The sunny South. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1875-1907, November 16, 1878, Image 1
m ^WEfiS ecUxCTIOr,
VOL IV
J. H. & WB, b It*A.-LS, •[ *aopK]jroR^ ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16. 1878
™ > Al ^ 1 ? 3 PK1< A nkum
llflO 1 1NAD VANCE.
BABY HAS GONR TO SCHOOL.
The baby has cone to school; ah me!
What will the mother do,
With never a call to button or pin,
Or tie a li ttle shoe ?
IIow can she keep herself busy all day
With the little ‘hindering thing' away ?
Another basket to till with lunch.
Anot her ‘good-bye’ to say.
And the mother stands at the door to see
Her baby march away:
And turns with a sigh that is half relief,
And half a something akin to grief.
She thinks of a possible fnture morn,
Wheu the children, one by one.
Will go from their home out into the world.
To battle with life alone.
And not even the baby be left to cheer
The desolate home of that future year.
She picks up garments here and there,
Thrown down in careless haste;
And tries to think how it would seem
If nothing were displaced;
If the house were always as still as this,
How could she bear the loneliness ?
Necklace.
A STRANGE STORY.
A city lounger, whether an inhabitant of New
York or London,becomes familiar with strange
mutations of lortune. New faces, new enter
prise, new stores, greet his daily observation.
Alter awhile the old site puts on a new face,
bangs oat a new sign. The former occupant
and hid business disappear. No one knows
whither—few eare, least of al! the idle loiterer
seeking amusement in the changing diversity
of the streets. Some tiuiei an o'd face reappears
alter a lapse of years; of such an event we have
a strange story to tell.
Many years since, we were acquainted with a
young man who opened a jaweller’s shop in
Lend street, London. His name, for obvious
reasons, wot conceal, but he shall be known to
out rtadsrd ..o Ctiailbs SisluwmoH t..
accomplishments and family connections he was
superior to the generality of the class who follow
mechanical professions. Reverse of fortUDe
caused young Stanwood to be apprenticed to a
j tweiler; be became, in the course of time, au
< xperienced judge and skillful setter of preoious
stones; and 'aLL promise of support from a nu
merous circle of acquaintances, opened—per
haps prematurely, for his capital was of a trill-
in 1 ' amount -a shop (.or as we would call it this
side of the Atlantic, a store) in the leading thor
oughfare of fashion.
Business throve. T'ue shop became a favorite
resort of iadies, who possibly might have been
it flnenced by the naadsome person andcaptiva-
tu»g manners of the young jeweller. Although
Stan wood a capital was smalt— stock, therefore,
necessarily scanty—yet,through connection with
his deceased father’d mercauiiie friends, he was
occasionally entrusted with diamonds and other
prt cions articles to sell on oomuiissiou, and so
was enabled to compete, in point ol attractive
display, with his most substantial and wealthy
rivals in trade.
It is not every time a lady enters a shop that
she makes, or intends making a purchase; often
she resorts to the rich b zaars and mails of fash
ions for the sake of spending, not money, but
time. Our own lounging experience afforded
ocular demonstrations of the practiee;but in the
chbp of young S'anwood, vve thought it carried
to an inconvenient excess; often rallied him on
entertaining, sonrbvnely, his unprofitable visi-
tois, and hinted the mutual attract! veness of flir
ts ion. By his replies, we found our acquaintance
had not lost sight of business, even in his polite
and gallant devotions; the well-appointed equip-
pges wuioh stood at toe door—though time was
l. st with the fair owners - proved a ready and
efficacious mode ol advertising, fully compensa
tion for absence of purchasers. We placed more
taiih in the declaration, as we knew he was at
tached to a young lady, by whom the affection
was returned: though it would have put her in
experienced feelings to a severe trial if she had
Bet-D what we daily witnessed—the specious,
courtly, insinuating attentions of the handsome
jeweller to the youth and beauty who crowded
his establishment.
One day there alighted, from a dashing equip
age, two ladies whom Stanwood recognized—one
as a peeress, her companion, the wife of a rich
commoner.
