Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-12
Sam aroused me, saying that 1t was
time to get up and get breakfast.

east Wlnu was crying IN the dripping
trees. Twas glad to have it so, and
thought if only the sun would never
shine again could bear my grief
much better. All happiness was over
yesterday there could be no happi-
ness in life for mo without Tom. Mr..
liihbaFd asked me to marry him be-
fore he left our house, but told him
n | wasn't half good enough for a min
ister's wife, and besides that | didn't
love him, though felt highly honor
ed by his preference.
! Mother and father were both very
much dlspleased with me, that /
should have decided in this way, and
both declared that they thought me
actually insane. 1t wasn't every day
that girl got chance to marry a
minister. and there wasn't another
girl in town who would have stood
so in her own light. ! was sorry l
could not crafty them, but ! could
never marry any one but Tom he
might marry Lucy Shelby, but w0a
remain single all my life.
! Summer wore drearily away, and l
heard nothing from Tom. Lucy Shell
by was visiting up the country, his
mother had gone to stay with mar
ried sister in Scarhoro,so no one knew
when he was coming back home
again.
| As for me, 1 both longed for and
dreaded his coming, for believed
that he was already engaged to Lucy,
and it would be too late for any ex-
PLANTATION. l had not given up my
search for the ring, but explored the
corn field every day or so until the
stalks were cut, and not only the corn
field, but every inch Of ground be-
tween it and the house, but 1t was all
of no avail, and all hope Of finding 1t
was lost.
/ 1t was late in October. The sky
was soft and hazy over the blue, hluG
sea. The naples in the dooryard
were red as blood, the afternoons
were warm and mellow, but the eye-
nings were frosty under the beautiful
harvest moon. We had not harvest
ed so large crop of corn for years,
and father declared that he would
have an old-fashioned husking, and
invited all the young people from tar
and near to join in the festivities So
great preparations were made for the
harvest supper. The great barn was
swept clean and adorned with wreaths
Of Autumn leaves and evergreens,
and hung with red lanterns. aud Jim
Burrage, the fiddler oyer at the four
corners was engaged to play for the
dancing. Father said it made him
feel young again to look forward to
such party, so we worked with a
; will until the whole place had holi-
, day brightness aud the whole village
was full of excitement over the good
time to be.
1t was as lovely an evening as ever
hung its silver moon over Elumtield
when the great event came off at last,
and certainly that old barn was a
, pretty scene, with its rosy lights, dim
shadows and picturesque crowd
: Nearly all The girls wore bright skirts
, or bright ribbons. and all the young
| men wore flowers in tbe;r buttanholes
But | had no heart to enjoy it, and was
: silently husking in corner when
some late comers appeared, and
among them. to my great surprise
Tom Babson; Lucy Shelby was with
|, him, of course, looking the very pict
!. nre OF complaeency.
/ ~ forgot to tell you that Tom had
l got home, and invited him up" said
I. father, who was sitting near me.
| Tom seemed In no haste to speak tc
G me, and certainly was In no haste t.
G speak to him as long as he was will
+ Lncy. The only vacant seat, after th'
D others of the party were disposed of
\ however, happened to be next to me
r and he took; 1T i'm am embarrassed
y manner, sis IL he had rather be any
e where elsa. We exchanged few
4 commonplace words, and then he de
S voted himself TO Lucy, who was ol
e the other side,
! Great merriment prevailed. Ret
II ears Were numerous, and the pleasan
e prospect of supper and dancing wa
= Just ahead but Tom was more quie
o than was his wont, and looked olde
l. and graver than when saw him last
v three months before.
l. "Good gracious! there's something
IS inside this husk besides kernels o
y corn-jnst feel that knob" he sal
e turning to Lucy, handing her long
Ie well-flled ear. perhaps it's like on
I. Of the ears from the corn-field in tn
II fairy story where they all contai
is gold"
,e "Sure enough" said Lucy" "wi
D you give me whatever it is ?"
m Cant promise" said Tom laugl
st ingly, and he felt carefully inside {
IS the husk and produced the missin
ID ring.
re "Oh, Toni gaspcd, forgettin
Is where was, forgetting everything
II my delight of seeing it once NOR
st II lost it the morning you gave it
le me, in the corn-field; it was n lit
re loose for my finger, but l did n
~ dream that it would come off; b.
n how did it come inside ofthat husk
d, 'How, indeed said Tom, lookil
~ amazed, delighted, and perplexed
On the same time.
II "I felt inside of ever so many hus
m to see if there was any corn lar!
no enough for dinner. The sweet CO.
was late, and we had nothing to $
ng before all those ministers. Do "
he suppose that it could have slipped I
, I into one of them, then ?"
he "That's it," said Tom, with an .
Mt of conviction, 'though it's Nigh
re strange thing, and no mistake, Rutl
ed lowering his voice TO whisp'
in "should you have worn the ring II
to night, if you hadn't lost it? Tell
to quick, can't wait moment longe
le- "Oh, Tom! of course I shou
or, have" replied, brokenly.
I'm "And have you changed your min
we 1t will be poor sailing for me if y
elf have
so, "No, Tom, only
ne, "Only what? I'm going to sail
his Liverpool next month, and must ia
YOU with me-" We neither of
IN, thought or cared il any one co,
ed, hear.
rer "But what will you do with Lr
ace Shelby?" | whispered.
ex- .Nonsense r said Tom. II ne1
wv made love to her, and she'll be setti
on her cap for somebody else to-morro
by The Captain told msthat ring '
an unlucky, after bought it; the ste
m is an opal, and he said that op
ICY were always so but I'm not sup
ing stitious, and L knew you were \
md though thought wouldn't say al
thing about it. Are you afraid
all to wear it now 2"
us "No, am not afraid Of it, thong
, if believe that it is charmed. ii
ess. strange that it should come bacl
was you in this way"
/ "And TIN not afraid of any ill-ll
was that isn't separation from you,
lied that doesn't seem likely TO be, no
had Tom had kept on husking all
the time, and very conveniently foun
ines red ear just then, and had the be
was tit of the prize; and fSr the first da
Mr.. the fiddler played "Fhe Sail
nor. Wedding"
his ------
rta- Young man, never trifle with
,nes heart of pure and innocent girl.
,an- gentleman in town, after visitir
bed bashful young lady two years,
heir asked his intentions, and when
" is gave am evasiyc answer she hit
YOU on the head with u potato mas
w il and 1t cost him two dollars 10 get
-0ur host silE altered 10 III .he stra