The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-03-17

The 3evs1ee cpassntsi, = psarseps
groat delight, md on tie lblDowine doy
Ross Va duly Installed = N efrand
boy In the fashionable establishment.
Fifteen years AFTER. one blustsrins
March morning, . young man sat b.
hind the counter Of thriving jewelry
establishment In one Of the Northefi,
cities. He was . handsome man, q
traveller, . man Of taste, intellect and
money, for he was the junior partner
In the firm, which was . prosperous
one. But despite all his good fortune
Ross Dunbar was not happy. His
mother and his little Flora had gone
to their long home, and he was utterly
alone, without kith or kin In the wide
world.
Sitting alone one morning, with the
roar Of the March wind In his ears, his
thoughts were running back to the
days Of his boyho0d, to his mothers
humble home. How vivid the past
seemed, and how dear and sacred de-
spite his privations and sorrOws. His
eyes grew dim and his heart swelled.
All were gone over the wide waters of
time and change.
a tender smile softened his sad face,
a. he recalled the stormy night when
he sat sObbing on the steps Of Mr.. FOn-
tenay's mansion. And little Pansie
the remembrance Of her sweet face, as
he saw it through the snow wreaths,
haunted him constantly. In all the
fifteen years never for one hour had he
forgotten her. But she was gone-lost
to him forever.
His reverie was broken by the en-
tran &c Ut . customer, lady closely
clothed and veiled. She approached
the counter with Q jewel case in heI
hand.
Would you buy these ?" she asked
simply, In clear, sweet voice that
stirred the young mans heart as nc
other woman's voice had power to do
He took the casket, Enclosed 1t and
spread out ito contents. A watch, ele'
giant and costly, a diamond ring, two
rubies and an emerald necklace Ross
Dunbar barely suppressed cry OF sur.
prise as his eyes fell:upon 1t. He turn
ed 1t over with eager, trembling fin.
gers, and there on the clasp was the
name that lived in his heart for &c
many long years, Little Pansie."
You wish t. sell them !? I" he asked
trying to steady his voice and the wild
tbrobbing OF his heart.
The lady hesitated an instant, and
then she put out her slender band and
drew the emeralds toward her.
dislike to part with this" she
said. " 1t was my fathers gift-and
-and-but no matter, take them all
I must have the mouey.n
In her eagerness she had thrown
aside her veil, revealing lily face III
by lustrOus sapphire eyes. Ross Dun
bar stood silent q moment, every nerve
In his manly frame thrilling with SUI
preme delight. He had found her al
last, the idol of his life.
They are very fine gems, " he said
after q moment, "and I am willing Il
give you q fair price-suppose we say
81 ,OO0-will that do ?"
The girl flashed dazzling glance of
surprise from beneath her heavy veil.
$50 much rs that ?" she said, trem.
u,ously. You are very kind, sir. Oh,
ey will help me"
The young man made polite reply,
and proceeded to put aside the jewels
and draw q check for the money. The
March winds were still clustering
without, and the girl shivered and
drew her wrapper closer as she started
out.
Won't you let me run down to the
bank for you? said the jeweler, catch
ing up his hat. You can play shop
lady the while; it won't be but a min
ute or two"
But l am troubling you So"
Not q bit. Just take this warm
seat, please you'll not be likely to
have any customers" And seating
her beside his desk he took the check
and hurried out.
Pansie Fontsnay threw back her veil
and leaned her head upon her hands,
with puzzlee, reflective look upon
her sweet, sad face.
"Where have I seen this face? 2" she
asked herself over and over again.
1t is so familiar. Who i'm the world
can Ii be-" His return broke in upon
her meditation, and after receiving her
money she hurried away to her hum
bic lodgings.
The following afternoon was even
more clustering and stormy the wind
rOared and the sleet tinkled against
the window of the little room in which
Pansie and her father sat Severe mis-
fortune and reverse had reduced them
to poverty, and the old man being an
invalid all the care fell upon Pansie's
shoulders. She sat with her father
reading aloud from new book which
she had bought for him with some Of
the money she received for her jewels.
Her sweet face was wan and sad, and
her future stretched before her sad,
hopeless and gloomy.
There Is q ring at the door, and o
servant brought package for Miss
Fontenay. An exquisite bunch of
pansies, fragrant and en-hearted.
done up i'm tissue paper, and attached
to them a card. bearing the simple
words: Ross Dunbar has not forgot
ten little Pansie"
Pansie sat amazed for moment, and
then a high bloom darted upon her
white cheeks.
"Oh, father" she cried, AZ knew
him-Iknew him! Oh, we have found
Ross Mt loss"
An instant later Ross was In the
room, clasping her fiuttering hands in
his, and into her blue eyes Looked wi b
q glance that brought the rosy bloom
to her face. Aud u few weeks later.
when the clustering winds were over,
and the blue birds sang in the hedges,
an the golden-hearted pansies bloom
ed on the garden borders, little Pansie
became Ross Dunbar's bride. and for
her bridal gift he gave her back her
string of emeralds.
MATT CARPENTER.