Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-01-31
-, H., hound hand and foot;

r,,rse J, said Jack. He babe smith
good night and left the car. Inc
wind blew keen through the streets
and struck a chill to the marrow OF
lacks homes. lie looked up al ihe
skv and saw, twinkling win gfea'
c,,aor and abundance, innumeraDie
stars. and as he found the Big Bear
and Little Bear and tho luminous
belt or the Milky Way, all giissen-
ing coidly through Intervening mis's
he thought Of something else az
bright aud beautiful, and a. stu
pendously, UNNECESSARILY, hopeless
iv distant. and a bitter little sigh
e.caped from the lungs Of Jack, SAL
little smile played about his goca.
humored mouth, and he whistles
sill another bar from that doieiuI
refrain. Presently the sadness anu
his smile relaxed into something
positively humorous. and JACK p'ifss
into a hearty laugh. The laugh Wa.
not altogether at Smiths or Jones
expense. He confessed TO hiihsei
that he was the best subject for ihe
ioke of all the three. ITO THINK
he murmured, "lhat every mo'hcr
son Of US, that Smith and Jones anu
| Heaven knows how many more,
have each gone and bought a rIng
this Christmas, hoping TO win over
the dear little heart OF the secfe-
tary's daughter, and wbeedle her in
TO an open expression Of preference.
Why, at this rate the little woman
can se. up a jewelry shop" and Jack
| took up his mournful whistle.
"Heigho.o he sighed. "Weii, ]
suppose she'll turn up her loveiy
| little nose at each and all OF them;
| and he went under Iamp-post, ana
taking from his vest.pocket a inoroc-
60 case, drew from thence plain
little circle OF gold, upon which
single pearl was modestly mounted.
Jack looked at it and sighed again.
II wish | had the money 1t cost,
for It would help Higgins consid-
erably, and buy little trinket OF
some sort for poor: little Belle"
Then sudden thought seemed to
seize him, and he went on at a rat
Ting pace, plunging his hand deep
in the pockets Of his ea,jacket.
All this while Smith had been In
All establishment that always after
reminded him Of the Spanish In
auisition. ii twisted and turned
and wriggled upon the upholstered
stool, and wiped away the perspira-
ton that started TO bis forehead. lie
held between his fingers a ring, and
looked upon II with a moodiness
that amounted to ferocity. lie APP
pealed desperately TO the clerk, who
sometimes bowed, perhaps shook his
head, shrugged his shoulders, or
smiled pityingly. The clerks man
ner WAS polite almost to reverence,
but not at all Geological, and his gaze
seemed vaguely absorbed In some.
thing going on across the street. The
whole place was as still rs the grave,
tho people going about apparently
on tipioe, and The voice OF Smith, as
he haggled over that miserable dia-
mond, sounding like a trumpet In
his ears.
At last he bought the ring, know
ing, that IL was off color that when
Il certain ray of light touched il, it
was decidedly yellow; but, as he
said to himself, what could he do?
If he had had the money, he'd have
gone up TO Tiflany's and ransacked
the whole establishment for q stone
that would have beftted the Prin-
cess. But his salary was hypotheti-
Gated he liked this word so much
better than shorter syllabeled one
his salary was hypotheticated for
months ahead, and the ring had to
be bought with borrowed money as
II was.
In the meanwhile Jones had journ-
eyed down town to good friend Of
his In the jewelry line, and had told
him frankly his desire, and what
money he had TO humor 1t. The
ring was q presentto lady-a
friend nothing more than a friend
as yet-although he hoped but that
didn't matter. Jones had stammer-
cd out these bits of information, and
suddenly his friend seemed seized
with fit of inspiration.
"What you want, Jones,n he said,
clapping him on the shoulder, ais a
regard ring. Regard, regard
don't you see, Jones? r for ruby, Q
for emrald, & for garnet, a for agate,
I for ruby again, and d for diamond
regard, don't you see, boy? That
leads pleasantly up TO other things"
And while Jones hesitated. the
ring was Enclosed in a snowy
little case and coaxed quietly into
Jones' pocket, his business friend
telling him a little business joke as
they walked affectionately down the
store, and waving him a jocular bus
mess farewell as lie went Off the
step.
About this hour the young lady
who was the unconscious cause of all
this bitterness Of spirit was about
lighting the gas In tho second story
back-room, preparatory to retiring
for the night. Miss sophy did moi
usually occupy this chamber; Il was
kept as state apartment for guests.