The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-03-30
Cora MinOt'S Emerald Ring.
BY MRS. ANNIE A. PRESTON.

BY MRS. ANNIE A. PRESTON.
I'D, you think Maria Randall is a
truthful girl9" asked Cora Minot of her
friend, Jane Wiswall, as they met by
chance on the street.
"What a strange question: CALCULATED
Jane. 81 do, most certainly, consider her
to be a truthful person, and rs nearly per-
feet in every way as any girl l know"
"That's what every one says" cried
Cora, pettishly, land 1 suppose when
proclaim her to be MiG, | shall have
the whole village about my ears"
81 should say that that would be a
natural consequence of such proclana-
ton" replied Jane, casting half sur
prised, half indignant look into the face
of her companion. but what do you
mean? Please explain yourself"
IL was about to do So" said Cora.
-'Last Thursday was mybirthday, as you
know, and Aunt Harriet, who named me,
sent me present, as she does every year
This time 1t was a lovely emerald ring,
and of course the first thing | did was to
rush over to the Randalls, and show it to
Maria.
''She admired it as enthusiastically as
I could desire and said she wished she
had one like it. 1t fitted her better, too,
than it did me, for it was quite loose on
my finger, as aunt wrote me she feared it
would be, but it was the only one of the
kind she could find in Lexington, where
she lives.
when l started to go home l only put
on one of my gloves, thinking | might
~ - r,rls IN cbo,
them my new ring. Just as l was go
ing down the steps, talking to Maria, who
stood in the door, gave a glance at my
hand to see if the emerald glistened in
the sunshine, and behold it was gone
at did not take me long to announce
the fact, you may be sure. We both re-
entered the drawing room, and searched
everywhere for the ring, but it was not to
be found, although 1 k,s0U l must have
dropped it either in that room or in the
hall. We hunted and hunted, until it
got to be so late that / had to 90 home
in the horse-cars, and very much out of
sorts, too assure you.
yesterday mamma called at the Il IN
dalls to see about it. She doesn't hesi-
tate at all in saying that Maria has found
it. She is going away on long visit
soon, mamma says, and when among
strangers she can wear the ring without
fear of exposure. Mr.. Randall says he
will replace the ring if it cannot be found,
and mamma says he would never offer t.
do that, were he not convinced that it is
in the possession Of some member of his
household
IL must admit that what you say about
losing your emerald is very singular" said
Jane, with panied expression shading
her rosy, frank face, "Dut do not believe
any one has stolen it. | have no doubt
that it will yet be found IN some tiny
hiding place where it has rolled. | think,
too, that your mother, excuse me for say
sng it. is too hasty, To say the least, when
she attributes the motive she does to Mr..
Randall's offering t, replace the ring.
Let us call on Maria now--we shall pass
her house on our way-and see whether
there are any new developments"
'Very we'll, said IA, and soon the
two girls were standing on the broad
stone steps of Mr. RandaIl's residence.
Maria herself came t. the door in an
swer to the BELL aud after greeting her
two friends cordially she said cheerfully,
please to come into the dining room.
l hope you will excuse all this dust and
confusion, for we have ju-t bad the car
pets in the hall aud front parlor taken
up, and the sofa and easy-chair covers re-
moved, trying to find your missing ring,
Cora"
II hope you will succeed Cora re-
piled, rather distantly, arching her eye
brows Just little; II don't think it can
be very far off'-with a knowing look
towards Jane, who FASTENED to say:
what a pity you should be put to so
much trouble, after your house has had
its thorough autumn cleaning, and every
thing placed in order for the winter;-is
a common emerald ring so Gerry precious9"
she could not help adding.
'Oh, the trouble is of no account, if
only We are able to find the lost keepsake !;
an emerald is not SO very costly, ! know,
but it was present from Cora's aunt in
Kentucky, and so all the more valuable.
Besides, my mother says we. must leave
no stone unturned until it is found"
And so the carpets we're taken up and
put down again, the furniture looked
over, but no ring was discovered. Cora,
who was inclined to be hasty, severe and
unjust in her judgments on ali occasions,
did not hesitate 10 openly accuse Maria