The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-01-30
AN UNFoRaoTrEN LESSON.

| la0 LlIu0 WAS aDOuU IofGulSuG UoIOTS
Christmas. There were not many trav.
elers, and had compartment in the
early tidal train to myself. My destina.
ton was Paris, my errand to convey from
my father "a London ieweler and silver.
smith) to his agent in that city very
valuable ring. ''The diamonds in it are
worth e5O0 if they are worth penny,
my father had said to me, $50 hope you
will take special care of the ring, Ned,
and neither lose it on the way nor allow
| yourself to be robbed of it," I smiled
a little superciliously as my father spoke.
As if it were at all likely that should
either lose it or allow it to be stolen from
mel was just turned one and twenty,
and my father had no right to speak to
me as if were still boy.
| had got the ring safe in an inner
pocket of my waistcoat, as 1 took care to
assure myself from time to time. had
not seen it since my father put into a
| little velvet box, in which it was still
shut up. When I had finished my first
cigar, and had got through with the
morning news, the thought struck me
that might as we'll have another look at
the ring. There could be no harm in
l l.
hiding place and opened it. My eyes
darling in its nest of purple velvet. Who
could have resisted the pleasure of tax
| ing it out and trying it on? Certainly
| not I. First on one finger and then on
| another I tried it. Had it been made
for the third finger of my right hand it
could not have fitted me better. looked
simply exquisite.
Now come to think of it, was there or
| could there be safer hiding place for the
ring than my finger? I had only to
keep nay glove on and not soul would
know anything about it, It was far
safer there than in my pocket. In such
case to hesitate was folly. placed the
ring on my finger and put the empty box
| in my pocket. As was alone there was
no occasion to put hly glove on just then;
SO I mused and smoked, and watched
the many colored rays of light that
| flashed from the brilliants, and wondered
what great swell's finger it was destined
to decorate. How wished that could
call it mine.
There was no harm in dazzling the
eyes of the ticket collector with it. He
was only railway official. But I took
care to pull on my glove and button it
before alighting from the train. Aquar-
ter of an hour later we were steaming
out of Dover harbor.
There were not more than dozen
passengers on deck. The day was cold
and clear, with just enough sea to make
the voyage unpleasant for bad sailors.
Only two ladies were visible. One was
stout, middle-aged person, who was
eating and drinking nearly all the way
across-evidently an old salt. The other
was-well, simply the most charming
creature I had ever set eyes on. In
point of fact, could not keep my eyes
off her. passed her and repassed her
as paced the deck from end to end, and
every time passed her I looked at her.
What lovely gray eyes What superb
yellow hair But as for the complexion,
it would take a poet to describe the wild
rose tints. Once or twice her eyes met
mine just for moment. and it struck
me that they were full of a wistful sad
ness. So far as I could judge she was
entirely alone. We were about half
way across when, as passed her for the
fiftieth time, she spoke: ssWould you,
Monsieur, have the goodness to ask the
steward to bring me a little Cognac %
She spoke in French. As the song says,
tsHer voice was low aud sweet" 1 was
too hattered to answer her. 1 could only
bow and grin and make bolt for the
stewards den. OF course I took the
Cognac to her myself. You should have
seen how prettily she thanked me. She
slipped it as canary bird might do, if
that bird were in the habit of drinking
brandy. ST hope Mademoiselle is some
what revived" I ventured to observe
presently.
Yes, very much revived, thanks to
Monsieur. I am not mademoiselle. I
widow. She pressed her handkerchief
o her eyes as she spoke. How interest
ing, nay, how touching, was the simple
confession. This wistful sorrow in her
eyes was at once accounted for. Would
hat it had been my happy lot to COM
fort her.
There was camp stool close by. Pres
emily ventured to draw a little nearer
and sit down on it, blushing at my tenn
Gritty as I din SO. She did not seem at
all offended, and we were presently in
the midst of an animated and interest
ing conversation. There was no hauteur
about Madame On the contrary, she
was candor itself She had only been
| three days, she told me, In London. She
had been staying with Sir Henry Fitz-
Evans, who had charge of her late hus-
bands interests in England. She was
now going back to seclusion, going back
to the little cottage in which she dwelt
ever since her husbands death. She
would not be able to go forward Egby the
| tidal train, she told me, hayingxa a busi-
ness call to make in Calais. She would
g6 forward by the eSenip e,srain.
All this was told me with q charming
frankls~<-< There was no reaeon why I
shopA rot Wit and go forward by the
k-.tr1