Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1902 — Her Hired Bracelet [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Her Hired Bracelet

IGHT and twenty years old to-day!” said Miss Maliandaine, with a shake of her yellow curie. “Dear me, I am really getting to be almost an old maid!” “Oh, my love, what nonsense,” said her mother, “as if you couldn't be married any day that you pleased!” “But it's so hard to make up one’s mind,” said Miss Mallandaine. At that moment Carter, heF maid, tripped in. “If you please, Miss Mary, here’s a bunch of violets Just come for you. And a card.” “Violets!” cried Mary, with brightening eyes and rosy lips apart. “My favorite flower! How kind of Captain Cleveland to remember my birthday!" But in less than a minute back came Carter again. “A parcel for Miss Mallandaine!” cried she, breathlessly, “with Mr. Mildmay's card.” “Isn't it nice to have birthdays?" said Mary, laughing and coloring as she opened the little violet velvet case and saw an amethyst bracelet with the one word, “Mary," engraved on the inside. “But, oh, mamma, I can’t take anything so expensive as this.” “You can’t return It, my dear, without seeming rude,” said comfortable Mrs. Mallandaine. "And it certainly Is a gem, and quite puts the captain’s violets in the shade.”

“Nothing is so sweet as flowers, mamma," said she. “But the violets could have been bought anywhere for 25 or 50 cents, my dear," said Mrs. Mallandaine. “And the bracelet must have cost SIOO. Mr. Mildmay is very handsome and agreeable,” continued Mrs. Mallandaine. "But there is something about him that I don’t quite like, mamma," hesitated Mary. And long after her mother had left the room Mary Mallandaine sat with the two birthday gifts before her, looking first at the bunch of violets and then at the broad band of yellow gold in its satin-lined case. The very next afternoon she met Lizzie Cleveland, the captain’s rosy little sister. “Are you going to Lady Haughton’s ball next week, Lizzie?” said she. “I haven’t got anything fit to go in," answered Lizzie, "and Frank can’t afford me the money for a new dress. An old college companion of bls has just died in great distress, and Frank has given all his money to assist the poor widow and children. Dear Frank is always doing such noble things.’’ When she came home she found a visitor—Mrs. Inglis—waiting for her. "My dear," said Mrs. Inglis, “I really must show you the bargain I got yesterday at Levlson’s—a real jet necklace, set in gold, for $12.50. Only look." "It is beautiful.” admitted Miss Mallandaine. “But isn’t Levlson— a pawnbroker?" "The very reason I go there to buy things cheap,” nodded Mrs. Inglis. “They do have things so reasonable at Levison.’s. ’ "Do they?" said Miss Mallandaine. “And it's such a dreadfully convenient place, too,” added Mrs. Inglia “I was waiting in the dark end of the dear, mysterious old place, for the clasp of the necklace to be repaired—for. of course. 1 didn’t care about being seen- and while I was there the handsomest young man you ever saw came in to hire a bracelet." “To hire a bracelet!" repeated Mary Mallandaine In astonishment. "Yes.” nodded Mrs. Inglis. “Wasn’t It a curious idea? To hire n bracelet for three months? There was a good deal of joking going on between him and old Levlson, and 1 could hear him declare that he was going to lie married to an heiress within the three months, and that this bracelet should "be returned al the end of that time,

without fall, and he was to pay $lO a month and assume all risks.” “How do you know?” “Levlson told me so after he had gbne out. Levison xvas packing the bracelet In a velvet case to send away. I tried to make him tell me where it was going, but he wouldn’t. But it was the sweetest thing you ever saw— Roman gold, with ” Mary Mallandaine opened the drawer of her Inlaid secretaire and took out an open velvet case, in which lay the amethyst bracelet. “Was it anything like this?” said she. “The very one!” cried Mrs. Inglis. “My dear child, how came you In possession of it?” “Mr. Mlldmay sent It to me yesterday,” said Miss Mallandaine, quietly. “It can’t be possible that that young man was Mr. Mildmay!” cried Mrs. Inglis. “It is most probable,” said Miss Mallandaine, with a curious, cold smile. “And—excuse me, dear—that you are the heiress that he is going to marry?” “I am the heiress that he is not going to marry,” said Miss Mallandaine, with the sparkle of angry tears in her eyes. And Miss Mallandaine was married to Captain Cleveland after all, and the flowers she wore, with a tulle and white satin dress, were neither orange blossoms nor jessamines, but simple violets.—London Evening News.

TWO BIRTHDAY GIFTS.