Alter minute inspection of many articles, which
often caused him to leave the fair customers, in
quest of jewelry in a different part of the shop,
tuey departed without making any purchase,
aud were ushered to the carriage by the obse
quious jeweller. There was nothing extraordi
nary or ud usual in such a proceeding; but in re
placing in proper safety one of 'he trays, he
rniased a necklace of diamonds, of exceedingly
great value, but. which his visitors bad not, ap
parently, particularly scrutinized. The neck
lace beiouged to a merchant, to whom it had
be< n cousigued from Russia, and who, being a
personal triend, and having a high opinion ol
Sian wood's integrity, de med nis attractive and
lasLi nable shop he best mart for the sale of
snob an article. It was, therefore, placed in his
Charge to find a purchaser.
Breathless with emonon at the sudden loss,
the jeweller stood leaning against the counter,
euoe.voting to recall minutely every cirenm-
stHDce of the visit. There was—(here could be
no mistake! He had seen the necklace when dis
play mg the tray ; he mimed it on reluming trom
the carriage. Although he happeied to be alone
without any assistant,it was impossible any dep
redator coala have seized the opportunity ol his
back being turned for a moment, as he had tak
er the precaution ere Landing the ladies to the
carriage, of locking the trays temporarily, under
one ot the glass cases and retuiulug the key. The
glass was uubroheu.aud the bolt of the lock was
duly shut, when he returned.
What shou.d he do 7 To put up with the loss
>0, 178.
He held aside the voluminous curtains from the doorway that opened into the library.
. The neoklan.l wan I »n.ot nnr,a
worth more than ail he posse;
business, beyond personal an-, , citation during tno recOtd ,»ad vs
^?>7V« e .i ha -1.. < !. , “- a ”® ( ?- ,l i attr * ctive b,u un - I cultv persuaded by
ample return.' " 1 n ' ‘You hear what Mr. o>wood
was out of the question. The necklace was | repeat once more the perplexing story. The
Kri - „ , . r — J ssei—the profitsof | gentleman betrayed considerable an^er and
9 u’. b J y i ,u ,'? Phonal aud necessary expen- , citation during the rec^l. ,, a d was? with diffi
waif, the con-
affirms,’ sain
the nobleman, addressiajjf - his friend; ‘let me
tel! you what I have done.’
When he had informed him of the nature and
extent of the search which his house had un
der-gone he added:
The high rank of the parties placed them
above suspicion. Their noted wealth removed
ordinaty motives of temptation. His daring in
solence and presumption, it would be termed,
should he venture an accusation, must entail,
in all but his own eyes, well-merited retaliation,
aud certain ruin to his business. If his first
->tep were to seek the ladies, they would he
judged, deny the appropriation, (perhaps, in
deed, only one was guilty), and time would be
afforded for effectually concealing or destroying
the property. He deemed it most advisable to
seek a private interview with the peer, lay open
the state of affairs, and by promising secrecy,
the whole matter might be arranged without a
loss.
It was a task requiring more than ordinary
courage, even to state his case, but character,
property, credit—all that was valuable—was at
stake. Nerving resolution to a pitch of daring,
he knocked at the door of his lordship’s gloomy,
hut capacious mansion. On being ushered iDto
the library, the peer—who perceived his embar
rassment—by kindliness of tone and the urban
ity peculiar to high station, succeeded in some
measure, in puctiDg him at ease.
After stammering awhile, the jeweler delivered
the strange tale, which the nobleaiau heard with
such composure that the other began to believe
his lordship was aware of his wife’s propensities,
and that the untoward nffiir would, for himself
have a happier termination than his fears p.t first
suggested. But this belief was illusory. A
strong, burning indignation was suppressed
under outward cahuuess of demeanor. As soon
as Stanwood had conclued, the peer rang
the bell, and on a servant’s entrance inquired if
her ladyship had come home. He was auswered
iu the affirmative. Bidding the man wait, his
lordship wrote a hasty note to the magistrate of
a neighboring police office, which he was or
dered to deliver immediately without further
communication with any party.
‘I would have you sir, take notice,’ leaving
the door of the library open, as the man lingered
a moment in the hall, ‘that my messenger has
had speech with no one in the house —it may be
important to the justioeof your case.’
The valet shorty returned, accompanied by a
police-officer. Soon as the latter appeared the
owner of the mansion commanded the outer
door to be locked, and the keys to be given to
the functionany.
