The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-22
The Rutlana Daily Glohs
SATURDAY, APRIL 90, 1876.
The Turquois Ring.

| sat playing at building block houses with
| her two little charges, Artie, aged nine,
and Louis, aged seven. She was only eigh-
teen herseli-a tiny thing for that age, with
a sweet face, and evidently go much of a
child that il seemed perfectly natural to
see her with young children, and as much
interested in their childish games as them
selves. A most efficient nursery governess
Mrs. Langley found her, as she gave the
children their reading and spelling lessons
daily, and played with them at addition and
subtraction in way to make the horrors
of arithmetic quite fascinating. She slept
in their room at night, dressed them in the
morning, and romped with them all day, as
well as kept gentle surveillance over them
at the table, where she always sat with the
family, except on grand company occa-
sions, when she disappeared with them into
a small temporary saloon, where the three
dined together. enjoying these meals the
most of any.
AS Nellie Langley told her cousin Ed
ward with a laugh, she was not oven called
upon to play the part of elder sister, ex-
cept when she Was in the humor. 1t was
perfect comfort TO have girl like Hattie.
She took all the responsibility of the chill
dren off ones mind.
Mr.. Edward Montague was wealthy
young man, and, indeed, the great catch of
the set of which Miss Langley was bright
particular star; and that ambitious young
lady left nothing undone to csptivate the
heir of the far lily; besides which, she
greatly admired her cousin, and was as
deeply in love with him az any society
young lady permits herself to be before
marriage or positive engagement warrants
an extravsgant amount of feeling.
The cousins smiled at each other as their
eyes met. after a minutes survey of the
three children playing block houses. Mel
ly put out her hand, as if inspired to assist
in the game and then catching sight of her
slender forefnger, she uttered an exclama-
ton
sob, my ring my lovely ring, Cousin
Edward, that you gave mew
"Have you lost it?" the gentleman in
quirod, languidly.
81 hope not this time. II has been mis-
laid so often, and turned up again. But l
shall lose it sometime, l know. I'm I'M
fortunate about it. You see, on account
of the pearls, l take it off every time 1
wash my hands, and then forget to put it
on again"
"Pooh 1t isn't lost, Nelly. Send Miss
Thorpe to see if you have left it on your
dressing table"
Miss Thorpe didn't wait to be sent, but
ran away at once to look for the missing
trinket. 1t was n lovely ring, and many a
time had little Hattie looked on it with
covetous chances, longing for such ring
to wear on her own pretty finger. She re-
turned from her quest in few minutes,
looking disappointed, and saying she
couldn't find ii anywhere.
"You couldn't have half looked" tho
young lady declared, impaIiently, "because
l know left it on the dressing table. l
remember quite well, now, and SO must
You, Hattie. 1t was JUST before dinner,
and you was there, because you dressed
my hair Go again, Hattie, and Look on
the window sill it is just possible l might
have laid it there"
Hattie went and was gone lorg time;
but she came back looking more disappoint-
ed than before Sh had looked on the
dressing table, ON the bureau, on the floor,
on the window siil-every where; but not
a vestige OF the turquois ring could she
find.
'How provoking Was the window open,
did you neicef"
Yes, Miss Langley, the window was
OPEN
Then it must have fallen out. Come
with me, Edward, and we will looks" and
the pair went out together, while Hattie
and the boys resumed their employ ment.
Mr.. Montague and Miss langley saun-
tered round the house, and looked in the
window, but without success; and then they
plucked roses and plsyfully pelted each
other with them, and very soon forgot what
they came out for, and proceeded TO flirt
and make love in a non committal but de.
lightful style, after the most approved fash
ion made aud provided for such cases.
The new moon was glittering like sill
yer sickle in the sky before they thought Of
returning to the house; and they were
brought back to the contemplation OF such
an idea by Helen making the remark that
the dew was falling and she dare not remain
out any longer.
"And l haven't found my ring. They
call turqnois lucky stone; I'm sure I've
had the wrong kind of luck with that one.
Who could have taken it7 know lett it
on the dressing table. Some one has sto-
len it,"
Oh, nonsense, Nell and never mind, any
way. I'll get you another, and prettier
one, without any pearls on it. and then you
won't have to remove it all the time
Once or twice that evening, and again
the next day, Miss Langley spoke of her
missing ring; the servants were interroga-
ted mamma was complained to; Artie and
Louis were ordered to divulge its hiding
place, if in the spirit of practical joking
which these young gentlemen often indulg-
ed in, they had secreted it; but questions,
complaints, threats were all in vain; the
turquois was gone.
Something over week had passed away,
and Edward Montague, in order to redeem
his promise to his cousin, had run up to
town, and was returning in the late even
ing, carrying in his breast pocket q small
velvet case, inside of which rcposed love-
ly turquois ring, having on it Helen's init
ials in tiny diamonds. 1t was such lovely
ring that the salesman bad smiled and Civ
en- Edward knowing look, as if to init
mate that he knew 1t WAS intended as an
engagement ring and Edward, smiling to
himself, as he walked up the garden path,
round by the summer house, and toward
the side door, half determined to ask his
cousin, rs he slipped il on her finger, to
wear it there in token of promise to give
him not only that finger, but her whole
hand and heart. As he passed by the sum-
mer house the sound of smothered weeping
from within smote painfully on his ear.
Could it be Helen? He rushed in and near
ly stumbled over little black bundle of
something That croucned on Inc moor, with
its head bent over its arms, crying and Sob
hing in perfect tempest of tears.
Edward nearly fell, and did, in fact stun
BILE, SO that Re caught the crouching bun
die of black, and as he steadied himself, he
also picked it up and set it on its feet. And
then with the moonlight shining on it little
flushed, tear-wet face, and its luxuriant
brown hair hanging about it's shoulders, it
proved to be little Hattie Thorpe.
"Miss Thorpel Why, I'm 30 sorry 10
anything the matter1" Edward asked gen.
tly, fearing some misfortune to the girl, or
that she had lost soms relative; for he was
not aware that the little governess was
fatherless and motherle's, and without
blood relative in the wide world.
Hattes tears and sobs redoubledi she
placed her two hands before her lace, snd
sank down on seat in an attitude OF shame