The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-04-10

not quite himself. LOunging in the
tavern porch he saw Js"l Retferr COM
ing down the IciG, L d Nlcked
thought flashed thi,LgI LIS excited
brain.
"IIe's coming in. New Toys" he
cried, "look out for some fun"
Jack came in TO leave a message with
the tavern-keeper, and, having deliv
cred it, was going out again, when
loud voice caught his ear.
"Here's to pretty Susan Redfern"
it said.
He wheeled around. Bob was just
in the act of drinking his glass.
"lIow dare you trille with my wires
good name?" demanded Jack.
Fob laughed sneeringly.
"When a woman shows fellow fa-
vor, he dares everything" he answered
ard held up his right hand.
On the little finger CLEANED the opal
ring. Jack saw it, and his dark face
flushed crimson. lie cleared the dis
tance between himself and the speaker
with one bound, and before the by
ISLANDERS could interfere had felled Bob
to the ground.
"Stand back, neighbors," he painted
as he tore the ring from the PROSTATE
mans finger. I'll have his life for it.. J"
But the bystanders interfered, and
Bob was got out of the way.
Jack went home, with all the bright
ness of his life dashed out His young
wife met him at the door, in the silver
shine of the spring twilight. He
caught her, and held her at arms
length.
Susan" he said angrily, "where is
your wedding-ring?"
"Why, Jack" flushing and speaking
with embarrassment, ''it was on my
finger, hope have not lost it.
Her husband threw her from him,
with muttered exclamation, and
strobe out of the house without a word.
All through the night, from the ris-
ng to the setting Of the stars, Susan
waited, but Jack did not return. She
fancied he was angry because her we'd
ding-ring was missing, and wept her.
self i'll over his cruelty.
Morning came at last, and Mrs. Red
fern, Jacks mother, appeared. She
had the opal ring on her finger, and a
letter in her hand from Jack.
"Your husband has returned the opal
ring to me-" she said in severe voice.
ellis letter will explain the rest"
Susan read the letter and then, with
the pathetic cry, ooh, Jack, come back
to me !" fell in a swOon at Mrs. Red
ferns feet.
The tulips had bloomed, and were
whitening on their stalks in the garden
when she awoke from that awful trance
of death. On her white, thin finger
glimmered the old opal. Hearing of
her illness, and bitterly remorseful for
the evil he had wrought, Bob had told
the truth about the ring. But it was
too late. Jack was gone.
"I'll find him, and bring him back
to her, if it costs me my life" said
Bob, IN remOrse. And with last look
at her death-like face departed.
Months came and went, and the cry
of the little newborn babe was Heard
in the cottage.
"Jack's little baby" said Susan, as
it lay on her heart, "and he may never
see it,"
And now in the early autumn, she
sat by the old stile, waiting the post
mans arrival. She had waited so many,
many times, but surely the letter would
come to-day; the letter from Jack, as
surfing her that he loved her still.
The shifting sunlight fell about her
fair head; golden leaf fluttered here
and there, across the green tnrf at her
feet. Wife anG mother in one, her bo-
som thrilled with tender longing. Su-
san looked at her wedding ring and
waited.
A quick, resolute tread on the coun-
try road below. Could that be the
postman's nag?
Susan looked up, with her heart in a
wild futter. 1t was not the postman,
but tall, bronzed man.
"0h, Jack oh, jack"
In twinkling, Jack had her in his
strong arms, and his tears were on her
cheeks.
"Oh, Susan, can you forgive me ?"
he said, with a choking voice.
"There is nothing to forgive" sh
sobbed, clinging to him. "See, Jack
l have got my wedding-ring! Jack
you can never know how my heart has
hungered for you. "Jack," hiding
her hot face in his breast, "there'
someone besides me to welcome you.
Can't you guess, Jack? A little, wee
baby, Jack, with his fathers own eyes.
| thought, once, you would never see
him, Jack, but thank Heaven you have
come"
He could only hold her close to his
heart; he had no words to answer her.
Jack, how did you knowH" she
asked, at last, when the first rapture of
the reunion was over, "Did you get
my letter."
NO" he answered hoarsely. 1t
was Bob. He followed me across the
ocean; found me, and told me every
thing. Oh, Susan, say you do really
forgive meH"
"Come and look at baby" was Su-
sans reply to that.
Shrewdness and Ability.
Hop Bitters, so freely advertised in
all the papers, secular and religious, are
a Iorc.n colo and ora cttpp1u N .