The Red Cloud chief., 1883-06-29
PEGGY'S TRIAL.

Peggy WAS out in the orchard picking
up apples, They were summer apples
yellow, crisp and so ripe that they
would crack open just rs easy, And
some ut them had grown SO fast and So
freshly after the late showers. that they
were full Of water N the core, Fine.
Juicy apples and a clear. bright morn
Inc are enough 10 make any little girl
happy, No wonder PEGGY sang. And
Peggy could sing very well. indeed.
She had never been taught. but that
dldn seem 10 make any difference.
She began to sing even before she could
talk-a sort of pleasant little humminc.
that would make her grandma say.
"She VIII mak a cheerful woman
But Peggy WAS getting TO be quite a
young lady; and in the morning when
u story opens, she WAS singing gaylv
Il pretty little cong she had learned AT
school. The happier she became the
louder she sang; and her voice rang
out through the sunny orchard until the
shadows of the leaves ON the grass
actually seemed to dance about with
pleasure, and chase each other. first this
way and then that, sometimes hitting n
golden apple. sometimes ~darkening the
rose in a ~clover-head. sometimes max
ing + little mask on Peggy's up;urned
face. almost n if they would Ike TO kiss
her white forehead. | suppose il was
the breeze sweeping softly among the
branches that made the shadows dance
81, hut II seemed a. if they danced To
feggr's singing. She had nearly filed
her basket, and was about to pick up
the last tempting-looking globe. when
she saw something sparkle very brill
iantly in the grass. STOPPING quickly,
but not ceasing in her song. she picked
up the shining thing. and looking a, i,
IN amaZemcnt. became dumb with SIR
prise. Ii was 4 lovely diamond ring,
Peggy counted the sparkling stones.
One. two. three, eight glowing. bewiich-
Inc bits of color and shine, rejecting
the trees and the sky. the apples
and the clover. She could see every
shade az The rainbow in the precious
Jewel. and she WAS almost wild with de-
light. She slipped il on her finger.
looking al IL first in this WAY. and then
IN that. She could hardly take her ewes
from II. We'll" said She. Il am so
glad just then. Peggy, Peggy
came pleasantly from the house. e"
must go" said she to herself. Grand
ma Is calling. What win she saw 10
this? Why, She will say il is not mine.
and that must not Keep it: l know
she VIII, But IL Is mine. found il in
our orchard, and | know il is mine.
VIII keep il. / never had SO lovely a
thing before. and l mean 10 Keep it
Peggy said this To herself out loud. and
shook her head hard. Then She put
the ring in her little pocket. and. pick
Ing up the basket. started for the house
Il will not tell her Vet" She said 10
herself. Il will think it over"
she got TO the great. breezy
Kitchen her dear grandma was up 10 !
Aer ears IN flour as she herself
would have expressed it-makinc pies.
On. said She, with = CHEEKY laugh, |
when Peggy came in, Juggling the
heavy basket along in both hands. Inv |
little help has arrived. / am going
10 make a turnover for nv help
But, Peggy. what is the matter? What
has happened? Are YOU unhappy,
Mo, ma'am," said Peggy. rather
sullenly, I'm not" And then she
oiushed. She thought 10 herself: Il
wonder If il shows right in nv face.
That Grandma can see something has
happened? don't believe | am very
happy, either. / don't feel so glad as /
did"
on the first opportunity she ran up-
stairs and hid the ring in her own little
chest. II had a till in it-just the cum
nlngest place TO hide any little object,
When she tucked it away, she again
almost kissed the beautiful stones-they
were SO like icicles and sunsets. and
everything pretty and fairy-like she had
ever dreamed of.
b was eleven years old. and had
beer quite a reader. She knew that
, diamonds were very valuable. and had
even read in her .-Child's Philosophy of
Little Things" of Whist they were COM
posed, and how difficult il was 10 obtain
them. Il have a fortune of nv own
now. she said TO herself, as she shut |
down the cover of her chest and turned
the key Il am 4 rich lady: and if lever
wSnt to sell my beautiful ring l can buy
ever so many beautiful things with II
books, and pretty dresses, and even
necklace like Cora Nays, Hum. 1
guess II the girls knew what / have get
they would not put on SO many airs
over their little gold-heart rings and
coral chains. / should lust ike To-
Show my lovely diamond once.-
Then she began to sing. but in the
very first line Of the song she stopped.
:" 6he turned q little pale, and stood look