Middletown transcript., 1872-01-27
Srlrtt stcrp.
THE MYSTERIOUS RING.

suri'os, nat never "a niau lived within
NOR r, alra-'ui sphcre, or devoted his
irrgi's mJie hsaicuously to the pursui. -;
/ u single idea. than fafquaiharson Lcislrr
daring the Fall ui 1863 ana 10 Aud yet
ahiic the fact was apparent. the cause was
So obscure tina, mcu could do little more
than speculate regarding it. aud in dcfsu,
ut actual evidence. circulate innuuerablc
ani extraordinary surullscs.
Ne, many OF his friends pretended To
any arquaiutauec ul hi- inhrr life. think
;hat among them all ! was the only one
who had any such knowlrigc. knew
him. no, as onc may know another from
! rasua, Intercourse or indifferent converse.
ton, but with II coincidence of feeling aud
an identity ei scn,imen, that is often found
amnng these who have grown up together
and developed common sympa,hics aud
impulses. We had been boys as the same
school, were in college together, and now
vcrc studying law in ,he same Office.
His whole life was cncirclcd by and
bound within the siguct ring he habilually
wore. II may seem nn cX,ravagant or
rather frivolous assertion. but il was fact
, though none but myself knew it as snch
The article it itself was peculiar enough
10 excite any degree Of interest lie wore
it on the fourth finger Of the left hand
aud derived from its proprictorship about
as much misery ns any nan ever gained
from the possession of any single object
Without any circumlocuiion or distor.
tion of realities. the article IN question was
found in the stomach of u blue fish which
l.rislcr hauled in from the waters of Ja-
maica Bay. during fishing excursion sum
mcr before last lie had been out all day
with i'll success In fact be had caught
nothing. aud was just making for the iulc,
when his line ,hrollng through the water,
attracted the attention Of a large specimen
u the race. and secured victim,
Daring such preliminary investigations
as was necessary the ring was found -
How it hal got there. where it had come
FROM, what were its antecclcn,s. We did
no, know. The fact Of its existence and
il. present purpose was evident Lrislcr
appropriated it aud placed it, with great
satisfaction. upon the finger aforesaid -
The object was certainly curiosity Apar,
the unccrtain,y attending its previous bis
tory. il possessed intrinsic peculiaritics
that entitled it TO more than ordinary con
sideration The ring was small, barely
large enough to Il, lcislers rather dimin-
utvc hand A broad flat baud Of gold sur
mounted by large oval seal Of chryso-
prasc II had evidently seen use, but
when or how or under what circumstances
was n profound mystery. On the face ol
the stone were a number Of impcrccp,iblc
scratches. and regretted by Lcislor. as i'm
pairing the value aud beauty of the ohjcc,
The ring was certainly antique /; and
tho advertised found no owner
About month or six weeks after the
discovery. began TO notice change in
my friend. His manner seemed abstract
ed. distrat and troubled. while the hli,hc
gave place To wearicd. cherries expires.
sion. A the same time he became unu.
eually y rcticent. avoiding conversation. par.
,icularly Of u personal nature, aud wa
continually absorbed IN the pcrusal Of an
old volume that appeared from some recess
II his desk, and which presented no legal
appearance. did not Interfere with his
reflections. confident that time would de-
vclop their character, Aud the days pass
ed by, working the more aud hc the less,
and exhibiting with the neglect an in.
crcasing devotion to tho musty antiquatcd
old tome.
One morning he closed the book, with
the tired look tho last few weeks had
taught inc to know. and resting his head
upon his hands. looked up ms though abou,
to speak. He twirled the ring upon his
finger, us he asked, with a melancholy
smile:
Rich. are you superstitions
! looked at him In surprise. The possi-
bility Of his being affected With such con.
sidsratieus had never occurred 10 me.
replied:
Not 10 the least. my dear fellow. Are
youi'
Ho mueed for minute. ~ IL 1onkad a