Twenty
years before her mother had been so
favorably noticed by the king as to be
unfavorably noticed by some of the
puritanical families of England. Lady
Arabella had inherited a number of
splendid jewels and when she wished
to crush rising rival would put them
all ON at some aristocratic function.
But unfortunately, the beauty's ex-
penditures being greater than her in
come, she was obliged now and again
to sacrifice a gem, and at the time
Zeke jerks appeared on the London
social stage she had reached a point
where her stock of jewels needed re-
pleniShing. Indeed, without certain
additions her supremacy was in dan
ger. She was among the first to take
up that unique American, Mr.. jerks"
who by this time was the talk of the
town Furthermore, a rival had ap-
peared from the American colony in
the person of Miss Lillian Leo, a ma
tive of Maryland, whose beauty, de-
lightful manners and naturally anna
bic disposition was slowly making her
a favOrite. Notwithstanding these ad-
Vantages Miss Lee could not have ri
vailed the highborn Lady Richmond
had not the latter reached an age
where even cosmetics failed to pre-
serve her beauty. The charm of the
whole matter was that Miss Lee did
not seek to rival any one and was I'M
conscious that certain prophets were
whispering that she would be at the
head of the reigning bellies at no dis
tant date
1t was at this time that Lady Ara
bells was winding her tentacles about
Zeke jerks. He had been growing
more and more devoted and gave ev-
cry evidence that he was not only en-
raptured with the position he occupied
before the London social world, but
with Lady Richmond herself One day
he called upon her at the hour for aft
ernoon tea to ask a favor.
Desiring, he said, to make some ac-
acknowledgement to lady of high social
standing who had graciously accepted
his attentions, he asked Lady Rich
mond to name gift that would be &C
ceptable. 1t being obvious that Lady
Richmond herself was to be the recip-
lent, she eagerly consented. She was
however. a trifie surprised at Mr.
rrSxy Of 4
the end of a weeks inspection the
lady gave a jeweler an order to send
a bracelet set with a single diamond
to the American with the bill. which
amounted to the limit he had given
her Then she waited to receive the
gift from Mr.. jerks, hoping it would
come in time for a function to take
place at Buckingham palace, where
she expected to meet the "chit from
America" as she called Miss Lee, and
to blind her with the sparkle of the
new gem.
But the gift came not, and the queen
of the bellies was obliged to so to the
palace without it. What was her
chagrin to see it on the wrist of Miss
Lee! Lady Richmond, after saluting
the king and queen, retired and never
again appeared as the reigning beauty.
The next day she read in a society pa
per the announcement of the engage
ment of the two Americans, Mr. Eze-
kiel jerks and Miss Lillian Lee.
Zeke jerks married Miss Lee in the
early springtime and instead of seek
ing further social prefermeRt at the
British capital went off to Egypt with !
out even saying goodby to a number
Of persons to whom the husband at
least owed his elevation. But, having
paid well for what he had received, he
did not consider any farewell neces-
sary.
Before the next London season came
on Lord and Lady Richmond appeared
in the divorce courts. One Of the
charges against the wife was that she
had sunk $1,000 in a bracelet which
she had never received. 1t came out
that when Zeke jerks Lad asked her
to select a gift, supposing it was for
her. being limited to $4,000 and cOvet-
ing bracelet worth $4,000, she had
directed the jeweler to send it to Mr..
jerks with a bill for $4,000, charging
her with the remaining f1,00O The |
Londoners found this item more deli
cious than certain scandalous features
connected with the trial
Meanwhile Mr.. and Mrs jerks were
on the ocean returning to America.