•Now restate your chaage in the presence of
the officer,’ said the peer, addressing Cuarles
Stan wood,
The jeweler, whose thoughts began to take an
unpleasant turn at the probable consequences of
a charge he might fail to substantiate, repeated
the history of the transaction. When he bad
concluded, the nobleman, addressing the officer,
recapitulated the main points, and requested
that be wouid immediately commence a search
through the house, in presence of Mr. Stan wood
and himself, as rigid—or he himself would not
be satisfied, and certainly the accuser would not
be more contented—as though he were in the
domicile of a reputed thief. He begged also, the
officer aud accuser both to bear witness that np
to the present moment her ladysaip was igno
rant of the charge.
We need not repeat the details of this domi
ciliary inquiry—suffice it to say, the jeweler
himself, both openly aud to bis own conscience,
was forced to couft-ss that all had been done
which the strongest suspicion warranted. The
necklace was not found.
•We will now. if you please,’ said the peer,
casting a keen glance at the disconcerted jewel
er, ‘pay a visit to my friend. His wife is as
deeply implicated as her ladyship—though I
have no control over his proceedings.’
The oommoner who lived in an adjoining
street, happened to be at home when the visi
tors arrived. In his presence, Stanwood bad to
‘A man whom ruiu frowns on may be excus
ed some confusion ia bis actions,’" said Stan
wood, rather sharply; ‘I consult you for
the benefit of, vaur skill io future
lecture on wnao i neio uo.,,... ,
et of the past is not entitled to much
honor !’
The lawyer, with a smile at the excitable an
ger of his client, declared he should not suffer
from want of advice—but he viewed the case as
‘I do not presume to dictate what should be j nigh hopeless. As his own testimony was en-
yonr conduct.’ j Itrely unsupported by other evidence, it was
‘My house shall undergo the same scrutiny,’ j useless to commence proceedings against the no-
cried the commoner. j bleman or his friend; they hid already done
Search commenced, wa3 carried on and coa- | more,than the law could have enforced,
eluded as unsatisfactory—to Stanwood—as in j As for making it a jury case, it was imprsetica-
the previous instance. j bio for want of witnesses, aud even if this diffi -
‘Cm you aid Mr. Stanwood further in the re- I culfcy were removed, sympathy would bsstroug-
covery of his property—so far as wo or our fain
ilies are concerned ?’ asked the nobleman.
The officer repliel, that he had never, during
his experience, made a more rigorous search,—
and as it had been done promptly and unex
pectedly, as he could assure Mr. SiaDwood that,
so far as the two gentlemen and tbeir families
vere concerned, there wa3 nothing further that
could he done, aud, were they even of a disre
putable character, nothing more could he at
tempt or advise.
‘Have you, sir, now done with us?’ cried the
peer, addressing the j eweler sternly, yet quiet-
!y-
Charles, distracted with his loss, stunned by
the unavailing result of the search which seem
ed to foreclose hope of recovering the necklace,
and foreshadowing approaching ruin, replied
that he bad no other remark to off-jr, or course
to pursue, than repeat what he had asserte ! in
the morning—begging par Ion of his lordship
and friend for the nature of the unpleasant rev
elation, which his own conscience and justice to
his creditors, demanded should not be s ifled.
‘Well, sir,’continued the peer, ‘your further
proceedings are of no moment to us. Whether
we have done with you is a material question,
which I shall take the advice of friends on ere
I decide. If you ever did, or do now, entertain
an opinion, that through fear of this disgraceful
charge being made public; -we or I will speak
only ol myself—1 should be induced to purchase
your silence, banish the thought! Take tuefull
measure of action which the law allows to sus
picion, and let this officer be witness that I al-
ford every facility.’
The commoner said that his lordship’s inten
tions coincided with nis own.
There was something so oppressive to a clear
conscience in the quiet, dignified hauteur of the
two friends, that tne spirit of the young man
was aroused, and though be beheld ruin in ev
ery shape, aud on evary side, stariDg him in the
face, he piucked up courage to say that, iu the
present state of the affair, advice might prove of
benefit to ail parties—with that view, he would
himself seek it; and meanwhile, he was as firm
in his charge as they were in snbmitting t Lem
uel v-s to the proof.
Here ended the colloquy.
In retaraiog home, chafed and distressed,
Charles could not dismiss from his mind that he
ought immediately to acquaint the own r of the
necklace of the loss, yet ne could not summon
courage—he clung to the hope that something
might turn up to guide him out. ot the perplex
ing labyrinth. He went straight to his lawyer.
