"
They bowed before her, as Roman lads were taught to do, and said,
"What is it, mother?"
"You are to dine with us to-day, here in the garden; and then our
friend is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of which
you have heard so much."
The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possible
that she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could she
have other gems besides those which sparkled in the chains about her
neck?
When the simple out-door meal was over, a servant brought the casket
from the house. The lady opened it. Ah, how those jewels dazzled the
eyes of the wondering boys! There were ropes of pearls, white as milk,
and smooth as satin; heaps of shining rubies, red as the glowing
coals; sap-phires as blue as the sky that summer day; and di-a-monds
that flashed and sparkled like the sunlight.
The brothers looked long at the gems.
"Ah!" whis-pered the younger; "if our mother could only have such
beautiful things!"
At last, how-ever, the casket was closed and carried care-ful-ly away.
"Is it true, Cor-ne-li-a, that you have no jewels?" asked her friend.
"Is it true, as I have heard it whis-pered, that you are poor?"
"No, I am not poor," answered Cornelia, and as she spoke she drew her
two boys to her side; "for here are my jewels.
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