Object of the Day: A Victorian Jet Mourning Stickpin

Jet was a popular stone in Victorian jewelry. Due to its deep black color, it was often employed as a material for mourning jewelry. Victorian society had very strict rules concerning mourning. Gentlemen often had the easiest time dressing for mourning sue to the fact that the majority of men’s clothing was dark-colored in the first place. Mourning restrictions governed that diamonds should not be worn during this period of grief, and, so, adornments of jet and pearls were the preferred accessories.


This faceted jet stickpin would have served as a piece of mourning jewelry for a gentleman. Dating to about 1850, this stickpin is crafted of 15 karat gold (the British standard at the time) and features a substantial jet bead around which a structure of gold has been created. The gold band is set with pearls of graduated color from black to white. The gold band spins around the jet bead, and the bead itself turns independently as well—offering a bit of play and whimsy to an otherwise somber piece.

Person of the Week: The Remarkable Betty Buckley

Betty Buckley

No matter what your career, to communicate at your best is absolutely vital, whether it's to one person, a group or an entire audience. But most people get nervous, forgetful and too fearful to express themselves…

--Betty Buckley

Born in Big Spring, Texas in 1947, Betty Buckley was always an outgoing young woman. In 1966, she was crowned “Miss Fort Worth”—an event which led to her being asked to perform at the Miss America Pageant. Her performance earned her a great deal of attention. Still she returned to Fort Worth where she worked briefly as a newspaper reporter. The lure of the theater was great, and in 1969, Betty Buckley headed to New York where she was cast as Martha Jefferson in the Broadway production of 1776—on her first day in town.

New York Magazine referred to Buckley as “The Voice of Broadway.” She was soon much in demand as a singer and actress. In 1982, her performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats solidified Miss Buckley’s permanent place amongst the greatest Broadway performers. Many consider her rendition of “Memory” to be the finest of any performer’s. Prior to Cats, Miss Buckley starred as “Abbey” in Eight is Enough from 1977-1982.

Miss Buckley’s other stage work includes: Promises, Promises; Pippin; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Carrie – The Musical; Sunset Boulevard; and The Triumph of Love. She also has a wealth of screen credits to her name.

What makes Betty Buckley so amazing—in addition to her talent—is her approachability, easy-going manner and her desire to help others. For the past thirty years, Miss Buckley has taught song interpretation and communication in Forth Worth and New York. If anyone can instruct you on how to sell a song, it’s Betty Buckley.

I had the great fortune of seeing Betty Buckley in an intimate concert at Addison, Texas’ lovely Watertower Theatre last Christmas, and I have to say that she was as charming and lovely as her voice is strong. It was a wonderful evening watching a thoroughly exceptional performer. For her outstanding talent and her kind heart, Betty Buckley is this week’s “Person of the Week.”

This clip of Betty Buckley singing an aria from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical version of Sunset Boulevard demonstrates her charm and amazing talent.

Term for the Day: Etui

The Royal Collection

An etui is a small, rectangular box designed to hold a variety of personal grooming items. Historically, an etui would be carried by a lady in her handbag as a means of keeping small items such as scissors, files and tweezers contained.


Though the practice of carrying an etui has fallen from fashion, they were essential objects during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. Often, an etui was treated as an important accessory and was made of precious metals, enameled and jeweled. For example, this etui from the Royal Collection which once belonged to Queen Charlotte shows the remarkable detail given to what, today, would be considered an incidental item. Created circa 1740, this case is crafted in gold which has been set with mother-of-pearl and hard-stones. The colored stones and nacre take the form of classical figures. Similarly shaped and decorated etui would have been used as cases for fans, in some instances. These boxes are slightly longer than the usual etui in order to accommodate the length of the fan.

In Memoriam: Barbara Billingsley (1915-2010)

She was the ideal mother; people think she was weakish, but I don't. She was the love in that family. She set a good example for what a wife could be. I had two boys at home when I did the show. I think the character became kind of like me and vice versa. I've never known where one started and where one stopped.

--Barbara Billingsley on “June Cleaver”

Everyone knows her as June Cleaver—devoted wife of Ward and mother to Wally and Theodore. However, Barbara Billingsley was a successful actress in other roles as well. Her early career on the stage led her to a brief stint on Broadway before she transitioned to modeling and, then, to Hollywood where she was featured in small parts in a variety of 1950’s films. This work led her to a prominent role in the film, The Careless Years, opposite Dean Stockwell. Her performance in the film brought Miss Billingsley to the attention of television casting directors who quickly employed the tall blonde in many programs.

