The lost locket

Title

The lost locket

Creator

Bernardo, Pacifico

Language

English

Year

1935

Subject

Short story--Philippines.

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

Elena was veryy happy that day. And who wouldn't be happy! It was the last school day of March. She had just received her card, and she learned that she was promoted to the Fifth Grade, with the highest honors. Besides, a week later was to be her tenth birthday.

Fulltext

174 THE YOUNG CITIZEN ·THE. LOST. LOCKET· ELENA was ve1·y happy that day. And who wouldn't be happy'! It was the last school clay of March. She had just received her card, and she learned that she was promoted to the Fifth Grade, with the highest honors. Besides, a week later was to be her tenth birthcby. On that day, he1· fathe1: prnmised to r;ive her By PACIFICO BERNARDO "What a beautifui necklace!" s h e exclaimed. "I can wish for no better present, Father," she added. That night she was so happy that she dreamed about her birthday pa1·ty. a birthday prnsent if she would pass. What the present was, she didn't know, but she was told that it would be something she would be p1·oud to wear on he1· birthday. And here, she had the ca1·d to show her father that she deserved the birthday present he had promised to give. Mang Pedro, her fathe1· and Aling Maria, her mother were also very happy when they learned that Elena was to be in the Fifth Grade the following June. Father and Mothe1· planned how to make her birthday a joyous one. Elena was busy thinking how she would celebrate it and wha: prnsent her father would give her. Just on the eve of he1· birthday, Mang Pedro came home with a cute little box tied with a pink ribbon. ''Come here, Elena," he called out. "I have a surp1·ise for you." Elena came rnnning to her father. "What is it, fathE!'I'?" she asked. "This is your birthday present from me," he said as he gave her the nice-looking box tied with the pink ribbon. "I am very happy" she said. She opened the box quickly, anxious to find what wa> inside. And what do you think she found? Inside the box a yellow object grnetecl her eyes. It was a necklace with a golden iul'ket. The next mornin!5· she woke up early. She helped her mother prepare for he1· party. She was busy the whole morning, ·cleaning the house and preparing the table. Just before her guests arrived, she put on her new dress, which was given to her by her mothe1-, as another birthday prnsent. She wore also the necklace which was given by her father. "And oh! how lovely she looked" she thought, as she looked at herself in the miiT01» Pretty soon her friends began to anive. ·There were Anita, Naty, Rogelia, and Amelia. These four girls wern he1· best friends in school and they came in a grnup. The last one to come was Carmen, a new friend of Elena. Each one greeted her with "happy birthday." There was also a work of admiration for her necklace and locket, from every one. There was talking, laughing, and singing. In school they were always together. So on that clay they were again as happy and as noisy as they used to be in school. But Carmen was the most silent of all. She was not in the crnwd. Tl'lle, she was a friend of Elena but Ele.na's friends were new to her. Besides, she was by nature timid and shy. While the others laughed out loud and giggled, she only smiled at Anita's jokes, who was the clom1 of the grnup. (l'/t'w;r 1111"11 fo /!U!Jt' l.•11) Auy11.<1I, 111.;:J THE LOST LOCKET (Cantir11wd from 1mur 174) Dinner was served and all cnj0yed the "pansit", "lumpia··. and jLlly which Aling Maring had prepared. There was also ice-cream at the end of the meal. They were so jolly while they ate. When dinner was over, the children went out in che garden under a mango tne. There was a swing. where the children played for hours. Latl'J, when their stomachs were lighter, they played games such as Jump che Spine, Skipping Rope. ,~.nd Running Around. While the rest were having such fun. Carmen was but an onlooker. Shi: was content to sit on a swing and watch the others play. She w;1nted to play with the other girls but her timidity kept her away from them. Suddenly Elena stopped playing. She became pale and silent She was holding her necklace which was hanging on her neck .rn<l was looking around. .. What is the