Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-08

Nothing could be prstlier for an
engagement ring"
OF Or. Gilmore likes it.Iani
sure / have no objection" !" / said at
last, for there was = tinge of ro-
nance in giving the ring happy
ending after being spGrned BY its
first owner.
DIR. Gilmore did like IL, aud put it
on my finger before kzte went OF.
with some good advice about net
sitting up late, which met the fate
of most good adViee. crept into
her bed in the "Wee sma' hours
ayOnt the twal,' aud she woke in
slanfly.
@This Is & good example 10 set be-
fore a young and Innocent malden,"
she remarked.
-4Oh, Knte,nI said ia the usual
gushing fashion, Il am 80 happy
can't believe Il"
"Oh, well, I can. Nobody comes
TO bed at this time o. night unless
awful has happened"
81 wonder he did not fall in love
with you, Kate"
$50 do !, but some men have no
taste, you know. They are 10 be
pitied, not blamed. Besides, as i
have said before, he is too aged for
me. He'll be \ centurion when
you're in your prime"
Kate refused to talk ali night, as
l would gladly have had her, and l
did catch an hour or two Of sleep,
full Of happy dre4ms.
/ was nearly alone la the world,
and there was no earthly reason for
delaying the marriage except for
wedding garments.
DoVecoteE was wonderfully healthy
just at this time, but the dector's
carriage (he had discarded the old
narrow sulky, and replaced il with
a buggy) might be seen going at full
speed along the avenue often enough
for patient &C the point Of death.
We were married and went into
the village, TO live in the very house
In which | had first taken possession
OF its owner. r.--.
II this were an ordinary and WE'LL
conducted story, Il ought TO end
here, but being q true history, nv
life did not 81 once come 10 an end,
like that or most heroines, with
marriage.
I had been Mrs. Gilmore nearly
ten years, and had led n very dOwny
life OF IL. Ny love, which had run
so smooth from the beginning, kept
up the same habit.
Three little GilmOres made NV
life a happy burden, and my old
friend Kate Purdy came constantly
TO the hOuse TO help me bring them
up. Kate Was nearly thirty years
old, when her fate was carried into
her aun'ts house with a sprained
ankle, and came out of il her accep-
ted lever.
Many meR had fallen In love with
Kate in these years, but they had
been without form or coIneliness in
her eyes. The mild, cOlorless man
whom she loved zt last with all her
tender heart, carried her away from
DoVecOtes, aud ! did not see her
again till she brought with her the
trsnscendent first baby, which was
to cast far into the shade all Gill
more babies, past, present, and 10
come.
One foggy twilight, when our ty-
rants were "laid" for the night. we
walked toward Dovecotes. The
long gate opening on the avenue,
was shut, and We leaned upon il, to
rest amoment before turning home
ward.
eBy the way said ., Ii is just
like the night when found this
ring. iwonder IL those lovers ever
made up their quarrel aud married
after all"
al am quite sure they never mar
ried," said kate's husband gravely.
"What do you mean2" i Igasped.
'srelf her all about it," said Kate
TO DIR. Gilmore. eve are all happy
now" She kissed me twice, with
long look into my frightened face,
and walked away with her hus-
band.
sWhat Is it2' said with great
effort, 50 dry was my throat.
s1t was Kate Purdy aud | who
quarreled at the gate and lost the
ring. That is ALL"
fsAnip L repeated.
Little wife, have we not been
happy togetherl''
fsI have supposed so.D
"And have kn0t0n it."
"But the long deceit-n
Son my word there has been
none. After you introduce me 10
Kate, never spoke q word to her
that y0R did not hear, nor locked a
look that you did not see. She fAs-
cinated me once, but never really
loved her"
AS We turned TO leave the gate
saw 3 deep crack in the ground
where frost had loosened the post:
In an instant had dropped the ring
into the crack and went on, with
one bruise lees on my spirit.
On the way home we talked of
the universal preference for moon
light over fog, and found Kate wait
Tag alone on the doorstep. ] will
not darken your doors again." she
said, "till You say that you forgive
me-"
"YeS," said the doctor, "she will
let bygOnes be bygOnes," and Kate
took that for her answer.
'sYou will hnd your ring where
you left it," ] whispered 10 Kate as
/ left her for the night.
When was taking out hAir-pins
under the gaslight, l saw the doctor
look curioHsly at my fOrefnger.
"Yes," said, "it is gone; I found
the owner, you know
lie made Iae no reply, but he drew
from under the dressing-table the
little leather-cOVered box that held
all his private papers, the only thing
in the house OF which did not pos
Eess the key. He teOk out little
case, and uncovered a pearl ring, AZ
exquisite solitaire.
81 bought this ring for you" he
said ''on the day after you accepted
me, feeling sure that ysu would
some day throw away the other"
/ put on the ring, aud christened
II. with kisses and tears. could not
long be angry with my dsctor,"
loved hiin too well. As 10 Kate,
can forgive, but | can never quite
embeT GalGey.
OPlnt0as AbOus ISVe.
The following is what some VI the