The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-10-09
-aS F{I pATRICK'S DIAMOND
RING. '' 4"

NV INV to --ui at, d.,
.NFIyr nths ago last November,
.l1tcwa Warwickshire, England,
70 pend w days with my cousin,
'lcaea Mason! Immediately after my
arrival wn. escorted up to my room,
the vn TO the drawing-room,
So .ele I i'd Mrs. Patton, Horaee's
~ house per-his duenna, as he was
aut 70 aer--and Mr.. Fitzpatrick,
% rector the parish. Mrs. Patton l
euew vel She was a most amusing
compound H dignity and jollity, and we
wrs the te friends in the world, though
She always declared that did nothing
gug make of her. Mr.. Fitzpatrick
6a3 never cen before for, during my
previous is he had always happened
10 Bog from ONE. He was tall, portly,
elderly geoleman, with a rather florid
r@0eleNiou, and a magnificent head of
perfectly white hair, the effect of which
was recessed by a pair of bushy and
perfectly lack eyebrows. He greeted
me cry oordially; and as soon as we
We're seated at the dinner-table, dis
eoy.'ea 'hat his forte was conversation.
and MS iolole monologue. have heard
some good, steady takers in my time,
but am prepared TO back Mr.. Fitzpat-
rick against any of them. 80, q
noticed during dinner that, as is the
habit of some widowers, he wore we'd
ding ring, which had presumably been
his wife's; and over this another ring,
OF the kind usually worn by ladies, in
which set three very handsome brilliants.
After dinner, when Mrs. Patton had re-
tired, the conversation, somehow Or
other, took turn in the direction of
precious stones, and Horace, who at last
managed to get in a word or two, said
something about the difficulty of distin-
gushing, in the absence of tests, true
stone, from really well-executed imita-
ton, and took from his waistcoat pocket
n manufactured diamond which l GER
tainly should have pronounced genuine.
For purposes of comparison, Mr. Fitz-
patrick slipped from his finger the ring
of which have just spoken, and after
it had been examined and replaced, he
said: "There is curious story con-
nected with that ring, Mr.. Mason; l
dare say you have heard it P" H ",'f
"I've heard something about it, said
Horace, but don't know all the par
ticulars; and don't think my cousin
has heard anything of it, SAM,
"Well, then," said Mr.. Fitzpatrick,
al may as well tell it to you, if you care
to hear it. The story begins and ends a
long time ago. 1t is forty years this
very month since | became engaged to
be married. was then curate, and
had not much money to spare; but had
Just received alegacy of rather less than
hundred pounds, and in a fit of extrav-
agance hardly excusable, even in lover
of Internationally, spent the whole of
it and few pounds more, in purchasing
a ring for my future wife. Unexpected
the engagement to be long one; but
the rector of his parish died suddenly,
and my great uncle, in whose gift the
living was, presented me to it. The
rector's death took place in February l
read myself in on Easter Sunday, and on
the first OF June we were married. |
suppose every newly-married husband
and wife think themselves the happiest
people in the world; but honestly be-
lieve that we really were so. We had
not only each other, but we had every
thing else that we could possibly desire;
larger income than we needed, work
that was thoroughly congenial to both of
us, few real friends, a number of pleas
ant acquaintance, and an utter freedom
from all anxiety. rai gtqr.I a.l. a5f
"This unalloyed happiness lasted for
six months, when my wife's health failed
in mysterious manner. She began to
be subject to strange fits Of languor,
physical depression and drowsiness,
which gradually became longer and
more frequent. l had advice at once !;
but the doctors seemed completely at
sea. The organs, they said, were per-
fectly sound; and though the action of
the heart was not quite so strong as it
ought to be, there was absolutely moth
ing to account for the symptoms. At all
events, they could only recommend tom
les, gentle open air exercise, and an oc-
casional stimulant. In spite of them all,
however, my wife grew worse and worse.
At last she took to her bed, and she had
not been in bed a week, when one even
ing left her, apparently much the same
as usual, and went into my study to
spend a couple of hours over my next
Sunday mornings sermon, had been
down stairs only about three-quarters OF
an hour, when my wife's sister, who had
been sitting with her during my absence,
burst into the room and threw herself
upon me, exclai:ning: 30, James! she's
deadl Our darling Kate's dead! ,"
"You can imagine the shock she gave
..t.ltsaa ala aal e9aI haa'O."