North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-07-24
A STRANGE STORY,

Strange stories have been from time to
time related of jewels, rings, and even
watches, found in fishes when caught and
opened, and subsequently returned to
their owner. Whether or not these sto-
ries be true, |, of course, cannot say, but
vouch for the entire truth of the following
related by clergyman, himself the hero
OF the story, to wondering circle of lis
teners. Though expectant of something
strange as final, they were by no means
prepared tor the actual denoument:
sit was on summer twilight" said he
THAT standiug on rustic bridge which
spanned well known trout stream near nv
fathers house, won from the girl had
long loved the promise to be my wife
She was something of a. coquette, and
had a rival in the field; SO to make the
matter sure to myself, and evident to him
and others, drew from her hand ring
which she had often declared she would
give only to her betrothed lover, and
transferred it to my own finger.
ut was my mothers engagement ring,
said she, halt in earnest and half playful.
ly, land there is superstition connected
with it. So long as you keep and wear it,
we are engaged; but if you lose or part
with it in any way, the engagement is
broken. So take care p'
''Some weeks after she went awav ON q
visit, and then my great consolation was
to haunt that favorite spot on the bridge
which had been our trusting-place. Once
leaning over the railing and thinking over
our betrothal, | took from my finger the
treasured ring, and gazed fondly on the
lnitIais-her's as well as her mothers
engraven within. In attempting to re-
place 1t, the golden circIet fell from my
grasp and disappeared in the waters below.
"Only lover under similar circumstan-
ces can imagine how I felt. Day and
night | mourned, disconsolate, nv lost
treasure, and my great dread was her re-
turning and finding the ring missing. Yet,
strange to say, had singular present.
ment or intuition that should some day
recover it-though by what means had
no idea. ...-
"Not long after, fishing in the same
stream some distance below the bridge,
fell to thinking of my lost ring. I'll could
only fish it up-and just then there was
culver, tug, a pull and struggle at my
line, and after some play drew out fine
large trout. At the sight of him the tho't
suddenly and unaccountably flashed into
my mind that the ring-my lost ring-was
to be found within his body. cannot ac-
count for the feeling, but l know that it
was heightened into almost a conviction
when upon grasping the victim. perceiv-
ed on portion of his body singular pro-
tuberance, and felt there beneath the skin
something like hard foreign substance.
| seized my large pocket clasp knife. Ea.
gerness made me cruel-yet not more so
than if had left my victim to die slow
and lingering death. cut off his head,
and then, with trembling hand, ripped
open his body, and explored the suspicious
protuberance. My knife grated against
something hard, and-yes, caught the
glitter OF some shining substance! Imag-
ine my feelings when, with beating heart
and trembling hand drew forth"
"The ring, uncle ?" breathlessly inquir-
ed Nellie.
"NO, my dear. Only piece of green
glass"
The general CONSERVATION and indigna-
tion may be imagined.
II