Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-04-01
A Strange Story.

Strange stories have been from time
to time related Of jewels, rings, and even
watches, found in fishes when caught and
subsequently returned TO their owner.
Whether or not these stories be true ] of
course cannot say, but | vouch for the
entire truth of the following, related by
a clergyman, himself the hero of the sto.
ry: to wandering circle Of listeners.
Though expectant of something strange
as finale, they were by no means pre-
pared for the actual denouemcnt:
'It was one summer twilight" said he
:'that standing on rustic bridge which,
spanned we'll known trout.strcam near
my fathers house, won from the girl !
had long loved the promise to be my
wife. She was something Of coquette,
and | had rival in the field. so, to make the
matter sure to myself, and evident to
him and others, drew from her hand a
ring, which she had often declared she
would give only to her betrothed lover,
aud transferred it to my own finger.
1t was my mothers engagement ring,
said she, half in earnest and half playful,
", "and 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
"Some weeks after, she went away on
visit. and then my great consolation was
to haunt that favoritc spot on the bridge
which had been our trysting place. Once,
leaning over the railing and thinking over
our betrothal, | took from my finger the
treasured ring, and gazed fondly on the
initials-hers as well as her mothers
engraven within In attempting to re.
place it, the golden, circlct fell from my
grasp and disappeared in the water be-
low.
"0nly. lover nnder similar circllm-
stances can imagine how felt. Day
and night | mourned, disconsolatc, my
lost treasure; and my great dread was
her returning and finding the ring missing.
Yet, strange to say, had singular pre-
sentiment or intuition that | should re-
cover it-though by what means had no
idea.
"Notlong after fishing in the same stream,
some distance below the bridge, | fell to
thinking of my lost ring. If Il could only
fish it up-and just then there was quiver,
!. tug. pull, and Il struggle at my line,
and after some play drew ont fine
large trout. At the sight of him the
thought suddenly and unaccountably fash
ed into my mind that the ring-my lost
ring-was TO be found within his body.
cannot account for the feeling, but
know that it was heightened into almost
a conviction when, upon graspng the vic
Tim, perceived on. partition of his body
u singular protuberance, and felt there
beneath the skin something like 4 hard
foreign substance.
Il seized my large pocket clasp knife.
Eagerness made me cruel-yet not more
so than if had left my victim to die .
SOW and lingering death. cut onhis
head, and then. with . trembling hand.
ripped open his body, and explored the
suspicious protubcrancc. My knife grated
against somethinghard, and-yes, caught
the glitter of some shining substance j
Imagine mr. feelings when, with beating
heart and trembling hand drew forth"
"Thc ring, unclc?' brcathlcssly in
qured Nellie.
"No, my dear Only apiece of green
glass p
The general CONSERVATION and indigna-
ton NAV be ima0incd.