The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-06-01

I ing me with such a provoking, tri-
umpsnt smile on her silly, little face,
/ though could hardly keep from cry
Z ing out from sheer agony.
could not follow him out OF doors,
and tell him why had not worn the
ring, as Lucy was hanging on his arm;
I l could not send word to him in any
way, he was going to leave so early (;
1 could only 90 bone and weep, and
I be the wretehedest girl in all Plum
field. l had no idea OF closing my
eyes that night doubted if sleep
! would ever come to me again in the
old pleasant way, when my last hap
py thought OF Tom grew into q rosy
dream and lasted until daylight. But
at last, worn out with grief, sank in
/ to troubled sleep, from which the
/ lusty voice of Sam aroused me, say
I ing that Seth had built the fire, and
| that it was time to get up and get
/ breakfast.
/ the rain was beating against the win
dOws, the sky was dull and gray, q
dOleful east wind was crying in the
dripping trees. I was glad to have it
so, and thought If only the sun would
D utNEE 5uluG again COuto OCdL
grief much better. All happiness was
over yesterday; there could be no
/ happiness in life to me without Tom.
| Mr.. Hibb2rd did ask me to marry
/ him before he left our house, but 1
/ told hin 1 wasn't half good enough
| for a minister's wife. and besides that
didn't love him, though 1 felt
1 highly honOred by bis preference.
Mother and father were both very
much dispIeased with me, that L
should have decided in this way, anj
both declared that they thought me
actually insane. 1t wasn't every day
that girl got the chance to marry
minister, and there wasn't another
girl in town that would have stool go
in her own light. L was sorry could
not crafty them, cut could never
marry any one but Tom he might
marry Lucy Shelby, but / should re-
main single all my life.
Summer wore dTearily away and
heard nothing from Tom. Lucy Shell
by was visiting up in the country.
His mother had gone to stay with
married sister in Scaraboro, so no one
knew when he was coming home
again.
AS for me 1 both ICn2ed for and
dreaded his coming, for believed
that he was already engaged to Lucy,
and it would be too late for any expla-
nation. / had not given up my search
for the ring, but explored the corniield
every day or so until the stalks were
cut, and not only the cornfield, but
every inch of ground between il and
the house but it was all of no avail,
and all hope OF finding it was lost.
It was late in October. TIE sky was
soft and hazy over the blue, blue sea.
The NAPLES in the dooryard werered as
blood the afternoons were warm and
mellow, but the evenings were frosty
under the beautiful harvest moon.
We had not harvested such q large
crop of corn for years, and father de-
ciared that he would have an Old
| fashioned husking and invite all the
young people from far and near to
Join in the festivities. So great prep
arations 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 Bur-
rage. the fiddler over 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 he worked with a will
until the whole place had q holiday
brightness, and the whole village was
full of excitement over the good times
to be.
Ii was as lovely an evening as ever
! hung its silver moon over Flumfield
when the great event came Off at last,
with its rosy lights, dim shadows. and
| girls wore bright skirts or bright
ribbons, all tie young men wore
flowers in their buttonholes. But 1
had no heart to enjoy it, and wss
/ silently husking in a corner, when
some late comers appeared, and
among them, TO my great surprise,
Tom BGbson Lucy Shelby was with
| him, OF course, looking the very pic
ture of cOmplacency.
az forgot to tell you that Tom had
got home and invited him up" said
| father, who was sitting near me.
Tom seemed in 30 haste to speak TO
me, and 1 certainly was in no haste
to speak to him as long as he was
with Lucy. The only vacant seat,
after the others Of the party were dis
posed OF, however, happened TO be
next to me, and he took it in an en-
bsrassed manner, looking as though
he had rather be anywhere else. We
exchanged few commonplace words
and then he devoted himself to Lucy,
who was on the other side.
Great merriment prevailed. Red
ears were numerous and the pleasant
prospect of supper and dsncin were
Just ahead; but Tom was more quiet
than his wont and looked older and
graver than when | saw him last
three months before.
"Good gracious there's something
/ inside this husk besides kern els of
corn-just feel that Knob" he said TO
lucy, handing her long, well filled
ear. perhaps it's like one of the
ears from the eornfield in the fairy
story, where they all contained gold. ("
"Sure enough" said Lucy. "Will
you give me whatever it is. ?"
Cant PROMISE" said Tom, laugh
ingly, and he felt carefully inside the
husk and produced the missing ring.
so Tom ~ l gasped, forgetting
where / was, forgetting everything in
my delight st seeing it once again.
''I lost it the morning you gave it to
me in the eorntield it was a little
loose for my finger, bat 1 did not
dreanP that it would slip off. But
how did it come inside of that corn
| husk ?n
"How, indeed" said Tom, looking
amazed, delighted and perpIexed at
the same time.
] GGT faIt iosida of ay-ar On y,oon,, brol-s
to see if there was any corn large
enough for dinner. The sweet corn
was late, and we had nothing to set
before all those ministers. Do
yOn suppose it could have slipped
off into one Of them, then ?''
That's it," said Tom, with al air
of conviction, Though it's O mighty
strange thing, and no mistake.
Ruth,H lowering his voice to q
whisper, "should you have worn the
ring that night if you hadn't lost it
Tell me quick, esn't wait minute
longer"
SO, Tom of course I should have" /"
1 replied, brOkenly.
"And have you changed your mind!
1t will be poor sailing for me if you
/ have"
mo, Tom, only"
"Qnly what Pm going to sail fol
, Liverpool next month, and mus
, take you with ule.n
"But what vii! you do with Lucy
} Shelby ?n whispered.
"NOnsense~ said Tom, 81 nevel
: made love to her, and she'll be setting
her cap for somebody else tomorrow
/ The captain told me that ring was
| unlueky after bought it: the stone
. is an opal, and he said that opals
= were always so but I'm not supersti
e tiOus, and l knew you were not
) though thought l wouldn't say any
thing about it. Are you afraid t.
wear it now?
: mo, am not afraid of it, though
2 believe that it is charmed. How
! strange that it should cou5e back +
: you in this way I"
'tAnd I'm not afraid OF any Ill lucl
!, that isn't separated fron you, ant
: tbet doesn't seem likely to be, now.i
= Tom had kept on husking all tn
: time, and very conveniently found
|, red ear just then. 1 had the beneti
Z, OF the prizs and for the dance th
: fiddler played 'rhe Sailors Wed
ding."-f'oEggRd Transcript.