She’s remembered as the "ideal mother"—always in high heels and pearls and offering gentle wisdom to her sons. Of course, the heels were necessary to keep Miss Billingsley taller than Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers who were growing quickly, as boys do, and the pearls were worn to hide a slight scar on her neck. Regardless of what she was wearing, June Cleaver was imbued with a sense of style and honesty that was a direct reflection of Barbara Billingsley’s own personality. Leave it to Beaver ran from 1957 to 1963. After the program ended, Miss Billingsley took some time off from acting to focus on her home and family. She reprised her role as June Cleaver in Still the Beaver for one season in 1989 and made a variety of comedic film and television appearances.

Barbara Billingsley will always be the epitome of class and elegance—not for her pearls, heels or perfectly coiffed hair, but for the sense of grace with which she carried herself, both on screen and in life. Thankfully, her spirit of gentleness and decency will live on through her many thoughtful performances.

Treat of the Week: Praline Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Sometimes there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a nice piece of coffee cake. With just the right amount of sweetness and the perfect texture, coffee cake is a great alternative to heavier, frosted pastries. If you’re a fan of pralines, you’ll really like this.

This light, fluffy coffee cake is topped by a thick crust of brown sugar, nuts and chocolate chips. The result of a carefully-timed tanning session under the broiler, the praline topping is bursting with a rich caramel flavor—accented by the creaminess of chocolate chips. The secret, according to my mother, is to put the chocolate chips on the cake at the last minute so that they retain their structure, but become soft as they absorb the sugars around them.

This blending of textures makes for an exciting piece of cake! Served with stiffly whipped cream, this is a treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea and makes a wonderful after-dinner bit of sweetness or, even, a perfect breakfast pick-me-up. How could a day be bad when you start it with a gorgeous, big hunk of cake?

Punch's Cousin, Chapter 73

“Do try to keep calm, dear Punch.” Robert said softly—his voice still hoarse as he pressed a fresh flannel against Julian’s bleeding hand.


“Calm?” Mr. Punch grunted. “How can I keep calm when the fella what I killed is out there mauling me master’s sister? Thought I killed him, I did. Thought I did. Tossed him in the sea, I thought.”

Mr. Punch was becoming increasingly frantic. He rambled wildly. “Must be one o’ them ghosts folk talk ‘bout, come back to punish me for what I done. Had one of those in the pantomime—Judy’s ghost, it was—come forth for revenge just as ol’ Punch is to go to the hangman. But, Punch beats the Devil. And, I’m Mr. Punch. I can beat anything, I can.”

“Punch, my dear,” Robert said calmly, “that is no spirit. That is a man of flesh and blood.”

“Don’t believe in the spirits?” Mr. Punch chattered.

“I believe in a good many things. Mr. Punch, I’ve learned to accept almost anything these past few weeks. I can tell you quite honestly that the figure you saw in the grove was Arthur—solid and alive.”

“Threw him in the sea!” Mr. Punch moaned. “He tried to kill us, he did. Poisoned us. If not for him, you’d not be sick like what you are now!”

Naasir ran into the room. “Pardon me, gentlemen, but I heard glass breaking.” He looked at Julian’s hand. “Oh! You’ve cut yourself.”

“Cut me-self.” Punch mumbled. “Cut me master like I shoulda cut Arthur! You was there, Naasir, you saw what I done! You helped me toss him in the sea! You made me close me master’s eyes…”

Naasir looked to the floor.

“Naasir?” Robert coughed. “Naasir, Arthur is alive.”

“Yes, Dr. Halifax.” Naasir nodded. “How have you learned this?”

“He’s here. He’s here on this property with Lady Barbara.” Robert answered.

“Why’d you do it?” Mr. Punch cried.

“Aren’t you relieved, Sir?” Naasir asked.

“Relieved?” Mr. Punch shouted.

“Yes, Sir. You didn’t really want to kill the man. You wouldn’t want Lord Fallbridge to have been responsible for the loss of a life. I couldn’t let you do it. I couldn’t allow ‘The Great Man of the Rocks’ to soil his hands with another man’s blood.”

