Richland beacon., 1881-01-29

"DcScrlDe II.
Describe it ! A diamond ring, hand
some and massive: but plain"
"And the crest?"
"The crest! An. that my young
charge were with me! Stupid to have
forgotten. The crest of the Deloraines
1t is lion, passdn Or? No, | am
wrong. Unfortunate that she should he
too unwell to accompany Inc. But 1t Is
immatcrial: / will take it for her inspec-
tion; she will recognize it Immediately"
81 fear, madam, that should scarcely
he Justified
"Sir!"
81 feel it my duty" 1 said, firmly,
"under the circumstances, to take every
precautlon against mistakes. l trust
the young lady is not too seriously i'll
disposed to give you the necessary i'll
formation"
VERY well, sir. Exceedingly well,
sir. | fancied-ycs, actually fancicd-
that was speaking to a gentleman. You
will find, sir, that the lady principal of
female college is not to he insulted
with impunity. Good morning
Very narrowing this. l am scarcely
recovered from my lady governess, when
there is dash of wheels to the door,
and II Young fellow, finging the reins to II
groom i'll livery, springs up the steps to
the door-bell.
"Oh, dash it y he begins, breathing
out volume of stale tobacco, 81 beg
your pardon, and that, but the old wom-
an-dash it that's my mother-told me
! should find my ring here SO | ordered
out the vessel and the cats and spun
along like nincpence for it.
Il shall be very glad to restore the
ring | was so unfortunate to find when |
can discover its owner"
Discover dash it didn't tell you
it's mine? l say, l wish you wouldn't
he SO precious slow-I don't want the
cats to catch cold-Tve Just had 'em
shampooed, y know, napthnd, and
that"
"What sort Of a ring was yours?"
"What sort? Oh, core, as if YOU
didn't know-that's good"
intimatcd that should be glad to
find ont if he knew.
"Not know my own ring, ell know
its worth couple of ponies. Come,
let's hear the damage and I'll stump up"
Il cannot give up the ring unless you
describe it.
90. dash it don't chaff IA fellow now.
] don't care n hap about the thing, only
it belonged to some defunct party, and
tine governor would cut up SO deuced
rough. I've got heaps of EN-. Come,
I'll swap You any one of these because of
governor"
respectfully declined the proposal.
"Well, dash it," explained the Young
fellow, rs though struck with sudden
idea, "what couple of muffs we are
] could tell You in a minute if it's mine,
dash il :"
l replied that I was very sorry that I
could not oblige him, and, adding that
he had better obtain an exact descrip-
ton OF the thing from his governor,
recommended him not to keep the cats
longer in the cold.
Mem. am getting exceedingly tired
of my treasure-trove. l retire to my
room with a view of dressing to go out
am informed that lady wishes to See
me, and / am afraid my mental calcula-
ton was not complimentary to the lady
in question.
A tall, graceful figure, draped in heavy
mourning, rises at my entrance. She
opens the negotiation in some cOnfus'
ion, turning away her face. She has come
to Inc iii the hope of regaining a ring,
carelessly lost, the parting gift of fond
father to her brother and herself.
My eyes rested on the Grape about her
, lress-on her pale, beautiful face, from
which the blush of confusion and timid-
ity had faded. Deferentially l request
her to describe it.
a large diamond, handsome" she
believed, but valuable to her for far
other reasons"
"But," 1 said, gently, "chased on the
gold inside the ring there is"
a crest l am aware of it, she an
swered, sadly, "but l know nothing of
heraldry, and have never given it more
than a second glance. My brother is
dying, sir" she said, lifting up her pale
face to mine. "Oniy this morning he
missed the ring from my finger, uneas-
ilv; We were alone in the world it is
the only relic left of one so lately taken
| from us nOW GIL tel Hiii IL Id Ico'
Il am sorry to pain you, l said, try
ing to he firm. "but it would be more
satisfactory for all parties, and cause
but little delay, if you conld obtain the
description from your brother"
Without word she turned away the
mournful resignation of her air and at.
titude touched me, and as she turned
saw tear roll silently down and fal
upon the hand stretched to the door
handle. couldn't stand it.
"Stop," 1 exclaimed, Zone moment
am sure-I feel certain-I may trus
YOU. You will tell me-"
take the ring from its security;
hold it out timidly for the blue eyes t.
examine.
l see vet the look Of delight over
spr cad her fine features-I see the ex
preston of almost childish pleasure il
her eyes as she looked up at me an'
clasped her hands and cried out: "Th
ring, the ring! o, Alfred, my dea
brotheri"
Her hand was upon it such tremu
lous, happy eagerness In her glance
such a caressirg g fondness in her way o
lingering it. How pretty she was.
my dear child Il am 40, it give
me sincere pleasure Then l STAN