Cornelia's Jewels

by James Baldwin

　　

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It was a bright morning in the old city of Rome many hundred yearsago. In a vine-covered summer-house in a beautiful garden, two boyswere standing. They were looking at their mother and her friend, whowere walking among the flowers and trees."Did you ever see so handsome a lady as our mother's friend?" askedthe younger boy, holding his tall brother's hand. "She looks like aqueen.""Yet she is not so beautiful as our mother," said the elder boy. "Shehas a fine dress, it is true; but her face is not noble and kind. Itis our mother who is like a queen.""That is true," said the other. "There is no woman in Rome so muchlike a queen as our own dear mother."Soon Cor-ne´li-a, their mother, came down the walk to speak with them.She was simply dressed in a plain white robe. Her arms and feet werebare, as was the custom in those days; and no rings nor chainsglit-tered about her hands and neck. For her only crown, long braidsof soft brown hair were coiled about her head; and a tender smile litup her noble face as she looked into her sons' proud eyes."Boys," she said, "I have something to tell you."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 ourfriend is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of whichyou have heard so much."The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possiblethat she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could shehave other gems besides those which sparkled in the chains about herneck?When the simple out-door meal was over, a servant brought the casketfrom the house. The lady opened it. Ah, how those jewels dazzled theeyes of the wondering boys! There were ropes of pearls, white as milk,and smooth as satin; heaps of shining rubies, red as the glowingcoals; sap-phires as blue as the sky that summer day; and di-a-mondsthat flashed and sparkled like the sunlight.The brothers looked long at the gems."Ah!" whis-pered the younger; "if our mother could only have suchbeautiful 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 hertwo boys to her side; "for here are my jewels. They are worth morethan all your gems."I am sure that the boys never forgot their mother's pride and love andcare; and in after years, when they had become great men in Rome, theyoften thought of this scene in the garden. And the world still likesto hear the story of Cornelia's jewels.

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