Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-06-09
DELAWARE, OHIO, JUNE 9, 1866


/ his head against her knee. Didn't you
give me your shawl for a comforter, only
I lost it that windy day You're just as
good and sweet as you can be Clara, and
[ love you just as well as if you were my
whole sister instead of only half q one.
She smiled through her tears.
What was that about glove, Ben p
! He sprang up as if suddenly remem-
bering.
"a gentleman dropped it in the street
| ran after the carriage, but it went too
! fast for me to catch up. Isn't it nice,
] sis p
| Every nice, Ben
! She drew the fur glove abstractedIy on
/ her hand and looked at the rich, dark
fur.
| "Why, Ben, what Is this ?''
/ Her finger had come In contact with
something in the little finger of the glove
and she drew it OUT Even in the dim
] light of the lamp She s;.v the myriad
sparkling rascets of a diamond ring.
The gentleman must have drawn it of
with his glove" she said, while little Ben
stood by, in surprise and delight. ben
this is very valuable. We ought to re-
! turn it to the owner at once.
How can we, if we don't know who he
/ is ?" said Ben.
TT will be advertised, dear every eff
fort will be made to recover SO valuable
a jewel. Tomorrow morning you must
borrow a newspaper, and we will look
over the advertisements.
''Sister," said Ben, under his breath
is it very valuable Is it worth hun
dred dollars p
More than that, Ben. Why ?"
't0hp he sobbed, burying his face in
her lap, hundred dollars would be SO
nice | wish it wasn't wrong to keep it.
Clara did not answer. She only smooth
ed down her little brother tangled locks
and he never knew how hard it was fo1
her to keep back her own tears.
Mr.. Almayne was walking impatiently
up and down his long glittering suit Of
rooms in the Christmas brightness of the
next days noon, when his portly footman
presented himself in the doorway
We'll, Porter p
There Is a young person and d little
l boy down stairs, sir, about the advertise
ment.
/ ASK them to walk in, Porter
/ Porter glanced obviously at the velvet
1 chairs and Wilton carpet
They're very shabby and muddy, sir.
1 Never 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.
BE seated" said Mr.. Almayne court
/ eously. Can you give me any informa-
/ ton in regard to the ring l have los? p
Ben Harlow's sister was wrapped in q
faded shawl, with thick green veil ovel
/ her face She held out the fur glove
and within it little paper box from
| which blazed the white fire of the lost
/ ring.
My brother found it last night in the
glove, sir, she said, in low timid voice
The initials-M. A.--eorrespond with
your advertisement. e We brought it al
once to the street and number specified.
Mr.. Almayne opened his pocket book
and:
81 have promised a liberal reward, . ia
king out fifty dollar bill, "wilI this be
suf6cient?"
Clara Willis threw back her veil, and
said
i'We are very poor, sir, but not so poor
as to take reward for doing our duty
Thank you all the same. Come, Ben.
Henry Almayne's cheek had becOme
very white as he saw the golden braids
and clear blue eye of his first love be-
meath the faded bonnet.
''ClaraT T' he exclaimed, ''CIara Willis
is it possible you do not know me p
She turned at his wild exclamation, anC
gazed fxedly at him with dawning recog
milton.
Are you-can it be-that you are
Henry Almayne ?" She faltered, only
half certain of the correctness of hel
conieetures.
He took both her hands tenderly and
reverently in his IF she had been a
duchess the action could net have been
SO full Of courtly respect.
CLARA, do not go yet, he pleadingly
said. Let me unravel this enigma Of
our strange lives. o! Clara. # this
Christmas day has indeed brought ne the
sunshine which has never yet irradiated
my life, [ shall bless it all my life
shall bless it until my dying day"
The sun famed redly in the west before
Mr. Almayne's earriage-the very one
Ben had so ignorantly admired the nigh
before-was summoned to carry Clara
and her brother to their squalid home
for the last time For ere the new yea1
dawned above the wintry earth, Clara
was married to the man who had courteC
her under the green willows that over
hung the wooden bridge, ten weary years
ago. 1t was short engagement-anC
yet it was very long one.
And little Ben Harrow, basking in the
reflected sunshine of his half sister
happiness, found out what it was to bt
rich