The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-05-14
May AshIey's Ring.

shone down upon the broad, ripplin
river, and the far stretch of meadow
land beyond il, and the lovers stanl
ing together by an old tree, that ha
witnessed so many interviews in th
years that it had rustled and whispe
ed there by the path.
May was but seventeen-proud, i'm
patient and sensitive. There was
hasty flush upon her pale, pretty fac
and stormy light In her eyes. Harr
Sim stopped, and took both the ten
der, restless hands in his.
: "YOu don't mean it May! You al
angry now, but you surely can nc
mean tEat!"
"Can not /? You think, then, tbs
I am so much your slave that / wi
submit to anything you choose to So
or do will show you that I ca
liYe without your favor or you smile:
can go away from here and strik
out q path for myself. You may maj
~ Hattie Gray, If you prefer her t
me, and l will never -"
"Now, May" interrupted Harry
There Is some mistake, l think ca
explain -
3 "No, it is too late, now you mus
J not try! I gave you a chance and yol
, would not. Now, you shall not.
see you do not care for me as l though
you did when 1 let you put this rim
on my finger" she said, drawing it Of
as she spoke, land 1 will never as
you for an explanation againw
Harry was growing pale. He diC
not suppose May was in earnest, anC
it provoked him to be set so eooll,
aside.
"Just as you please, May !" he said
drawing back. "You are in a strang
mood, tonight, and will not listen 0
reason. But what are you going T.
do?" he asked IS she drew her shaw
about her and turned away; "you arr
not going?"
"Yes," she answered, turning, ant
showing face from which all colo
had faded, leaving it white and still,
''yes, l am. l am going where you
viii never see me again, You will
see what can do to win name and
fortune for myself. And I will never
forgive the heartless way you havt
treated me-"
"Never is long time, May" Harry
said, still incredulous, don't say any
thing you will be sorry for.p 90
"No, 1 will not,u she replied, speak.
ing slowly and firmly, "I'lI take that
never back"
She stepped to the river side, anC
tossed the ring she had drawn from
her finger, far into the ripping waves.
"When you bring that ring back to
me from the river, then, aud not till
I I ". And before Sna astohished young
man could answer, she had turned
and was fitting up the river path.
Then q look of pain and apprehen
sion came into his face, and he looked
eagerly and wistfnlly after the van
ished girl.
"May, May, come back !" he cried
"don't leave me so %
But she did not turn, and he would
not follow. And so, for a moments
anger, those two who had loved each
other well, were parted.
"She will be sorry, and come again
tomorrow" he said to himself, as ht
reluctantly turned homeward. "May
is proud, but she loves me too well to
cast me off like this"
So the next night found him ar
anxious watcher by the river side.
But no slender, graceful form, and
proud, pale face was there to NEE
him, and though he came night aftel
night, he never saw her any more
fitting down the path to the old tree
Then his pride gave way and h'
sought her at her dreary boarding
house in the village, that had been be
only home since she came there two
years before, a homeless orphan.
'INo," Miss Strong replied, in an
swer to his inquiry, MAY Ashley
amt here. She got through dress
making for Mrs. Campbell three day
ago and went off She didn't sa,
where she was going, and as long n:
she paid her board didn't care. She
stuck-up piece p with toss of tht
head, which showed May was no ia
vorite.
He went from there to Mrs. Camp
bell, stylish young widow. She me
him with her most charming smile
but it changed when he made his in
quiry.
"Miss Ashley did not tell me wher
she was going,n she said coldly. "Sh
left without sufficient cause. 1 shoul'
have been willing to employ her long
er, for she was good seamstress
though too independent in her ways
But as she left without consulting me
did not choose to inquire into her al
fairs"
He turned away with a despairinl
pain at his heart. She had gone, then
gone in anger, and bitterness, anC
jealousy, that he might have so easil!
set right, but for teasing impuls
and a passing touch Of resentment
Gone without leaving a single trac
to tell where he might find her. Con
without kindly word of forgiveness
or farewell. Out in the wide, wild
world, with only her fair young face
her proud, tender heart, her slender
childIess hands to fight the stern bat
tie of life alone.
tI have lost her-my little May !!
he murmured, as he stopped at tn
tree once more, "I never knew hoy
much loved her until nowm %
Six years later, one November al
: ternoon, May Ashley toiled wearil.
up the long stairs to the lawyers OF
! fee, where she worked at copying
She glided into her accustomed seat
but paused a little before taking he
pen into her tired fingers and resteC
her head upon her hand.
Six long years! And the fame an
fortune were still so far away. Tn
girl of seventeen who had looked tn
=, future so bravely in the face, an
/ rushed forward so eagerly to meet
had learned some hard lessons sine
then.
1t came over her with flood ofreC
objections as she looked out throug
the dusty windows from her hig
seat over the tall house-tops to tn
II far blue sky beyond. The parting b
s the river-si de from the one true-lov
Of her lifetime; the anger that burne
: so fiercely for little time. then die
ont, leaving only pain and regret; tn
e long, single-handed fight with povel
It ty and Encouragement till the brav
heart nearly broke; the lack OF apprt
: citation for the best endeavors; th
years of want and toll; the passIonat
longing for the love and tenderne:
she had SO hastily thrown away; th
I slow wasting of the years, that aft
all her glowing dreams, had onl
brought her at last to place whel
. the grinding heel of poverty no long,
pressed her; where, by patient, col
slant effort she could be sure of a Iiv
Iihood of tolerable comfort-nothin
more.
Was it nothing more 4? Yes, II
year had brought her worthy lesson
the fiery heart and passionate will
youth had given away TO womanl
sweetness and strength; the pale fat
! that bent over the books had VIC
|. from the years of q stern teaching,
, better meaning than the sparkle an
glitter of youthful beauty; for the oI,
+ en- willfulness, it spoke now of p
y tienee; for the olden recklessness,
told now of peace. She took the De
in her fingers and began to write, b
her thoughts were far away. ]
n spite of all her efforts there wou
=, come between her eyes and the pap
L the shadow of face looking at b
through the stiffness of the SepteI
49, rrrffk, l0rra nd