The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-01-04
A BRILLIANT ADVENTURE.

james Russell LoweH, In January Atlantic
A BRILLIANT ADVENTURE.
THE time was about a fortnight be-
fore Christmas. There were not many
travellers, and 1 had compartment in
the early tidal train to myself. My
destination was Paris, my sefrand to
convey from my father "a London jew
eler and silversmith to his agent in
that city very valuable brilliant ring.
"The diamonds in it are worth $500
if they are worth penny y my father
had said to me; $50 l hope you will
take special care of the ring, Ned, and
neither lose it on the way nor allow
yourself to be robbed of it, ]. smiled
a little superciliously as my father
spoke. AS if it were at all likely that
should either lose it or allow it to be
stolen from me! 1 was just turned
one-and-twenty, and my father had no
right to speak to me as if l were still
boy. . 90.
l had got the ring safe in an inner
pocket of my walstcoat, as / took care
to assure myself from time to time. l
had not seen it since my father put it
into the little velvet-lined box, in
which it was still shut up. When l
had finished my first cigar and had got
through the morning news, the thought
struck me that / might as we'll have
another look at the ring. There could
be no harm in that, you know. Itook
the box out Of its hiding-place and
opened it. My eyes were dazzled as l
looked. There lay the darling in its
nest of purple velvet. Who could
have resisted the pleasure of taking it
out and trying it on? Certainly not l..
First on one finger and then on anoth-
er l tried it. Had it been made for
the third finger of my right hand, it
could not have fitted me better. 1t
looked simply exquisite. ~. X s.
Now came to think of it, was
there or could there be a safer hiding
place for the ring than my finger?
had only to keep my glove on, and not
a soul would know any thing about it.
1t was far safer there than in my
pocket. In such case to hesitate was
folly. l placed the ring on my finger,
and put the empty box back into my
pocket. AS l was alone, there was no
occasion to put my glove on just then
so l unused and smoked, and watched
the many-colored rays Of light that
flashed from the brilliants, and Won
dered what greatswell's finger the ring
was destined to decorate: how wished
that l could call it mine!
There was no harm in dazzling the
eyes of the ticket collector with it.
He was only a railway official. But
took care to pull on my glove and
button it before alighting from the
train. A quarter of an hour later
we were steaming swiftly out of Dover
Harbor.
There were not more than a dozen
passengers on deck. The day was cold
and clear, with just enough sea on to
make the voyage unpleasant for bad
sailors. Only two ladies were visible.
One was a stout, middle-aged person,
who was eating and drinking nearly
the whole way across-evidently an old
salt; the ether was-well, simply the
most charming creature had ever set
eyes on. In point of fact, could not
keep my eyes off her. l passed her
and repassed her as paced the deck
from end to end, and every time that
| passed her l looked at her. What
lovely gray eyes! What superb yell
low hair! But as for her complexion,
it would need poet to describe its
wild-rose tints. Once or twice her
eyes met mine just for a moment. and
it struck me they were full of visit
full sadness. So far as / could Judge,
she was entirely alone. We were about
halfway across when, as / passed her
for the filtieth time, she spoke
"Would Monsieur have the goodness
to ask the steward to bring me a little
cognac" She spoke in French. AS
the song says, "Her voice was low
and sweet" 1 was too tluttered to
answer her; l could only bow and
grin, and makea bolt for the stew
ards den. OF course, took the cognac
to her myself. You should have seen
how prettily she thanked me. She
slipped at it as canary might do, if
that bird were in the habit of drink
ing brandy. 81 hope that madem-
oiselle is somewhat revived" l VEN
tured to observe. presently.
Eyes, very much revived, thanks
to monsieur. But I am not madem-
oiselle; am madame. lam widow. I"
She pressed her handkerchief to her
eyes as she spoke. How interesting
nay, how touching, was this simple
confession! The wistful sorrow in
her eyes was at once accounted for.
Would that it had been my happy lot
to comfort her!
There was a camp-stool close by.
Presently ventured to draw it little
nearer and to sit down on it, blushing at
my temerity as | did so. She did not
seem at all offended, and we were
presently in the midst of an animated
and interesting conversation. There
was no h0utetr about madame. On
the contrary, she was candor itself.
She had only been three days in Lon
don, she told me. She had been stay
ing with Sir Henry Fitz Evans, who
had charge Of her late husbands in
terests in England. She was now
going back into seclusion going back
to the little cottage in which she had
dwelt ever since her dear husbands
death. She would not be able to 90
forward by the tidal train, she told me,
having business call to make in
Calais. She would go forward by the
evening train.
All this was told me with charming
frankness. There was lo reason why
/ should not wait and go forward with
her by the evening train-if she would
only allow me to do so. WhenI threw
out hint to that effect, she offered no
objection. She admitted at once that
she was fond of society, and then she