Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-03-17

Two days later Miss Heritage cam,
down 10 breakfast with a perturbec
air
NY pearl ring said she; its gone
Now Miss Heritages pearl ling wA'
not an ordinary trinket, but q costly
pearl shaped pearl, set in a slender
hoop Of braided gold.
Farmer Jennings set down his coffee
cup and stared; Mrs Jennings uttered
little cry; Phoebe who was bringing
in a plate OF hot toast from the kitchen
stood still.
Dear me- said Mrs. Jennings
where can you have dropped itT
Il never dropped it at all, said
Laura, positively. 1t has beer taker
stolen from my room!
But, Miss Heritage said the farm
er's wife, mildly, who is there thai
would steal it?'
Il don't know, said Laura, excited
ly. i know that it has been stolen
and | wish you would send for the po
lice at once.
OF course there was no one upor
whom suspicion would fall but PhGbt
poor, friendless, orphaned PhGbe
Not exactly friendless, either, for Mr.
Austin quietly declared tnat it was
quite impossible that she could have
com mitted crime like this
Il have known her ever since sh,
came to Maple Farm said he. 'ShC
is member of my Bible-class. Sh'
never did it,
And Mrs. Jennings valiantly assert
ed that 'she wouldn't never believe NJ
such thing of PGbe, as never yet ST
much as took pin as wasn't hers!
You are all infatuated about tina
girl said Laura, petulantly. 'Whc
else could have taken it?
'But surely Miss Heritage PLEADED
Mr.. Austin, you will not prosecute tn,
poor thing? You will give poor PhTb,
the benefit of the doubt?
i do not see that there is any doubt,
said Laura, stifily; and my pearl ring
must be returned
Il will pay you the value of it my
self, said Mr.. Austin eagerly, if
You are very much interested il
the culprit, said Laura, with curl o
her full, red lips; but that will not an
swer the ends of justice at al. No
She stole the rlng--let her confess, o
suffer-
The curate looked at Laura will
mute surprise--almost with disgust
At that moment, when Miss Heritag,
sat, like a female Fate, on the sofa
and Mrs. Jennings was comfortin,
poor little Phpbe up sairs, Job cam,
shutting in.
Found your ring? said he.
No, cried Laura.
Here it is, said Job.
And shure enough, the great pear
shaped pearl lay glimmering, like
drop of moonlight, in the horney pain
of his hand
Where did you get it?' breathlessl,
demanded Miss Heritage.
Job chuckled, and looked rathe
sheeplsh.
Sent d booshel o'nuts to my cousil
Jenny said he. Jenny was alway
partial to nuts: and she writ back t.
me-what did | mean by sendin' he
pearl ring in 'em?' Didn't l know
she was keeping company with Pete
Crane? And writ | didn't send NJ
pearl ring and this mornin' this cam
back by post, nodding his head at tn
jewel. And the very minute ! Sc
eyes on it | knowed it was the on
Miss Heritage wore that afternoon a
the nuttin'.'
Laura turned scarlet.
4 must have dropped it III the nuts
said she.
'Of course you did, said Job. Won
der you never thought of it afore?
So the awful shadow of suspicion
was lifted off Phoebe; and Miss Herr
tage even condescended to murmu
some sort of apology before she wen
away.
But it's too ridiculous the fuss the,
make about that girl, said Miss Her
itage, vlciously. Richard Austil
will never forgive me for daring t.
doubt her.
No; it was quite true, Mr.. Austi1
was completely dlsenchanted with tn
dlmpled and rock hearted Laura. Ant
when he did marry, three years after
wards, the brides name was simpl
Phoebe.
For the dark -eved child had grow
into radiant womanhood, and Richar'
Austin knew that she was a diamont
fit to wear on any mans breast.
Baby Carriages.
We clip the following from an ex
change. If the opinion Of DR.. Smitl
amounts to anything, then many chill
l,o,, - N,oo1oo,, n NO ,,;o+;,,, ~ 6 o,,,o Il .