The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-03-01

see "
The man permitted.
II once owned this ring. VIII you teii
me who brought it here p
"lt ish not stolen, ell ?" cried the old
broker in alarm.
ooh, no, | shall not claim or take it un-
less | pay you for it. But | should like
to know who brought II here"
81. Henry was trembling, though he
made an effort TO conceal il.
"lt ish very nice ring" The man
hesitated. "a young lady brought it.
She had lcetlc loan Of me, an lef de ring
for securities. De time has run out. |
puts de ring for sale"
sit is very nice one, as you say The
young lady did not care for the ring
presume p
Perhaps she did, dough. She had
been cryin, remember. She vas in
drouble, dought. often see peoples in
drouble, sir"
''Do you know her name ?"
Yes Miss Bertha Fay, 20 Albert
street"
"What is the price of this ring?"
'fou may have it for twenty dollars
1t is worth dat, sir?
St. Henry did not speak again. He
paid for the ring and left the establish
ment
Half an hour later, Bertha, sad, pale
and weary, opened the door to a handsome
young gentleman-very unlike any visitor
who had entered her door of late.
"PhilipW
Bertha Can this be you?"
Before the girls white, tired, melau-
choly countenance, all his resentment faded
into thin air. Before she could speak he
had drawn her into his arms, and kissed
again and again her dear thin cheek.
ave have been unfortunate, Philip"
81 see. Why did you not answer my
letters from Paris ?"
81 never received them. | have had
no word or news of you for over a year u
"Nor from you. And | had conclud
cd that you had repented of your engage
ment.
"Repented2 1? Oh, Philip it seemed
so hard when you it seemed must 60, too
Papa died; and when the property went
piece by piece-there was TO one to man
age rightly. | did not care that we were
no longer rich, but to suffer"
Bertha, did you actually need to opawr
my ring?"
philip, my mother was almost starving
She was sick aud weak, and the doctor
said she must have nourishing food
wept over my dear ring before let it 60
but there was no other way. 1t was all
had that was valuable 1t did such VIC
lence to my feelings to put it to such {
use but | was desperate. Ipromised my
self to redeem it soon, but | have had nj
money since.
"Don't-don't, my darling, look sc
broken-h hearted Poor bird how crue
the world has been to you Bertha, sec
here is your ring
"Oh, Philip how"
This blessed rain drove me into tn,
shop where it was. From what the ole
broker said, gathered hope that you wer,
not as lhad believed, Indifferent and tickle
had such an angry, miserable heart
child, when | first found it. To thinl
you should barter away the ring which ha,
symbolized my faith in you. 1t looked
bad, did it not, Bertha p
"Yes."
"But he said you hid been crying
This turned my thoughts. I never saw
you cry, brave, happy little thing that yot
used to be. | wondered what was wrong
Then, when | remembered the INSTABILITY
of riches in America, the shocking though
that you might be in need came to me, an,
drove me here. | saw the great, ricl
house. Bertha, so poor; suffering in thi
house.
"But We cannot eat the house" sal,
poor little Bertha.
"Child, it would easily sell, in these hare
times, even, for thirty thousand dollars.
"Well, said nineteen -year-old Bertha
show could | sell house? And mammi
knows less about such things than do.
"Poor little thing. You could hav,
mortgaged it for enough to live on in com
fort all your life !" laughed Philip, will
tears in his eyes, as he looked down in th,
pretty, puzzled face. Fortunately. yo,
did not. We will keep it now for ou
home And the larder shall be neye
empty again, Berthal"