The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-02-22
The Story of a Rinq.

In the year 1861, a young man. then
living a few miles from this city, Went in
to the Missouri State guard a. a soldier.
AT Springfield, and on The reorganization
Of tins branch Of the army, tie took Ser
wee as confederate. Afterwards he
Joined company in Col u HAYS reri-
ment. and participated IN the battle of
Lone Jack
Before leaving home. however. his
mother gave him an old-fashioned cold
ring, which had heart upon it. and the
letters ''R. $" engraved upon this heart.
She placed it on her sons hand with a
wish, or, rather, a prayer that he might
90 through the war safely. and get safely
back to his home again.
1t is not known that either the RING or
the prayer acted as a charm, but the Young
man went unharmed through many bloody
fights, being hit in hut one of them. the
wound then proving to be only mere
scratch.
In 1864 the Young man was verv sick
of fever at Clarksville, Texas During
the delirium attendant upon it. and while
he was tossing to and fro, the ring slipped
from his finger and was lost The closest
search tailed to find it, and it was given
up for good. There waited upon the voung
man, however, a Very pretty and amiable
grl, who seemed to be very sorry when
he got well enough to Join his command
When he left he laughinglv told her that
if she would find his ring, and he lived,
he would come back and mary her. If
this promise was made at first with anv
degree OF certainty, it was soon forgotten
in the excitement and care of a soldiers
life. and only at rare intervals. perhaps,
did he recall the sck-room and the minis
tering angel.
When the war was over the Young man
returned to his fathers farm in Jackson
County, and went to work in good earnest
Two years ago his m )ther died. and once
more the loss of the ring came back to him
with troubled sorrow He determined to
write to the lady who had nursed him. and
to inquire of her whether she was married
or not, and whether she had ever seen or
heard anything of the present his mother
had made him.
The letter was written in August, 1869,
and IN March, 1870, what was his surprise
10 receive an answer from the identical
girl he had left in 1864, and to whom he
had made slight promise Of marriage.
She was still single, she said, and waiting
for him. And what was stranger still.
only five days before she wrote she had
found the lost ring. The manner Of find
ing it was as follows: THE father of the
young lady had determined to make some
repairs IN his house, which repairs neces-
STATED the taking up Of the floor of the
room in which the soldier had been sick.
After doing this, and while digging away
some rubbish beneath, the workmen came
upon the ring. 1t had slipped through a
crack in the floor, and had been living
there safe and sound, for nearly five long
years. The lady took possession of it at
once, and wrote Immediately 70 its owner,
as we have stated above. Perhaps she
looked upon Its recovery as an omen, and
perhaps 1t was. AT any rate it was little
romantic with all its attending circum-
stances"
The correspondence thus commenced
or rather renewed, was continued with an
ever increasing ardor on the part of the
gentleman, until in the end he made a
new and impetuous offer of marriage
Without that the story would be incom-
plete. Last week, with money in his
pocket, good home in Jackson county.
and great happiness in his heart, this
young soldier-now somewhat older and
more settled and sedate = started for
Clarksville, Texas, the home of his be-
trothed. Who can doubt the result? He
will remain there probably month, and
return again to Missouri with his bride.
When he does we promise to give his
name. Until then it is impossible, for the
condition OF secrecy was attached to the
information before we could obtain it.
1he circumstances, however, are Just as
we have narrated in every particular, and
furnish another to the long list OF roman
tic incidents that have grown out OF the
war. Kansas City Times.