The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-05-13
TIE LOST RING.

! Aa- @SSA
The Summer was in its glow and
prime. Tho hilltops were wreathed in
amber mist; the river murmured softly
through it's willow-fringod shores; the
woods, all riiled of their leafy houors.
were like cathedral aisles, carpetel
with gold, and russct and crimson lay.
era, and the nuts had never been 30
plentiful up in Wrex's Woods.
Squirrels, schoolboys. picnic parties
aud tramps all had their picl; and
choice of the nuts, and yet, with every
midnight frost aud sunrise gale, tho
ground WA strewn afresh with them,
and amy adventurous stick, thrown up
into the branches. weuld bring down u
shower Of new treasures.
But why don't they bring these
auta to inarke,l" cried Laura Heritage.
"Wny don't we havo them in LOndoul'
"Ain't enough Of 'em. miss" said
job, a sturdy, yong farm iaborer
''Beside7, they ain't what yon'd cLl a
fancy nut.
Tast then Mr. Austin, tho handsome
yoang cusate of Comfortable. came np,
and held ont his hand 70 Miss Herit-
age With a smile
II am glad TO see sou hsrs, said he.
And | AN 70 elai - ba herer said
Laura, enthusiastically.
How DO yon ike country lifsr be
~ : Ae----s-z-a=s-a- --ssss@--saes-..s-.s@
"ob, 80 much. crisl Laura. "Aia;
plo Farm i delishtfil, anI 81. AMI
Mra. Jennings arc lika two antiquities
cut of ourreity.shap Aud mamma
would give untoll gold lor tho china
that they use se-extrayagant creatures
on the table every day. ] coall have
crieI outright last night, when Lucy
dropped g cup aud bgokc it. Aud We
haso open wood fires on huge hear,hs,
aEd the logs ere 80 deliciciopsly fragrant
as they burn, aud -
"Ani little Lacyl" said Mr Austin,
smiling doesn't she strike you as a
eGr.osity, alsoi'
Laura laughed.
"The neicel' said she. "Do you
know ] have scarcely looked at herl
like pretty people and pretty things
and tiIat child Is such a Ggure|
She spoke careIessiy, quite unaware
and very possibly she would not have
cared hisd she known it-that Lucy
Jeanings Was in the sunkeA glade Just
belsw, where the yellow sunshine qaiv.
cred, and noisy little riyulet leaped
over noisy stones on It's way to the
river
Lucy waa big eyed and solemn, with
face and hands almost as brown as the
nuts, and hair that waved and ciinkled
all over her head
Mr.. Austin had always had pleas
ant word and smile for her; Mis-,
Heritage was the realistic Of her idea,
of On angel-and they are laughing
about her
Lucy stood minute with her great
eyes brimming over, her lower lii
tightly clasped by pearl-wbite teeth.
"Job, said she, at last, "my bncket
is full. ] think I'll 60 home"
"What, a'ready4" cried Job.
Yes" said Lucy. "May'be, Aun
Jennings wants me. I'd better go.
Mrs. Jennings, cutting a piece ol
gold clear honey in tho comb, out Of /
glass box, was astonished at the breath
less appartion of her little niece, Ayinl
headlong down the steep grade Of th'
apple orchard.
| BLESS me, childP' said Mrs Jennings
"Didn't | tell you could stay till sun
down.
"I--I didn't want to, said Lucy,
And she rushed upstairs to he
room, and cried until she could cry nj
longer.
Miss Heritage ''liked pretty peopl
and pretty things and she Lucy wa
"such a fgureP
She had not known it before. Sh,
had thought her calico dress with th
black stars upon it, was beautiful, an
she had innocently rejoiced in th'
brown ribbon bow for her neck, tina
had been her uncle's own present.
And then Lucy looked in the little
six-inch glass, and realized how brown
how unkept, and gipsy-like she was
how dissimilar was her dress from Mis-
Heritage's soft laees and floating rib
bonloops. And Mr. Austin, in who's
bible-class she WAS
III wish / was deadf 'sobbed poo
Lucy. mo, Aunt, pleased to Mr.
jennings kindly call. 81 don't wan
any tea.
"No teap said Mrs. jennings, i
amazement. "Child, does your hea
ache7"
eyes," said Lucy, who had neve
known what it was to suffer an ache Of
rain in her life. "Yesl Please pleas
let me be alone!"
Two days later Miss Heritage cam