ning their time. Anne took Polly and Eleanor to the West End School, the morning following their meetin

school, would keep her from concentrating upon her lessons. While Anne and the pri

or the type of room. Then there were heavy boxed oil paintings in rich gilt frames, hanging on the walls; and teakwood pedestals holding statuettes and bus

ecorator's judgment displayed in her home, in Chicago, felt inclined to smile at what she saw about her. It was sure evidence of Polly's improvement in art

lanned to enlarge the dormitory this year, but everything costs so much that I postponed it. Now this extra room will come in

have a look at the class-rooms. Woul

e in furnishing. Gilded furniture with delicate satin upholstery, fought with wallpaper of heavy Spanish-leather design. Curtains and portières were of velour, heavily edged with

were well filled with volumes in bindings made to harmonize with the rich paper that showed above the book-cases. The window-seats were built in and upholstered i

on to spend some money in making this library more cheerful for the girls. I like bright colors, but that dun wall paper and that dull tapestry on the window cushions gives me the blues. If the books

the room seem. If only there was a dark polished floor to reflect the chair and table legs, the

zement at this inexperienced miss who babbled like an expert

d away with your hobby of studying decorating that you needs must practise it and criticise everywhere. Now, I'm sur

d benignly. Polly was still trying to grasp the handle to An

rls may sit and read or study in the evening

ld not detect the slightest item missing in the equipment and furnishing of the different school rooms. Every known modern de

om as this, Mrs. Wellington; and I'm sure t

m in providing these rooms. They take it as a matter of course that I should spend so much money in keeping

not spend a cent in these ideal accommodations yet she gets higher prices than I do. And her waiting list of well-know

thing of themselves in life, whereas those other society girls mer

and try to instill knowledge wisely. And I am sure,

hat girl how to combat ignorance.' And the girls who sincerely admit what you have done, will

f view, and said: "You will stop and h

we just leased, yesterday. We are most anxious to have everything in order

ober. If there is anything you wish to know, you can call me up any time during the mo

ly made no mistake in engaging that young teacher. She seems to be the be

. Mrs. Stewart was impatiently awaiting them, so they had an early lunc

en made of pieces of furniture they really needed to start house-keeping with, and

en dollars and a half. Then a wing-chair with quaint lines, upholst

chair, Nolla. I wish I had

a dear!" whisper

y legs as a centip

a comfortable Turkish arm-chair was placed upon the dais. It w

e to get in at the bidding, at all. But when she saw a woman opposite, hold up a hand above her hea

he chair from being sold to a man at the back. S

nd I know just how she will enjoy it when she has done preparing our dinners. That chair, out befor

spend your money buying me such

om. And without you, I'd like to know what kind of a home we'd have.

one chair is all right, P

e, this way. Why can't I use the surplus as I want to? I say I wi

ieved the best plan now would be to buy what was needed for

uctioneer explained that the bedding was sent in by the Manhattan Factory, because of an orde

at that sale for the two bedrooms she needed to furnish; but when Eleanor eagerly bi

p as that, before? I know your mother will love to darn stockings for us all,

rn stockings but let you keep the

ly bought enough articles to start in with if they liked. They coul

and utensils, girls,

ent store, and have them del

f the painters have done

we are right here, yo

street to reach the Studio in time to see th

ks. But the wallpaper look

u ought to have someone clean it all off with bread crumbs.

mbs?" ejac

fine paper. I'll get a man to do i

the bread, too, as we are stopping at a h

asins oughta be cleaned fer you'se. When we finish p

d the floors ought

just tell us to go ahead and clean

we can move in. We are going to have a house-warm

be out of here by Saturday. Especially if we work Sa

as possible, for we will save that much

turn it over for y

ly with their Studio-home, but with furnishin

ember to their party, as he knew all about rugs, porcelains, and antiques. Having shown the

ork, and each one seems to incline to some particular line of furnishing. Then, too, one can see mo

hen an object is antique, or in demand. But they seldom can tell you the period or name of many

said: 'Fabian, I can't afford Tiffany prices, but I wish I could find something unusual. I want to please my wife, becau

avenue. We stopped in every little collector's shop along the street, but could not find ju

ng conceivable. So I said upon entering: 'Got any odd kind of necklace or chain, Moses? S

I got a chain.

g beautifully filigreed. But it was not what my friend wanted,

you like? Tell me wh

She goes to balls and like pearl

ngs.' Then the old man rooted around under the counter until he found the tray he wanted. It was coat

ing of pearls free from the snarls of ordinary glass beads and other trash, a

e pearls are quite good. Let me rub one up on my sleeve, while yo

p one of the gems and felt sure they were

'Leave them with me and I'll see that they are polished up like new by to-morrow night. I'll take them to an old jewele

I hurried down to Union Square and show

r an unusually keen inspection he called to his associate. Both of them t

n I should say: "Where did you steal them

are not mine, my dear, sir. I only wish they were! I just got them from a friend to have some

ve no bonded man to do such work and I dare not

ou don't value them so highly as that, do you

rls in my life and I am nigh onto sixty. If I had to handle that necklace,

I had to sit down. I loosened my collar which seemed s

yes bulging and mouths half-open. Anne a

taken to Tiffany's, and asked for the manager, at once. Of course they wanted to know why I wished to see h

him. He took it carefully, examined it casually, then more minutely. He seemed perturbed and got up. 'Don'

of getting anything out of it for myself. The manager returned with, not only the ge

e I nevair saw in my life! A string of perfect match pearls, each one well worth a fortune. But I see more,

rned. He was so careful, almost reverent, I should say, in touching and cleaning the clasp, that I laughed to myself at

as long in a most delicate cleansing process of the pear

ed forward and peered breathlessly at it again. Suddenly he dropped the neckla

gasped and turned pale. The manager took the string from his superior and eagerly read the lett

ion his story had made, and waited to b

h the story!"

hat famous pearl ne

too amazed t

e it disappeared. To-day it would be worth much more. But it belonged to the French Museum, and a reward of two hundred thousand francs had been offered for tr

unicate with the French Ambassador, without delay. Meanwhile I was to communicate with my friend Av

ery sorry as I said: 'Avery, if I were to tell you

you buy my wife one as good, or one

y as that necklace is worth! Man alive, it is now in Tiffany's safe, in

naged to collect his wits, he whispered hoarsely

e drove madly to Tiffany's, again. I introduced Avery as the owner of the

lf, his wife, his heirs, friends, acquaintances, and, in fact, every American citizen in the census. He was told that he would be held responsible, thereafte

a draft for a thousand dollars and to this day he d

lled me a numb-skull and an easy mark! So he invested half of all he received in my wife and Nancy's