Tne solicitor shook his head—:t was a bad case 1
The parties were of such high rauk, undoubted
wealth, so liber ll in their household expendi
ture, that the ladies would appear, according to
all ordinary judgment, to have no temptation.
There war perhaps a mistake—at least the woild
would say so. As his suspicions were so strong,
he should have followed the carriage or have
s»en the ladies in the first instance. Without
giving any opinion on the guilt or innocence ot
the accused, his client would have had more
power over female fears, and doubtless have
reaped more advantage, thau by running tilt
against the virtuous indignation of the hus
bands.
ly in favor of the defendants, from the maout-r
in w‘-ich they met the charge. The property
must be somewhere. And all that he could do
was to make the police acquainted with the rob
bery, (of that by-the-by th v already knew some
thing ) but with the exact description of the
necklace, the facial cutting and weight of the
precious stoues. mode of sotting aud other par
ticulars. An accurate descripiion should also
be distributed among the traie, to which might
be added the offbr of a competent reward for the
recovery of the property, on an appr iheusion of
any party on whom it should be found. With
respect to the owuer's claim, that was a matter
of debtor and creditor, which would he arranged
better by appeal to the party’s feelings, thau by
a solicitors interference As Stanwood was, by
bond, answerable for the return of the jewels, or
their value, he could not escape from the penal
ty. As to the threatened legal proceedings of
tiie peer, and his untitled iriend, ha had not
much to fear; though indirectly, in respect to
his business connection, their hostility might
prove extremely hurtful.
The solicitor's advice, as far as practicable,
was adopted, and Siauwood passed a miserable,
res'less night.
N-xt morning, on looking over the public
journals, he found a tolerably distinot repre
sentation of the affiir, though filled out with
blanks, asttri-iksand iaueadoes.in lieu ol streets
acid names.
Ha who bad prided himself on the array of
handsome equipages, blocking the wayside in
front of his door, was doomed to loiter through
the morning without a call, withouta customer.
The afternoon prints repeated the morning ver
sions, with additions descriptive of the magnan
imous forbearance of the h.gh-spiritad noble
man, etc., with a tiibnte of consolation to the
injured dames, concluding with advice to tiie
ladies in selecting iheir tradesman.
Dinner and a ternoon papers discussed—alike
indigestible—Stanwood was relieved from the
solitary monotony of the morniug by a visitor,
it was the owner of the necklace, who, Laving
heard the reports which the papers circulated,
came with anxious face, to ascertain whether the
story referred to Cuarles Stanwood.
It was but too true, as the jeweler, with rue
ful visage, admitted !
•This happened yesterday morning,’ exclaim
ed the merchant, in extreme anger: ‘and every
one is to be informed of the loss, if you call it
such, but m\ sdf! What construction am I to
put upon such behavior?’
Siauwood answered, though not with clear
ness, that so unfavorable construction could be
justly applied—a man's honesty were not less,if
uis courage were not always equal to the emer
gency.
Tne merchant, without commenting on this
reply, inquired if he had not bwu at certain
rooms, (w u .oh he named) on last Monday night
alter play-house hours.
Charles admired that he was present
‘Did you krov,’ inquired the creditor, ‘the
name and character ot me tall man, with dark
whiskers aud black cane with jeweled top,whom
yon appeared so familiar with oo that nigh* ?’
The startled jeweler replied in the negative —
he was a total stranger—bad never seen him be
fore. knewnot his name.
‘Then I do,’ exclaimed the merchant; ‘he is a
no ed gambler. Is it fair to ask whether von
often frequent those rooms ?’
i Poor Charles began to believe that all powers
human and transcendental, were leagued against
him. With quiet and correct habits, such as
would have commaoded respect from the most
j rigid business man, or moralist, he had been in-
j duced on that evening, having heard frequent-
! ly of the rooms, to venture on a glance by way
j of curiosity, after leaving the theatre, in order
j that he might not appear quite ignorant of life
: arnoDg his acquaintance. When there, proba-
| bly a Dew lace attracted the gambler’s attention
; whom he certainly knew not, nor had met there
or elsewhere, before; as he no w solemnly assur
ed the merchant.
Tae proprieto *• of the necklace replied coldly,
that be was glad to hear it; a party known to
both, a vouDg man with more money than pru
dence, had seen him there on the occasion; and
knowing Stan wood’s responsible connection
with the merchant, had wit enough to set his
friend on his guard.