matter with you!" asl-ed Anita. "Why, what happened?" cpe gids asked. Ekna was speechless for a mo· mrnt. Then she said. "I have lost m.,. locket." "When did you lose it~ .. Naty asked. .. I must have dropped it here while we were playing." she anS\Vcred. Everybody began to look for th': locket. They went all over the gar dl.'n where they had been playing and running around. All the while tbl'y were looking for the locket. Carmen was still the silent bystandl.'r. She watched them uncom fortably undecided as to whether shL should help or not in thi-: search fot th1.' lost locket. They went o"cr the garden three or four times lo1)king for it among the grasses and under the swing. but it was \\·hen· co be found. It w.1s only then that thev no li._-.:d how indifferent Carmen had hcrn. Anit,1 began to suspl'Cl that THE YOUNG CITIZEN 191 Cu men might have 5ecn it and kept could h.udly sleep because of h.:r it for herself. She called the other loss. girls and whispered something into their ears. Then the rest case side glances on Carmen. Each looked su~piciously ac Carmen. Carmen understood their looks. but she knew she had done nothing wrong She had nothing to be ashamed of Embarrassed by their attitude. Carmen told Elena that she was goinb home. And she did. When she was gone, Amelia said. "You see, that girl is ashamed. Sh.: wc•uld nae have gonl' home if she did not take it." "Yes. I think she has it She didn't even help us." echoed Rage· lia. Soon Aling Maring learned thal Elena's locket was lost. She want\!cry early the nex L day she wa., up with her mother. The first thing they did was to go to the garden A~ Aling Maring s\vcpt th: dried mango leaves she heard something roll with a ringing sound And \1.-·hat do you think she found? Th.: lost locket was there as bright as it was the day before. It secmet; co say "Did we not play hide and Sl'Ck?" Elena was full of joy. She got her locket back and would have reason to tell her ·friends their grear. mistake. ··you were right mother, 1 knew ·when you said that Carmen did not get it." Elena cold her mother ··My friends made a foolish mistake eJ to join chem in looking for it in suspecting that Carmen got ic. · but it was getting dark. Soon chc o'ther children Jrrived The children told her of their "Hcre.'s the locket. children. I suspicion on Carmen. that she had hpt herself away from the group. a11d that she didn't even help in looking for it. found it among the dried ieaves. Aling Maria told them. ··You n;jde Carmen very unhappy yesterday by thinking that she was nol honest. It is wrong to suspect anybody until you are sure of your suspicion. Go and tell Carmen that you were sorry for what yot• have done." The ocher girls were very much ashamed of what they had thought and said about Carmen. "Don't be so fast in your judgnwnt. Don't think that bec.luse she did not help you she had it." continued Aling Maring. "I know her co be a perfectly good child. She is hnnest. If she found' it she would hilve given ic co Elena." she added. "Perhaps it is still in the garden. but you did not see it." Following her advice, the chil ··1 don't think Carmen got it.·· drrn went to sec Carmen. [Jena spoke as in defense of her fri1·nd. "If she found it she would ''Good morning Carmen." thl' haw given it back to me. Once when I lost my fountain pen. sh.: returned it to me." she explained. The other girls said nothin~ Elena was a great favorite among them and they dared nae displease her. "Well, it is getting dark," Aling Maring broke the silence. "You 111Jy go home now. and I shall look for it in the morning." The children parted .1nd went home, hue each of them still be licYed that Carmen got the lockl't Ther promised to come ba'k th.: next morning an<l help E!t:n.1 look ft~r her locket. That ni~ht Eil'n.1 children said. ''Good morning." was Carm<?n·" reply. "We have done you a grea~ w10ng" Anita spoke. "We arc all sorry for what w•: have said" the girls chorused. "Can you forgive us?" .1sked Amelia. "Certainly. I will." answert'd C;,rml.'n smiling "I knew you would soon find out your mistake ... From that time on they became fril·nds. They learned to lo\'C Car mln bl'Cause of thl' good ll'SSlin thn· ll'.uned from hn.

Date Issued

I(7) August, 1935

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