The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1868-12-24

her dark, downcast eyes 1 was very
much in love with Clara Willis in those
boy and girl days. l should like to
know on what shore the waves of time
have cast her little barque-it IS not
often that a person one has known IN
lang syne yanishes so entirely and ut
terly from ones horizon Poor Clara
what glittering air-palaces we built in
the future-how solemnly we plighted
our childish t.oths And when [ came
back, with the ''fortune" on whose gold
en- cclonadcs our fairy castle of happi-
ness upreared its pinnacles-she was
gone. Aud Mary was good wife to
me. aud a true-but she was not Clara
Willis ~
AS the thought passed through his
brain, he instinctively glanced down at
the finger upon which he wore the be-
trothal gift of his dead wife-the ring
was gone!
"Lost-it can't be lost" he murmur-
ed to himself, trying to think when and
where he had last observed it. "Can
it have dropped from my finger without
my knowledge? I must notify the po-
lice at once, and have it advertised
Poor Mary's ring-I would not lose it
for twice its value, and that would be
no mean sum- p
1t was a narrow and murky little
street, with here and there dim lamp
flaring feebly through the white obscu
rity of driving snow, but little Ben
Morrow knew every one Of its warped
flag stones by heart, and ran whistling
down the alley-way of a tall, weather.
stained building, uudaun;ed by wind OF
tempest.
"See, sis, what a jolly glove I've
found !" he calculated, diving suddenly
into narrow doorway and coming upon
tiny room, only half lighted by dim
kerosene lamp, beside which sat wo
man busily at work. "Hallo! is the
fire out y
"Wrap this old shawl around you
Ben," said the woman, looking up, with
smile that partook more of tears than
mirth, 9and you won't mind the cold
so much. Every coal is gone, and
can't buy any more until l am paid for
these caps. Did you sell any matches?'
"Not two papers," sighed the boy
"I was SO cold, Clara-I couldn't &C
round to the houses p
"Well, never mind, Benny" she said
cheerfully. "Sit close to me, dear
well keep each other warm. Oh, Ben
ny, should like to hare given you 6
nice whole coat for Christmas !"
"Don't cry, SIS" said the boy. lean
ing his head against her knee. "Didn't
you give your shawl for comforter
only lost it that windy day. You're
just as good and sweet as you can be
Clara, and l love you just as well as i
you were my whole sister instead o
only half one!"
She smiled through her tears.
"What was it about glove, Ben ?
He sprang suddenly up as if remem
bering.
| "a gentleman dropped it in the street
I ran after the carriage, but it went to-
fast for me to catch up. Isn't it nice
sis ?'' '-'''
Every, Ben"
She drew the fur glove abstractcdl.
on her chill hand, and looked at th'
rich, dark fur.
"Whv, Ben, what's this ?"
For her touch had come in coptac
with something in the little finger of tn
glove, and she drew it out. Even b,
the dim light of the lamp she saw tn
myriad sparkling fascets of diamon'
ring
"The gentleman must have drawn i
off with his glove" she said, while Be-
stood by, in open mouthed surprise ant
delight.
"Ben, this is very valuable-w
ought to return it to the owner at once
"But how can we, if we don't know
who he is ?"
"It will be advertised, dear; ever.
effort will be used to recover SO valuabl
a jewel. Tomorrow morning you mus
ask the newsman to lend you pape
for FIVE minutes, and we will look at tn
advertisements"
aSister," said Ben Morrow, under hi
breath, sis it very valuable ? is it wortl
hundred dollars :"
"More than that, Ben-wky r.
"Oh, Clara" he sobbcd, burying hi
face in her lap, "a hundred dollars woult
be SO nice /? I wish it wasn't wrong t
keep it p
/ Clara did not answer-she onl
smoothed down her little brothers tan
1 oled cnrls and he never knew how har,