The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-10-07
MY LADY'S BRACELET
Bv GRACE ETHEL WEEKS.

.
ciation.l
Zeke jerks, a native Of Missouri, at
twenty years of age lost his father
aud gained thereby a farm. Not find
ing the state big enough for him, he
sold his farm and went to Texas,
where he invested the proceeds in Oil
territory, of which the Octopus Oil
company kindly relieved him for a
considerat ton. Zeke took the consid-
Grafton to New York, where he became
Il great stock and cotton speculator
aud 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
70 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, 1t was not 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, notwithstanding 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-marrfed 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 number Of
splendid jewels and when she wished
to crush a 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 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, rival had ap-
peared from the American colony In
the person of Miss Lillian Lao, a ma
tive of Maryland. whose beauty, de-
lightful manners and naturally anna
BILE disposition was slowly making her
d favorite Notwithstanding these adj
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 un-
conscious that certain prophets were
whispering that she would be at the
head of the reigning bellies at no dis
tant date.
Il
bells was winding her tentacles about
Zeke jerks He had been growing
more and more devoted and gave eY
ery 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 att
ernoon tea to ask favor.
Desiring, he said, to make some &C
knowledgmentito a lady of high soc1a
standing who had graciously accepted
his attentions. he asked Lady Rlch
mond to name a gift that would be &C
ceptable. 1t being obvious that Lad.
Richmond herself was to be the reclI
lent, she eagerly consented. She wa
however. trifie surprised at MI
jerks giving her limit of $4,000. A
the end Of a weeks inspection tn
lady gave q jeweler an order to sent
a bracelet set with a single diamond
to the American with the BILL which
amounted to the limit he had glvel
her. Then she waited to receive tn
gift from Mr.. jerks, hoping 1t woul'
come in time for function to tax
place at Buckingham palace, Wher
she expected to meet the chit iron
America as she called Miss Lee, an
20 blind her with the sparkle OF tn
new gem.
But the gift came not, and the quee1
Of the bellies was obliged to go to tn
palace without it. What was he
chagrin to see it on the wrist OF Mis-
Lee! Lady Richmond. after salutin
the king and queen, retired and neve
again appeared as the reigning beaut.
The next day she read in society pa
per the announcement of the engage
ment of the two Americans, MI Eze
kiel jerks and Miss Lillian Lee.
Zeke jerks married Miss Lee in th
early springtime and instead OF seel
ing further social preferment at tn
British capital went off to Egypt witt
out even saying goodby to numbe
of persons to whom the husband q
least owed his elevation. But, nav1n
paid well for what he had received, L
did not consider any farewell nece'