The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-11-25
THE DIAMoND RING.

M, TAiiliSlghe dltt not observe the little. blue
nosed boy, crouchng by the brilliantly lluIni-
mated plate glass window, as he sprane out OF
lns carriage and went into the thronged shop,
How should he? But little Ben Morrow's eyes,
eager with the sickly light of extreme poverty,
took IN every detail of the rich mans equipage,
and his purple fingers clasped one another tight
er as he looked.
''Ohs" he thought, chow nice il must be to
/ be rlch-to have cushioned carriages, and big
red fires, and mince pies every day Oh, | wish
/ | was rich 2"
! And Ben shrank closer into his corner as the
wind tluttered his thin worn clothing, and lifted
the cuTls, with freezing touch from his forehead
Nor did Mr. Almayne observe him when he
entered his carriage, drawing on his expensive
fur gloves, and leaning among the velvet cush-
ions with sigh scarcely Jess earnest than little
Ben'5 had been
The chld's idea Of a "big red fire. would
have been quite realized If ne could have seen
the scarlet shine that ilumiaed 8sr. Z hlnayne's
lnXurious drawing rooms that nie lowing
softly on silde1 tables, alabastervases al3 walls
! of rose and goid-whiie, just before as genial
flame, the pale widower sat thoughttlI,ly watch
ing the flIcker:n1 spires Of green amethyst light,
very lonely in his splendid soHtude
Il wonder what made me think of home lust
then, he murmurod, idly tapping his foot upon
the velvet rug. / wonder what alchemy con-
jared mp the old house under The walnut trees,
and the broken bridge, where the willow branch
es swept the waler-the bridge where little C,Ia-
r. Willis used to SIT and study her lessons, while
7 aaglal vainlv for the fishes that never would
/ bite , How lovely she was, that gollen-bairad
sirl. with her btue-vs!arl forehead. and dark.
/ Ggwnea~t eyes ( was very much in love with
Clara WjEs, in those boy-and-girI days
saoal1 ike 70 know on what shore the waves
OF time have cast her baEqne. It IS NOT often
that person one aas known IN lang syne van
lshes So aaarsiy aaI utterly from ones horizon.
Poor U,tra what glis.oIing air palaces we built
in the -a,ure-how solamnIy we p'is,t5d our
childish tgotAs. And when came back with
the fortune on whose golden col5nades cur fairy
castle o- Aapp,aass uprcagcl lis PinGaclcs, she
was gone. And Mary was good wife to me
and q tfo9 one--bHi She was not Clara Willis"
s''c ,aVu-iIi rgs 81 through hi7 brain, he
i..sJiact'e1y glanced down ut tae finger upon
which he wore the 5-tr5thal gift Of his dead
"..e. L"e ItHg was gone!
''t-2sl-'t cant be lost he murmured to
1la5a'i' trJ iag TO tataA when and where he had
las. observed IL. 'Oaa Il have dropped from
NY H0gcr WijAout MY knowledge / mast noa-
lI TIE police at once and have it advertised
Poor 3iafy ring would not lose II for twice
lis v@-aa, aaa tAa5 would be no mean sun
Ii WAS narrow and marky little street, with
here ana there @ cla lamp aarlng iccb.y tLr0'
the walte Ceeaagssy Of the driving snow; buJ
little is-a A-"Erew knew every one Of is Gov
ele.- y ae@Es, s3a ran w,s.-ilng down
the alley Eag g. .s.-, weather. stained 5-.-4-
ing uats4H'ea " wand or tempest,
"5ee, sis, what a jolly glove I've found Z" he
calculated, diving suddenly into q narrow door
way. and coming upg. "a small room. oniv half
lighted by a kerosene lamp. beside which sat
young woman Jusily at work. s.Uauo. IS tho
ise 9ut?'
Wrap this old shawl around you. Ben. said
the woman locking up, with smile that par
took more Of tears than mirjh, "anI you won
mind .he cold SO much. An The coal is gone,
and / can't buy any more until I am paid for
these caps. Did you sell any more matches" /
"0nly two boxes, sighed tie boy Il was
50 cold, Clara, that 1 couldn't go round to the
house"
''}Fcll, never mind, Ben" she said cheorfuIIy
''sit close to me, dear-wo'II keep each other
warm. Oh. Ben, | should ike to have given
you nice whole coat for Christmas
"DoAt cry, sis, said the boy, leaning his
head against her knee. Didn't you give ne
your shawl for comforter, only lost i shat
windy day 1ou're Just as good and sweet as
you can De, Cara, and love you just as well
as II yon were my whole sister instead ot only
ha,, a one
one Sniied through her tears.
""' WAS II ABOUT the StoVe, beh ne