From examination of the jeweler’s books and
stock, it appeared that he wts far from being
able, if everything were sold, to pay in full de
mands, including the limit price put on the
necklace. Bui as he offered to make immediate
inventory of effects, and showed every disposi
tion io act honorably, the merchant was much
softened, and went away with the declaration
that he would allow fair time for the discovery
of the property ere he pressed his claim; and
that an additional reward, on his behalf, should
be advertised.
I’here were vet two parlies whom he was most
anxious, yet dreaded to encounter. This was
the lady to whom he was attached, and her fath
er. Air. Benson was a retired merchant, aud
had higher notions of his daughter’s future po
sition than as a wedded partnerof a shopkeeper.
He was, therefore, extremely averse to the match
although he could not object to Stanwood, eith
er in respect to deficiency or personal accom
plishments or morals, nor yet on t’ue score of
means, as the business of the jeweler, though
comparatively in embryo, promised to realize
Us_owia.ir bar-isome fortune,
interposed decided obstacles to a union, would,
on attaining her majority, exercise its privilege,
as guardian of her own happiness. Tae jewel
er, as we have intimated, was of respectable fam
ily, his father having been a merchaut of repute.
It was at the house of a mutual acquaintance —
uo other than the proprietor or consignee, of !
the lost necklace—that the lovers first, met; the
father, therefore,had no plea ofapproach against
the daughter,from the way in which tuey became
acquainted. So be thought tit, ou reviewing all
the oircuMstinees.more especially that the time
would arrive when his consent or denial would
be required, and the Swain s increasing income,
rendered application to his purse unuece-esary,
to yield at discretion, and the addresses of Stan
wood were permitted.
The first hint of a storm in that quarter occur
red in the evening, when Cuarles, summoning
courage, ventured a visit to the bouse of his ex
pected father-in-law. He was informed at the
door that both Mr. and Mrs. Benson were not
at home, which, from circumstances, he disbe
lieved, and cons 1 rued into a denial. His strong
hopes had ever been bnilton the depth of Clara’s
affection; on that rook he now relied, and re
solved to seek an interview, and, if necessary,
explain at an early hour in the morning.
By putting in practice this resolution, he in
fact, stole a march on Mr. Benson, who was sur
prised on returning home from a morniug walk
to learn that Air. Sianwood was ia the drawing
room with his daughter. Thither the retired
merchant stole, deeming it uo breach of deco
rum, under peculiar circumstances, to listen in
the back drawing-room to what was utt6red in
me front. He heard from the lover, sighs, pro
testations, vows of unalterable affection, mixed
with complaints of cruel fortune. These were
in response to the cruel interdict which her
father had placed against future intercourse. A
week ago, Mr. Beuson s iuj unction would have
been laughed al by the j oweler, and disregarded
oy his daughter. But times were change i, and
Stanwood, who had no home to offer, felt the
change bitterly, yet he struggled against his
hard lot.
‘It rests with yourself, Miss Benson,* exclaim
ed Charles iu agony, ‘whether I am to be treated
as a criminal, I have had property stolen from
my possession, and every one turns from me as
thougu I were tho thief. Lat me bat meet with
pity in one dear bosom, and I will bear misfor-
tuue bravely, proudly?’
The low voice of Clara was heard murmuring
a disclaimer of accusation. Her father, she said,
bad uot asked her t) give up her attachment —
he would find he had no power to extort such a
surrender—but she had promised—what she
could not refuse an old parent—that, as there
were rumors affecting .VIr. St»n wood’s character
(which she had no faith in) as well as a certain
ty ot his complete ruin, she would postpone tur-
ther intimacy for the space of twelve months, to
allow interval tor the truth to appear.
•And what were those rumors affseting his
character ?’ demanded young Stanwood with ea
gerness.
‘Let me ans wer that question,’ cried Benson,
throwiug open the folding doors.
Charles conld not deny having held conver
sation with a professed gambler, in a disreputa
ble locality; though in vain urging the excuse,
mat he had been led there for the first and on
ly time, having often been jeered for his ignor
ance, even by young men of high standing and
character.
His excuse might be certainly fair, as Mr.
Benson admitted, yet appearance with such
company st >od in very disagreeable opposition
with the mysterious disappearance of the dia
monds ! He was also forced to confess insol
vency, if the jewels were not forth coming, and
whether recovered or not, his business in Bond
street—as one but siightiy acquainted with the