Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-06-20
,fH CLARA WILLIS;
Or, The Diamond Ring.

1t was the night before Christmas. Mr..
Almayne did not observe the little blue
nosed boy who crouched by the brilliantly
Illuminated plate-glass window as he
sprang out of his carriage and went into
the thronged shop. How should he? But
little Ben MorrOw's eyes, eager with the
sickly sight of extreme poverty, took in
every detail of the rich mans equipage,
and his purple fingers clasped each other
tight as he looked.
"Oh!" he thought, Show nice it must be
to be rich-to have cushioned carriages,
and big, red fires, aud mnce pies every day.
Oh, wish / were richw .,,....... .
And Ben shrunk closer into his corner as
the wind iuttered his thin, worn clothing,
and lifted the curls, with freezing touch,
from his forehead. .....r
| Nor did Mr.. Almayne observe him when
he re-entered his carriage, drawing on his
expensive fur gloves, and leaning among
| his velvet cushions, with sigh scarcely
less earnest than little Ben's had been.
The child's idea of IA big, red fire" would
have been quite realized if he had coon the
scarlet shine that illuminated Mr.. Almayne's
| luxurious drawing-rooms that night, glow
| ing softly on guided tables, alabaster vases,
and walls OF rose and gold while just be-
tore the genial flame the pale widower sat
of green amethyst light, and very lonely In
his splendi, solitude.
Il wonder what made me think of home
Just then?" he murmured, idly tapping
bis foot upon the velvet rug. ...... Wv. .
II wonder what alchemy conjured up the
old house under the walnut tree, and the
old bridge, where the willow branches
swept the waters-the bridge, where little
Clara Willis used to sit and study her les
sons, while anged yainly for the fish that
never would bite. How lovely she was,
that golden haired girl, with her blue-vein-
ed forehead and dark, down-cast eyes,
was very much in love with Clara in those
boy-and-girl days. should like to know
on what shore the waves of time have cast
her barque. 1t is not often a person one
has known in lang syne vanishes so entire
ly and utterly from ones horizon. Poor
Clara! what glittering air palaces we build
in the future-how solemnly we plighted
our childish troth! And when came back
with the fortune OH whose golden colonades
our fairy castle of happiness tlpreared its
pinnacles, she was gone. And Mary was
good wife to me, a true one; but she was
not Clara Willis" .g..I ,....... ,.,at
AS the thought passed over his brain, he
instinctively glanced down at the finger
upon which he wore his betrothal ring of
his dead wife. The ring was gone. ~
"Lost--it can't be lost" he murmured to
himself trying to think when and where
he had last observed it. "Can it have drop
ped from my finger without my knowled-
ge? mpsG notify the police at once, and
have it advertised. Poor Mary's ring;
would not lose itfor twice its value, and
that would be no mean sum-" = hp.ii
1t was a narrow and murky little street,
with here and there a dim lamp tlaring
feebly through the white obscurity OF the
driven snow; but little Ben Morrow knew
every one OF its covered flag-stones by
heart, and ran whistling down the alley
way of "a tall, weather-stained building, un-
daunted by wind or tempest. ...,... .., Il
'See, sis, what ajolly glove1 have found" )"
he calculated, driving suddenly into q, mar
row doorway. and coming upon q small
room only half lighted by q kerosene lamp,
beside which sat young woman busily at
work. "Hallo is the fire out?" .l,r-, II
WRAP this old shawl around you, Ben"
said the woman, looking up with a smile
that partook more of tears than of mirth.
''and you won't mind the cold 80 much. All
until am paid for the caps. Did you sell
any. more matches?" "ru'aa. l....q} 4l. !,
"Only two boxes = sighed the boy. 81
was so cold, Clara, that couldn't goround
to the houses" . .-uiri t9.lfq G,L, 6.-.i /.
"Well, never mind, Benz shesaid, cheer
fully. "Sit close to me, dear-7we'l keep
each other warm. Oh! Ben, / should like
to have given you q nice whole coat for
Christmas" .nEudsiL4,.A.
Don't cry, sis" said the boy leaning his
head against her knee. "Didn't you give
me your shawl for comforter. only lost
1t that windy day? You're! just as good
and sweet as you can be, Clara, and I love
YOU Just as well as if you was my whole sis
| ter, Instead OF only a halt one." 3l! 10 !
She smiled through her tears. i'.'g |
''What was 1t abOuta glove, Ben?" hll /
He sprang suddenly as Remembering. If
"a gentleman dropped it In the street; l
ran after the carriage, but, II went too fast
\ for me to catch h.up. Isn't it nice, sisP (
l. "Yery nice, Ben i-. a" q ..,,.y ~
She drew the fur glove abstractedly onher
hand, and looked at the rich dark fur 70 !
4 aWhy, Ben, what's this pm qua PIG s.h |
7 Her finger had come in contact with
something in the little finger of the glove,
and she drew 1t out. Even by the dim
4 light Of the lamp she saw the myriad spark
! ling fascets of diamond ring. Mn IN 1c.i,
d fThe gentleman must have drawn 1t off
with his glove;p. she said, while little Ben
stood dy In surprise and delight. g,9s