The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-02-25
out word, and when at last he spoke
there was Q great sob in his throat

there was great sob in his throat.
"Then, Jennie, thank you. You've
done me more good than you know But
won't come to your party, because |
amt ft. I'm just a. bad as folks say
am, and maybe wolse-tbough ! didn't
do that this afternoon that the teacher
thought 1 did. won't call names, but
there's boy that's sneaking cur TO sit
there and see me tagged But that's no
matter don't know what | should
have done if you hadn't spoken to me,
Jennie. think I felt like dro wning my
self, or-cr-killing somebody. But
now I've changed my mind, Jennie !" bis
| eyes flashing III be man somewhere
in the world, il not here! And it will
be !ittle Jennie Ray that saved me-"
sstJ Luke dea6 Lake" cries. Jennie,
Issfaspins ahar hands \ Gid, upf.sF Heaven,
hears you say that. ard He will help you
lie nobody else does "
So Luke and Jennie parted p aa
Jennie Raw tripped home with a light
step and happy heart: but after that
night Luke Morris was seen no more in
Milton, Uncle John sought for him far
and near, feeling that his duty to the lad
required him to bring him back, if pos
sible. All his efforts, however we're vain
A boy answering the description had
been seen wandering aboat the New
York wharves in search Of plsce on
some outward bound vessel Having
done all he could, he scarcely depressed a
! sigh of relief, while the rest Of Milton
irejoiced openly at The disappearance of
his graceless nephew. ss 3n,ss "a
Years passed by aud brought no news
of the runaway, while to Jennie Ray,
now grown iEto maidenhood, lovely aud
beloved, came the burden of great sor.
row in the sudden death OF her father
| In the settlement of Mr. RAYS affairs,
the old story came out Of a strained in.
come and a heavy debt His creditors
chanced to be merciful men, who would
have compromised with the mother and
tdaughter for portion Of their debts,
but the offer was steadily refused, the
1.-TWO women being too little used to the
ways Of the world not to feel that sim
igle unpaid obligation would be a stain
upon the memory so sacredly cherished
So their beautiful home, with all the
associations of domestic and social hap.
lpiness, passed into the hands of stran-
gers, and with the slender pittanee which
remained to them Mrs Ray and Jennie
left Milton to seek new home and en-
lpleyment in distant city. 3
| After fifteen years of sojourn in land
which, though strange, had been more
kind to him than his own, Luke Morris,
East India merchant, landed in New
York. Why he came was best known
to himself-not, certainly, for any urgent
call of business, and he scarcely seemed
.he man to take so long voyage in
search Of pleasure. 1t was understood
that his friend and partner. Charlie Wat
IasoE, who sailed with him, wonld carry
back bride; but for Morris. no sweet
heart waited to welcome him home from
the tropics seas.
Mr.. Morris made no effort 10 search
out his relations, to whom he had been
40 long as one dead, and Uncle John"
himself would have found 1t hard to re-
cognize him in the tall, bearded stranger
who inquired in Milton for the Rays,and
heard with eager interest the few details
which he could obtain of their sorrowful
history.
Edna Waters, Mr. Watson's bride.to.
be, wished earnestly that her sister Mary
might share her strange foreign home
with her, and Mary herself had her own
secret longings in the same direction
upon the introduction of this Morris
prosperous, handsome and not yet thir.
ty, and the "noblest fellow alive" if Mr..
Watson's friendly enthusiasm could be
trusted. 81. Iei.as 81.
So a threefold siege was laid to poor
Luke's heart. Edna and Mary came arm
/ ed with beauty, wit and all feminine arts,
and Charlie with the generous desire OF
a young man in love to see his best
friend in the same blissfulrs state ss 1s
Still the swift weeks passed with little
prospects ofa Surrender. and even hope.
ful Charlie began to despair. Luke might
at one moment be gallantry itself, but in
the next strangely absent expression
would overspread his face, and as Miss
Mary said, I'VE might as we'll be in In.
dia already" -
In street or steam car, on the crowded
lthoronghfare, in the concert-hall or lee
ture room, his eyes had the look Of one
who searched for something he never
found Charlie could not comprehend
the change in his friend: he rallied him
upon it, but the answers he gained Ief,
his curiosity baffied but unappeased.
Il Mr. Morris had been absent for day
or two in the country, and returning
, sauntered, according to his wont, into
, the Waters mansion where he found th,
/ inmates in commotion Edna's beauti
ful pearl ring, the gift Of her lover, hat
! fmysteriously disappeared. The youns
lady had taken it from her finger ant
/ laid it upon her dressing.table, and
z caller having been announced had gon
down hastily to the parlor without resu
ming it. An hour aiterward she wen
back for it, but it was nowhere to b
0 found. 'a'a "a
ri It was positively ascertained that tn
e only person who had been in the room
meantime was little Stella's day Cover
e ness, who bad gone there on some tritlin
!. errand for the child This young lad
:, had come to them we'll recommended an
n they themselves had been 200 muc
J, pleased with her to suspect her of Grim
e for 80 slight circumstance as her pres
e ence in the room, had not such othe
r, facts come to light as made the evidenc
e against her most convincing.
ri On the very day that the ring disaF
g lpeared, and before its loss had been dis
d covered, the governsss had left, by pei
r, mission, two hours earlier than usual, o
:. plea of business; and on the same after
:. noon lady, who had casually seen he
II at Mrs Waters, and who recollected be
e perfectly, had seen her in three sewers
!. jewelers. establishments endesvoring t
e dispose of an elegant ring, consisting {
d a single large pearl in slender gold Sc
1t ting She was heavily veiled, and thel
y were traces Of agitation in her manner
:. and the sum for which she finally di
a posed of the jewel was small in propo
A Al: = al. Ess