The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-03-14
My Opal Pin.

1 had taken my seat in the car with
g ticket for Indianapolis. When we
stopped at Hebron a gentlemanly
looking person, with gray hair and a
white crSvat, entered and took his
place me. He soon began conversing
and gave me to understand that he
was a clergyman, though he did not
vouchssfe his name. He was q good
talker and afforded me so much pleas
ure that it was eight o'clock in the
evening before l announced my in
tentiOn Of seeking my sleeping berth.
As arose to go into the sleeping car,
he did the same, and we found our
selves destined to occupy berths to-
gether, he expressing desire for the
outer one, therefore, L took the inner
one and was soon fast asleep. 1t was
bright daylight when 1 opened my
eyes. We were flying along at a ire
mendous speed, being,as 1 understood
| behind time. Most of the sleepers
had left their berths,, and my minis
ueriai companion was also up.
With a long-drawn yawn 1 arose
and stood in the center of the cal
while 1 commenced putting on my
coat.
As I glanced downward, instantly
discovered that valuable opal pin,
set with diamonds, was missing. ]
| Immediately went to my berth and
made a thorough search, but failed to
/ find it. 1 then examined very care
fully every part of the car, with no
better success. 1 had seen it in nv
shirt bosom when I went to bed. OF
this was positive.
The loss gave me much annoyance,
for apart from its beauty and value, il
was the gift of friend.
In my anxiety 1 commenced to
hunt up my reverend acquaintance
but, after passing through all the cars
he was nowhere to be found. Thi.
surprised me, for he had given Indi
annapolis as his place of destination
Some of the passengers to whom
communicated my loss expressed
their doubts as to the good character
of my sleeping companion, but
could not entertain their suspicious
! There was something about the maj
which forbade the idea of his assum
ing the garb of religion to play tn
calling of a thief, so 1 dismissed tn,
thought, which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, might have been justi
fed in entertaining.
| Questioned I the conductor, but ht
could not recouect where my compan
ion left the cars.
The loss Of my pin made me gloomy
until I reached my destination. A
length among my business engage
meDts, it passed almost entirely from
my mind.
Sixteen years from that time and
was in Rome, standing before tina
magnificent heather pile, the Panthe
on, when a fne-lOOking old lady hat
her pocket handkerchief carried off b
q gust of wind. It lodged upon a hea
of rubbish almost at my feet. 1 pickle
it up, and, approaching the lady
bowed and returned il, when discoV
cred that the party were American:
: From this trivial circumstance com
menced an acquaintance which had
great influence on my after life.
The lady gave her name as Mn
Wythe, from Alabama. She was a
companied by her grandson, TalbC
Wythe, sickly-lOoking young ma
, who wore spectacles and incessantl
consulted q guide-bOok, and his sistel
Virginia, pretty brunette, who hs
9 habit Of laughing and displaying
faultless set Of pearly teeth. Accep
ing an invitation to call upon them
their hotel, I commenced to wal
3 slowly away with the image Of vi
giHiA Wythe befers nay nind.