The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-09-28
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RICH MANS PEARL
BY J. 8. wooDHousE.

Like golden link to bind in happy
unison the democratic and aristocratic
extremes of the social chain, the little
oneetory yellow cottage of Magnus
Hertz occupied geographically har-
monious position between the minor
and ma1or keys Of thriving munich
PAL life.
From under this modest little roof
man-becanBe Of his broad shout
ders. his long, hank body, and his
sdnewy aFms-went down the hill,
pierced the smoky counterpart that
almost hid the lowlands, and worked
among the giant engines where there
was heat and dirt and foal afr.
And the woman. because Of her nat.
urai charms Of beauty and grace OF
mannees went I'D the bin to mingie
with rhoee Of the social set.
They had married because of an
ardent love for each other, but gold
Is q rare metal that cannot resist q
strain with the tenacity Of the more
vulgar iron or steel or brass, and the
opposite weights were beginning 70
pull hard on this fragile link of love.
Her Intercourse with the moro gen
teei had served to magnify In her eyes
the crudfty of her husbands manners
and by gentle remonstrances at first
she had undertaken to correct them.
Her esthetic sense had developed tc
the point that It grated harshly on hsI
nerves to see him drink his soup from
the bowl.
In the beginning she had tried to in
duce him to 60 with her into this new.
" discovered world. But be just
laughed, lighted his corn-cob pipe. and
sat contentsdly down by the fire after
a day of hard tot, to enjoy q pleasant
relaxation.
All her coaxing would not alter him
He asptred to no society beyond the
geniality Of his home. and his CHIEF
demand Of wtfehood was good cook
ing and sweet disposition. Her In
creasing social indulgence but magni
fed In her eyes the shortcomings Of
the husband, and frequently ELECTED
from him reproach.
The time devoted to her social ambi
ton was detracting from both Of his
chief demands Of wifehood. This $50
cial lure" then was the one element
that had interfered with the hitherto
| perfect domestic peace.
| - A.. "a
dent to arrest the development of this
rapidly widening domestic breach.
The catastrophe was precipitated by
her vanity. coupled with pronounced
conceit.
The pretty compliments, the kind
attentions, and the suggestions o.
wealth due such beauty, continuously
showered upon her by men superior
to her husband In both income and in
tellect, were attributed by her to nc
Interior motives, but accepted witt
an audacious conviction that they
were the truth.
She had nourished her vanity so faI
that she believed the diamond brooch
proposed by an ardent admirer as an
enhancement to the beauty Of her neck
might conscientiously be accepted BY
her without moral trrpitude.
But one thing withheld the too eager
hand from this and many other prot
fered gifts-the jealousy of her hus
band; sentiment. she convinced her
self, due only to his Ignorance.
1t must be conceded that Mrs. Hertz
regardless Of the many indiscretionf
of which she might be guilty, was
when the question resolved itself te
the one-element measure adopted b.
moralists today-virtuous.
But to sacrifice ambition within
ones grasp to crafty the shortcomingi
Of another Is concession that woult
wear on nerves even less feminine
than those of Mrs. Hertz, and accord
ingly she soon found herself trying Il
evolve a method of harmonizing tht
difficulty that oppressed her ON one
side, and the temptation that Mred hel
on the other.
How to accept from some adnrirel
the wealth that would buy the dresses
and jewels she would have and how
to make her husband gracefully accepI
the situation was problem that woult
readily have confounded less preten
tious person
Even she might have been compelled
to bow beneath the weight Of thii
problem had there not crossed her SO
cial horizon Horace Duval, who, as
distinguished visitor from the East
attracted considerable feminine atten
ton, but who chose in turn to center
his on the beaming Mrs. Hertz.
Ostensibly he was an importer o
African furs and very wealthy. bu
with a rtpening acquaintance he con
fided to Mrs Hertz that In reality b,
was an eastern fisher of pearls. To he
curious eyes he exhibited some of thu
most beautiful specimens upon which
she had ever looked.
One of exceptional size and beaut.
which appealed to her feminine fame!
he frankly admitted was worth on.
thousand dollars. It became between
them quite the chief topic Of converse
ton, largely because woman loves Il
revel in q secret
It was at Mrs. Lancaster's ball hi
attentions reached the height of thei
manifestations, and he suggested b,
would love to shower jewels upon
woman of such magnificent beauty.
So while Magnus Hertz sat In hi
little cottage home trying to fgur
how he could make his meager incom
cover his rapidly increasing expenses
Horace Duval whispered in the wife
ear that he would gladly give her tn
big pearl If she feared not the hua
bands scruplsS
That peculiar machination Of int
lect that formulates intricate plan
within the twinkling of an eye and ha
been charged by some with being tn
devil himself, here entered with alaf
rity the woman's mind, and she accep
ed the gift that was pressed firmly int
her hand, while the giver extracte
permission to can at her home tn
next afternoon.
It was an ingenious scheme that ha
entered the pretty head of this amb
tious young woman!
1t was with mingled feelings Of al
punishment, qualification and hope tha
Magnus Hertz the next evening sal
his wife bring to the table steamin
tureen Of oyster soup. And seeing hi
wifes face beam with patronizin
smile. he accepted this as an offerin
of peace and notice that hostiiities ha
ceased.
Nothing SO thoroughly appealed
the appetite of this thrifty worker a
oyster soup. and when his wife passe