Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-09-15


pardon, and that, but the old woman
dash It'll that's my mother-told me
should find my ring here, and 90 ordered
out the vessel and the cats, and spun along
Like ninepence for it. !"
az shall be very glad to restore the ring
I was so unfortunate as to find when can
discover Its swner."
"Discoverl dash It didn't tell You it's
mine! I say, ! wish you wouldn't be 20
precious Glow-I don't want the cats TO
catch cold, I've Just had 'em shAmpooed,
napthaed, and that"
"Whst sort of ring Was yours"
"What sorti Oh, come, as II you
didn't know-that's good ~
I intimated that should be glad to find
out If he knew.
"Not know my own ring, Ell! l know
it's worth couple of ponies. Come, let's
hear the damage, and III stump up"
II cannot give up the ring unless you
describe it."
"Oh, dash ii don't chaff fellow, now.
I shouldn't care rap about the thing,
only it belonged to some defunct party,
and the governor would cut up 30 deuced
rough. I've got heaps of 'em. Come, I'll
swap you any one OF these for it, because
of governor"
respectfully declined the proposal.
"Well, dash it!" exclaimed the young
fellow, as though struck with q sudden
idea, "what q couple Of muffs we are !
Why don't you turf the things l could
tell you in minute If it's mine, dash it I"
I replied that / was very sorry could
not oblige him, and adding that he had
better obtain an exact description of the
".thing" from his governor, l recon-
mended him not to keep the cats longer
in the cold.
Menu am getting exceedingly tired
Of my treasure-trove. / retire to my
room with view of dressing to 60 out.
am informed that a lady wishes TO see
me, and I am afraid my mental calcula-
ton was not complimentary to the lady
in question.
A tall, graceful figure, draped in heavy
mourning, rises at my entrance. She
opens the negotiation In some confusion,
turning away her face. She has come to
me in the hope of regaining ring, care.
lessly lost, the parting gift of fond
father, to her brother and herself.
My eye rests on the Grape about her
dress, on her pale, beautiful face, from
which the blush of confusion and timidity
has faded. Deferentislly l request her to
describe 1t.
"A large diamond, handsome" she be-
lieved, but valuable to her for far other
reasons"
"But," said gently, chased on the
gold inside the ring there is"
A crest, am aware OF it," she an
swered sadly, "but know nothing Of
hersldry, and have never given it more
than q casual glance. My brother is
dying, sir" she said, lifting up her pale
face TO mine. "Only this morning he
missed the ring from my finger, uneasily;
we are alone in the world; it is the only
relic left Of one so lately taken from us
how can tell him it is lost ?"
IL am sorry to pain you," said, striv-
ing to be firm but 1t would be more
satisfactory to all parties, and cause but
little delay, if you could obtain the de-
scription from your brother"
Without word she turned away; the
mournful resignation of her Dir and atti-
tude touched me, and as che turned, saw
tear roll silently down and fall upon the
hand stretched to the door handle. l
couldn't stand that.
"Stop," exclaimed, Zone moment !
am sure-I feel certain-I may trust you.
You Will tell me-"
| take the ring from its security, hold
1t out timidly for the blue eyes to
examine.
| see yet the look of delight overspread
her fine features-I see the expression OF
almost childish pleasure in her eyes as che
looked up at me and clssped her hands,
and cried out: "The Ring, the Ring! Oh,
Alfred, my dear brother"
Her hand was upon it; such tremu.
lous. happy eagerness in her glance such
caressing fondness in her way of finger
ing IL. How pretty sac was!
My dear child" Il am forty-fve,) ait
gives me sincere pleasure" Then |
stammered, then / sprang after her. "At
least you will leave your address with
me"
What look shades her face now!
Wounded integrity, mingled with pity for
me.
"Ab, sir" she says sadly, handing me
the card on which she has been penciiing,
some day you will be sorry for this. You
do not trust me-"
Certainly | am a brute. The accent of
reprosch in her voice haunts me; the sor-
rowful glance of her eye-how pretty she
is I! sit down to my breakfast In the
morning, half inclined TO call at the ad.
dress given, and apologize for my heather
ish distrus'.
How delightful to see her in her own
peculiar atmosphere, ministering TO the
sick brother who is all she has in the
world, TO look upon, if one cannot enjoy,
the beautiful tenderness of gentle sister
TO an afflicted brother.
But my letters wait, and l toy with
them. This is a hand / know What
does Fred want, wonder tear it open;
| read
DEAR JAcK-Whst queer chance If you have
stumbled uDUn my ring. l wss obliged TO run
down to Romford late last evening, and ntver
missed IL Ill we s.ackenea ct Idord. pretty
taking We been In. II ft's NINE the Greet IL In
eide: You know it--s msiied haLd holding
lance, ard the motto, Armed az all points
Verify tiu h is stranger than fiction. Keep it for
me. FRED NYaISG.a
IDIOT Gull! II is quite useless to call
myself names. II is almost superfiuous
TO add, that when called at certain ad-
dress in Easton square, to inquire tor Miss
Lucy Hamilton, the lady was not To be
found. Probably, the "dear Alfred" had
required speedy change Of air (; probably
brother and sister were even embracing,
in raplurous gratitude over the precious
relic Of ose lost to them 50 lately. Was
that dear one not lost but Transformed
A. ~ l. A.