“Instead, I got me master’s blood on his hands.” Mr. Punch growled. “You fooled me!”

“For your own good, Sir.” Naasir responded firmly. “I could not let you kill.”

“I heard his body splash into the sea!” Punch howled.

“No, Sir.” Naasir shook his head. “You heard a deck chair hit the sea. When I asked you to close your eyes, I freed Arthur and threw a chair overboard.”

Mr. Punch was silent. After a moment, he said, “I heard him scream, I did!”

“That you did.” Naasir nodded. “He screamed as he ran off. I knew not where he went. I thought he would show himself as the search for him was underway, but he did not. He remained hidden. His reasons are a mystery to me.”

“Why didn’t you come forward with this sooner?” Robert asked, shivering. “You could have, at least, told me. Here, we’ve been worried that Mr. Punch killed the man. All this time…”

“I could not tell you.” Naasir said. “It wasn’t my place. It was not how it was meant to be.”

“You and your stories…” Mr. Punch spat. “Here! Me hand hurts! Me body is torn to shreds again!”

“Press firmly on this flannel,” Robert said. “The bleeding will stop and the pain will subside. There’s no glass in the wound. I cannot sew it up presently as I don’t have my bag with me.”

“I can fetch it for you, Dr. Halifax.” Naasir volunteered.

“In a moment,” Robert said softly.

“Are you angry with me, Sir?” Naasir asked.

“No.” Robert shook his head.

“It was not to be.” Naasir began. “I could not let it happen.”

“You’ve done well in protecting Lord Fallbridge and his…and Mr. Punch. I do wish you’d told me. It could have saved a lot of anguish.”

“I only did what I was meant to do, Sir.”

“I understand.” Robert sighed.

“I don’t!” Mr. Punch shouted.

“Naasir, go and fetch my bag and, on your way, tell Marjani that Lord Fallbridge has been injured, please.” Robert said quickly.

“Immediately, Sir.” Naasir hurried off.

Robert held Punch by Julian’s shoulders and looked him squarely in the eyes. “This is not bad. This is a blessing. Naasir has prevented you from being a murderer. You must understand that.”

“I do.” Mr. Punch grumbled. “Only I’m scared, I am.” He looked around the room wildly.

“Punch, for Julian’s sake, and for my sake, you must calm yourself.” Robert storked Julian’s shoulders.

“That man—Arthur—with him alive, he’s gonna try to hurt us again. Look what he done to ya! You want him to finish what he’s started?”

“He will not.” Robert said firmly. “He will never do another thing to hurt me or the people I love.”

“How can you be sure?” Mr. Punch asked.

“I’m sure of it.” Robert smiled.

At that very moment, Edward Cage walked closer to Adrienne in the hallway of his mansion. Cecil put a protective arm around his wife.

“Edward, please.” Cecil said firmly.

“Don’t mistake me, Cecil.” Edward grunted. “I won’t have folk coming into my house and telling lies about my family.”

“It isn’t a lie. Is it?” Adrienne said bravely. “It’s the truth. You can insult me all you want, but we all know that you purchased that baby.”

“You’d best silence your wife.” Edward Cage said gruffly. “I don’t cotton to insubordination!”

“I won’t stand for someone menacing my wife.” Cecil said flatly.

“Very well.” Edward smiled. “I’ll leave her out of it.” He pulled back his fist and struck Cecil in the jaw. Cecil fell backward to the floor.

Adrienne screamed.

“You want to be next, Madame?” Edward laughed.



Did you miss Chapters 1-72? If so, you can read them here.

Goal for the Day: Celebrate Fall

Now that there’s a slight change in the weather and we see the glare of summer fade, let’s bring a bit of Fall flavor into our homes.  Decorative gourds can be purchased relatively inexpensively at most local grocery stores. These miniature pumpkins are a perfect way to introduce some autumnal color into your home.  Arranged artfully in a bowl, on a table or on a mantelpiece, gourds last a long time. 

When they start to dry out, you can paint them in subtle silver, bronze and gold to preserve them and transition them into your winter décor.  If you’ve got kids in the house, or if you’re feeling particularly crafty, you can even decorate these gourds for Halloween by making miniature jack-o-lanterns with painted faces.  You’ve got a lot of options.  If you feel so inclined, pick up a few of these bright gourds on your way home today.  Soon enough, you’ll start to feel that you’re ready for Thanksgiving.