The weekly Butte record., 1861-03-23


discover its owner"
discover dash it Didn't l tell You its
mine? I say, wish you wouldn't be so pre-
cious slow-I don't want the cats TO catch
cold, I've just had EN- shampooed, you know,
uapthaed and that
What sort of ring was yours?'
"What sort? Oh, come. as if you didn't
know-that's good "
l intimated that | should be glad to find
out if he knew.
" Not know my own ring, eh? know it's
worth a couple O. ponies. Come. let's hear
the damages and I'll stump up"
" I ou can describe the device ?"
Device, eh? What, the governors p
Bless you, he has devise for every hour in
the day to do me out of my rightfu allowance.
Device J Oh, come, you don't expect me to
do the heraldic dodge, dash it,"
4" cannot give up the ring unless you de-
scribe it."
"Oh, dash it, don't chaff a fellow, now, |
shouldn't care rap about the thing, only it
belonged to some defunct party and the gov
ernor'd cut up so deuced rough. I've got
heaps of em. Come, I'll swop you any one of
these for it, because of the governor.
| respectfully declined the proposal
WE'LL dash it" exclaimed the young fellow,
as though struck with sudden idea, "what a
couple of muffs we are Why don't you turf
the thing? l could tell in a minute if it's
mine, dash it y
| replied that [ was sorry | could not oblige
him, and adding that he had better obtain an
exact description Of the thing from his COVER
nor, recommended him not to keep the cats
any longer in the cold.
Mem, am getting exceedingly tired of my
treasure-trove. l retire to my room with a
view of dressing to go out. l am informed
that lady wishes to see me, and l am afraid
my mental ejaculation was not complimentary
to the lady in question.
A tall, graceful figure, draped in heavy
mourning, rises at my entrance. She opens
the negotiation in some confusion, turning
away her face. She has come to me in the
hope of regaining ring, carelessly lost, the
parting gift of fond father to her brother and
herself
My eye rests on the Grape about her dress,
on her pale beautiful face, from which the
blush of confusion and tmidity has faded
Deferentialy | request her to describe it.
A large diamond, handsome she believed,
but valuable to her for far other reasons"
But" said, gently, ''chased on the gold
inside the ring there is"
"a crest, am aware of it, she answered
sadly but l know nothing of heraldry, and
have never given it more than casual glance
My brother is dying, SIR she said, lifting up
her pale face to mine. "Only this morning be
missed the ring from my finger uneasily; we
are alone in the world it is the only relic of
one so lately taken from US, how can tell him
it is lost ?"
81 am sorry to pain you," 1 said, striving
to be firm; " but it would be more satisfacto-
ry for all parties and cause but little delay if
you could obtain the description ftom your
brother"
Without a word she turned away the
mournful resignation of her air and attitude
touched me, and, as she turned, | saw tear
roll silently down and fall upon the hand
stretched out to the door-handle. | couldn't
stand that.
"Stopl" l exclaimed, "one moment. I am
sure-I feel certain--I may trust you. You
will tell me-
1 take the ring from its security. 1 hold it
out timidly for the blue eyes to examine.
see yet the look of delight overspread her
fine features-I see the expression of almost
childish pleasure in her eyes as she looked up
at me, as she clasped her hands and cried out :
The ring, the ring On, Alfred, my dear
brother."
Her hand was upon it such tremulous,
happy eagerness in her glance such a caress-
ing fondness in her way of lingering it. How
pretty she was.
my dear child l am forty fvel, sit
gives me sincere pleasure" Then l stam-
mer, then spring after her. "At least, you
will leave your address with me-"
What look shades her face now Wound
ed integrity mingled with pity for me.
"Ah, sir" she says, sadly, handing me the
card on which she has been pencilng, ''somc
day you will be sorry for this. You do not
trust me-"
Certainly, I am a brute. The accent of
repreach in her voice haunts me the sorrow
ful glance of her eye-how pretty she is
sit down to my breakfast in the morning, half
inclined to call at the address given and apollo
gize for my heathenish distrust How delight
ed to see her in her own peculiar atmosphere
ministering to the sick brother who is all she
has in the world to look upon if one cannot
enjoy the beautiful tenderness Of a gentle sis
ter to an afflicted brother But my letters
wait and l toy with them. This is hand |
know. What does Fred want, l wonder? /
tear it open l read
DEAR JAcK-What queer chance if you
have stumbled upon my ring. l was obliged
to run down to Romford late last evening and
never missed it till we slackened at Ilford. A
T---o h.,