Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-07-17

Phoebe was obliged to go to the neigh
boring town, LOcktOn, on an errand tor
her uncle. On returning from a cattle
show, he had left his old silver repeater
at the jewelers. to be repaired, and as
he thought he could not get along three
days without it, Phoebe was sent to hurry
up the job, and get it, if possible.
She went very readily, one morning,
in the old-fashioned buggy, driving
Solomon, the safe old horse, whom her
uncle was sure would not run away
with her.
The jeweler. Mr.. Graham, the respect
able father of six boys, was one of
Phnb9 IS most devoted admirers.
est down few moments, my dear,
and you shall take the old watch
back with you. Well, well Hooking
admirably over his glasses at the bloom
ing face under the straw hat" and so
our gypsy is going to- be married. |
shall soon be at work on the ring" nod
ding. w
"What ring, Mr.. Graham, asked
| Phobel in surprise. I -
'tYonrs, my dear. Made to order.
Doctor Conrad brought ME IN some old
gold, Which Will fit up INTO "a very fine
affair~for that little, hand Tam only
waiting for\ the /stohe./ yHe\pfomised
to bring it to-day, and pr obably will
come.
Make me a ring out of old gold p
murmured Phoebe, almost invOluntarl-
ly. .aa"'a}.
There seemed to her no sentiment
about such an economical arrangement.
She expected that her ring would be
selected from a pure importation IN
New York. Doctor Conrad had told
her so. She had been flattered that he
seemed so fastidious about it.
Judge of her deepened dismay when
Mr.. Graham showed her a box of what
seemed to her the veriest trumpery-
odd earrings, broken clasps, worn fin
ger-rings, bits of twisted wire, and odds
AID ends of she knew not what. / +.
"Thah-is that good for anything,
Mr.. Graham?' ..o~
ooh, yes; melted over, there is
enough gold to make very good ring,
Miss rhebe. Do you know what the
stone is going to be?' a.
NO." faltered Phoebe.
She came away with burning cheeks
and restless heart :" What does he
mean? Does he intend to deceive Inc
about the ring?" she asked herself,
startled, and dreading she knew not
what? Was it that Doctor Conrad was
not a person of truth? She could not
bear to admit that, and so, being a
down right little baby, she told him
that evening what she had discovered.
Doctor Conrad WINGED little-cer-
tainly. .-zfr
80 could fnd nothing to suit me in
New York, Phoebe. You know [ went
there last week. It is difficult to find,
at a modern jewelers., ring fine
enough for any purpose. Old gold is
much finer than gold we see nowadays.
Yellower and richer, and far purer.
The ring [ have ordered made for you
will be quite without alloy, my dear
Phoebe, and have set in it the most
beautiful diamond / could obtain in
New York. You will say that it is
marvellous when you see it. Trust
me-"
Phoebe was still perplexed, for it
seem ed to her that it had only been
two days before that Doctor Conrad had
been telling of the ring he had
ordered in New York; but she trusted"
This was by far the most comfortable
| course. E r...s ..a.t.".-..
1t was the very next morning that
she met John Walworth in the road,
face to face She was walking quite
slowly along. lost in thought, and, sud-
denly raising her eyes, she saw John
silently searching her countenance as he
approached her. She blushed a little
and passed him shyly; but she need
havefeared more ,achess His good
morning was as cheerily spoken as ii
she had never played him false. T. ~,
But from this time, Phoebe was not
quite happy. .44 80 d. --s4-AE -. ? Il. ,,ssf
She was thinking about her wedding
clothes. and trying to plan her dresses:
rich enough to suit the society Doctor
Conrad frequented in New York, when
she saw her uncle and Mr.. Graham
coming into the door-yard.
They stopped just outside the open
window where they sat, but the blinds
were closed, and they did not see her.
1t was yesterday he brought the
diamond" said Mr.. Graham. recog-
nized it instantly, for it was still in the
settlng. Ii was one my mother mao
stolen from her house in New York
She had worn it on her hand for years.
and [ am as familiar with it as lam
with my own watch. [ have said
nothing on the subject to this Doctor
Conrad yet. What do you know about
him, Lysander!" ~"1f
Nothing, George growled Phnbe's
uncle. ~ 81.
"Well, Isuppose you agree with me
that the matter needs looking into"
| ''Certainly."
Then you will not be offended if I
tell you what [ have done. have in
stituted inquiries in New York, and this
| Conrad isn't doctor at all. He lives
on some Of his female arelatives-a
grandmother Or aunt-who happens to
have little money, and he is known to
secretly keep very questionable COM
pany. His title of doctor is just put on.