Daily Republican., 1879-06-20
THE WEDDING rim G..


1t was an odd-looking old rin., set
with single opal. Not the sort of
ring, by any means, usually chosen for
a wedding ring. But it had been in
the k.dfern family for ever SO many
years, and on the bright summer morn
ing, when Jack Redtern was to make
pretty Phyllis Dukehart his wife, he
brought the opal ring, and with it
string of old fashioned, pinkish.tinted
pearls.
81 have always heard that opals are
unlucky." said Phyllis. why didn't
you get plain gold band, Jack?"
The young mans eager facs :louded.
"Tee fact is," ne said, sit has been
in my family SO long, don't like to be
the first one to set it aside. 1t was my
| mothers wedding-ring, and my grand
mother'+, and my grest-grandmother's,
and may be even further back than
that"
Phyllis flung her arms about bis
neck.
"Forgive me-" she said. ~ was
foolish to feel supeTstitious. There can
be nothing to harm one in an opal, after
all"
A year had sped by. In the waning
brightness of departing summer Phyllis
sat in the old trysting place alone. The
quaint opal ring glittered on her finger.
She touched it caressingly, turning the
stone to. catch the sunlight, her pen
sive eyes full of unshed tears, tender
smile parting her lips as she thought Of
her happy bridal morning, only one
short year ago.
For Jack was gone Gone Off over
seas; never to return, perhaps. de
had left IN anger, lef,awitheut lastkiss,
or even a tender word!
Her knitting lay, unthonght OF, on
the corner of the stone fence, and twirl-
ing the old opal on her finger, she sat
and thought of her torebodings when
the ring was irst given to her. She
did not wait, as in days gone by, for
Jacks coming. She had no hope OF
that. But when the AFTERNOON sun
struck the summit of the green pine
forest, old Duff, the postman, would go
by, on his spotted nag; and may hap he
would bring her letter The old man
had known her since she was child,
and had hint of her trouble, too; if
the letter came, he would not fail to
deliver it. So Phyllis sat and waited,
as she had waited SO many afternoons,
through that dreary summer.
Jack was gone, and not one word or
line had come to her, since that terrible
night Of his going. But she waited and
hoped. with that faith which is born OF
deathless love.
Jack, fond and proud of her, in his
masculine fashion, had been prone to be
Jealous. Without cause, as he confess
ed himself but the morbid, miserable
failing seemed to be part and parcel Of
his nature. He could not bear to think
that his wife found pleasure in any
society, or even in the simplest pleas
ures, when he was absent.
And Jack was asea faring man. From
his very Infancy he had followed the
water for living.
During that brief, bright year of his
married life, however, his voyages had
been STEW and far bstween,' and on
one or two occasions he had taken his
pretty bride with him.
Early in the spring, there was talk
of his vessel being ordered abroad, and
circumstances, beyond the control of
either husband or wife, forbade Phyllis
to accompany him. Jack was greatly
troubled.
81 shall not 60, Phyllis" he said
one moraing, when the rumor bade fail
to become certainty. "lt would 60
hard with me to leave you at any time
now, it is out of the question. I'll 60
down to-day, aud see what arrangement
can nake.'
His wife put her white arms around
his neck, and whispered her thanks in
his ear, and Jack went his way.
Left to herself, Phyllis made her
little home as tidy as a handbook, got
up tempting little dinner, made a
pretty toilet, and then, in the cool of
the afternoon, went out into her garden
to weed her flower beds.
The tu ips were just beginning to
show bright glimpses of the gaudy
splendor imprisoned in their green
tubes; and the hyacinths already in
bloom, filled the air with sweet, sug-
gestive fragrance, carrying one back to
departed days.
J But busy little Mrs. Redfern, If she
were at all susceptible to any such mys-
tic influences, was in no mood for them
that sunny afternoon. She only thought
of Jack, and her verbeua beds, ana
worked away with will.
"Phylls - called pleasant, lazy
voice.
She dropped her rake, and looked up.
1t was only Rob; her, cousin, Rob
DukehaTt.
"Why, Rob, ho" you startled me ~
she said. "Will you come in! But
Pm very busy
The young man sauntered in.
"You're always busy, it seems to
me, Phyllis, when Pm about" he said,
with a smiling sort of impudence,
"Won't you shake hands with fell
low, for the sake Of old times ~
i A flush, almost as bright as the tu-
lin s,r.aks, rose in the young wife's
cheeks; but she gave Rob the tips OF
her fingers. -.
In her girlish days, Phyllis had been
oood da Al admired, Tor her own sweet