Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-06-08
her hand, and looked at the rich dark fur
| IlNI,, A. ~

her hand, and looked at the rich dark fur.
why, Ben, what this p
! Her fingcrhad come in contact with some
thing in the little finger of the glove, and
/ she drew it out. Even by the dim light of
the lamp she saw the myriad sparkling fas-
Gets of diamond ring.
''Thc gentlemen must have drawn it off
with his glove" she said, while little Ben
stood by in surprise ad delight.
Ben, this is very valuable. We ought
to turn it over to the owner at once"
'.lIow can we if don't know who he is p
said Ben.
st will be advertised, dear; every effort
will be made recover so valuable jewell
Tomorrow morning you must borrow a
newspaper, and VIC will look over the ad-
vertiscmcnts."
Sister sal Ben, under his breath, is it
very valuable ? Is it worth hundred dol
lars ?''
More than that, Ben. Why ?"
ooh, Clara ~ he sobbed, burying his
be so nice l wish it wasn't wrong to keep
it /"
Clara did not answer. She only smooth
ed her little brother tangled curls, and he
never knew how hard it was for her to keep
back her own tears.
Mr.. Almaync was walking impaticntly
up and down his long, glittering suite of
rooms in the Christmas brightness of the
next days noon, when his pretty footman
presented him in the doorway.
"Wcll, Porter p
There 5 young person and little boy
down stairs, sir, about the advertisement. "
"Ask them to walk in, Porter
Porter glanced obviously at the velvet
chairs and Wilton carpet.
"Thcy re very shabby and muddy, sir.
"Neyer mind-show them in. "
Porter departed, by no means pleased,
and in a minute or two threw open the door
and announced:
The young person and the little boy"
9 BE seated, said Mr. Almaync, courte-
ously. Can you give me any information
in regard to the ring | have lost ?'
Ben. Morrow 5. sister was wrapped in a
faded shawl, with thick green veil over
her face: She held out the fur glove, and
within it little paper box, from which
blazcd the white fire of the lost ring.
MY brother found it in this glove last
night, sir, she said, in a low timid voice
'Tbe initials, Nj. A., correspond with
to the street and number specified"
N.
IL have promised liberal reward" he
said, taking out a fifty dollar bill. "Win
this be sufficient"
Clara Willis threw back her veil.
I'VE are very poor, sir, she said, ''but
not so poor as to take a reward for doing
our duty. Thank you all the same. Come
Ben. -
Henry Almaync's check had grown very
white as he saw the golden braids and clear
blue eyes of his sweet first love beneath the
faded biasscd bonnet.
Clara - he exclaimed "Clara Willis |!
Is it possible that you do not know me %
She turned at his wild exclamation and
gazcd ixedly at him with dawning recogni-
ton.
Are you-can it be that you are Henry
Almaync p she faltcrcd, only half certain
of the correctness of her conjecture.
lie took her hand tendcrly and rcverent-
ly in his. If she had been duchess the ac-
ton could not have been more full of court
ly respect.
CLARA, do not go yet" he said, plead
ingly. Let me unravc this strange mystic
Christmas day has, indeed, brought me the
sunshine which never irradiated nv life. IL
shall bless it to my dying day |"
The low sun famed rcdy in the west be-
fore Mr.; Almaynes carriage-thc very one
which Ben so ignorantly admired the night
beiorc-was summoned to carry Clara and
her brother, for the last time, to their soual-
ut home. For ere the new year dawned
above the wintry earth Clara was married
to the man who had courted her under the
green willows that overhung the wooden
bridge, ten years ago. 1t was very short
engagcmcnt-and vet it was a very long one. |
And little Ben Morrow, basking in the
reflected sunshine of his sisters happiness,
found out what it was to be rich.