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CHAPTER I

GRANDMAMMA'S STORY

"YES, children, I will tell you the story of Aunt Milly's diamonds; and in telling about them, you must hear the tale of my own life almost, because one is so mixed up with the other that they can scarcely be separated."

The speaker, an old lady, looked pleasantly at a group of grandchildren, her Christmas visitors; who, tired with many a merry game, were clustering round her and asking for the story.

It was Christmas Eve, and they had been making the old hall at Denesfield Manor ring with happy voices. And now, in the dim twilight hour, they came into the drawing-room, and begged that before the gas was lighted, Grandmamma would tell them all about "those diamonds."

A charming group they made. The girls with their young, fair faces, and streaming curls, the boys full of life and strength and fun; yet all so loving to the silver-haired lady who delighted to see them round her at happy Christmastide.

Picture them for yourselves; some, the elder girls, demurely seated, ready to listen; two little ones on footstools by Grandmamma's knees, each holding a hand tenderly imprisoned; the lads just stretched here and there upon the rug, while on their upturned faces the blaze of a Christmas fire shone and danced merrily.

But listen. Grandmamma is beginning her story:

Aunt Milly and my own dear mother were sisters; but there was a great difference in their ages, and still more in their worldly positions. My aunt married, while very young, the owner of Denesfield Manor, where we are now gathered to spend our Christmas, you know, children. Her husband, Squire Dene, was a very rich man, and the diamonds you have heard so much about were his wedding-gift to Aunt Milly. They were worth many thousands of pounds, and were talked about all over the county.

But though they were so much admired, both for their cost and beauty, I do not think anybody envied Aunt Milly the possession of them.

You know, dears, there is a great difference in the way persons use jewels. If people think themselves the better for possessing them, and look down upon their neighbours because they cannot have such costly things, they show a foolish pride and a wrong spirit.

But if they look upon them as beautiful things that God has created, and to which He has been pleased to compare His own beloved servants and children in Christ, just using them in a spirit of thankfulness to their Maker, they will stir up no envy amongst those who do not possess jewels themselves.

I believe that Aunt Milly looked at her diamonds in this way. She used to say that she never put them away so carefully in their cases, and locked them up in their strong box, without thinking of God's promise to them that "feared Him, and spake often one to another." The text is in Malachi, and the words are: "And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels."