Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-11-27
CHE Sturp TelIer.
THREE DIAMOND RINGS.

in the borders were crushed into the rich
black mould and jamie Barr was trying to
tie them up again with as tender sympathy
as if they had been little children fallen
down. -,
When, suddenly, Mrs. Barr came out with
a perturbed face.
''There!" said she. 81 knew there would
be trouble"
"What is it, mother ?" said JAMIE, cheer
tsIt's those worn-out shingles on the roof"
said Mrs. Barr, in the melancholy half
whine which was habitual to her. "Ihe
rain leaked in on the boarder's bureau all
night long; and she says she won't stay
here if she isn't to be properly protected
against the elements"
jamie tied the last puce-colored tulip to
it's stake, and Strengthened herself up. -,
"We must have the roof mended," " said
she.
"Who is to do it?" sighed Mrs. Barr.
"There amt a carpenter to be had since
Squire Folet commenced the new cottages;
and even Crazy Jim won't 60 up on that
steep roof. And if Mrs. Lepell goes away,
what shall we do about the interest on your
fathers old note?"
''She won't 60 away, mother, never fear,
said jamie, brightly. Don't fret. You'll
see that things will all come right"
"But the shingles must be fixed right
away" said Mrs. Barr.
"They shall be fixed, mother,' said jamie.
'Who will do it?" impatiently repeated
the widow.
81 willw said jamie.
''That's all nonsense !" grOaned Mrs. Barr.
"Whv shouldn't I. mother?" said jamie,
merrily. "Of course haven'theen brought
up to carpenters trade, but any one could
manage few shingles and handful Of
nails You shall see, little mother! Only
wait!" -,
"Janie, if you think of such thing, shall
he very angry" said Mrs. Barr.
"Then Tll leave off thinking of it, said
JAMIE "Where's the basket and clasp knife,
mother? I am going to cut some dande-
lion greens for dinner"
''Of course she's only Joking" said Mrs.
Barr to herself, as she returned slowly to
the house.
But jamie had never been more seriously
in earnest in all her life.
Mrs. Barr went to the Parish Sewing So
ciety that afternoon.
Colonel Addison, from the Valley Hotel,
who was paying his addresses to Mrs. Le-
Dell, lhe boarder, came with spirited horse
ind buggy to take her to the sea beach,
where merry bathing-p party were to take
advantage of the tide and practice the noble
art of swimming.
NOW lS lily otlNt oohlS, S->oi's'he
ly, to herself.
But Mrs. Lepell came back before she had
got twenty rods away from the house.
"Janie, said she, 81 forgot to tell you
that had left my three diamond rings in
the little left handdrawer of the bureau.
l might lose them in the water. [ thought
1 would tell you, in case of fire, you know,
or any other accident"
"Yes," said jamie; "but there won't be
any accident"
Mrs. Lepell laughed, and ran back to the
carriage and the impatient colonel.
And not until then did jamie perceive
that tall, half-grown lad, lurking behind
the porch rails was waiting to speak with
her.
"Who are you?" said jamie, briskly.
"What do you want? No, we haven't
any old clothes. fyou really want work,
you had better 60 on to the new buildings,
a mile up the road. l dare say they can
find something for you to do there"
The lad mumbed out something, wheth-
er thanks or otherwise jamie was unable to
discriminate, and shutfied away.
And our heroine slipped on her hat, and
boiling the front door, ran across the back
meadows to Ralph Parsons carpenter-shop,
some quarter of a mile by the wood path.
81 want few shingles said she, "and a
pound of shingle-nails."
"No matter" calmly retorted jamie.
"How much will they cost?"
They'll cost you about quarter" said
Ralph. "Is it a hen-coOp you're going to
build? Because if you'll wait until Satur-
day, could do it for you"
at isn't hen-coop, and can't wait until
Saturday." said jamie, shaking the bright
brown curls out of her eyes. Here's the
quarter. And you needn't think, Ralph
ID,s hat n To no11
again until we've paid something on the
bill that we owe you already"
She nodded goodbye, and hurried away
under the canopy of pink apple-blosoms.
Ralph looked admiringly after her.
''She'sa regular clipper of a girl that jamie
Barrn' said he. eff ever Pm able to sup
port wife, that will be the one I'd choose"
Light as thistledown, Jamie hurried
back with her precious bundle of shingles,
and the pound of nails in her pocket
"Now III show them whether can mend
the roof or not" said she, as, with ham,
mer added to her stock in trade, she ascend
ed to the garret and climbed an odd little
ladder that led out through a rusty trap
door to the steep roof.
The slant was abrupt, the old shingles
were wet with the recent rain, and slippery
with green-TnOSs incruStati0ns; but jamie
Barr was not one lightly to be discouraged,
and presently she found herself neatly bal
anced, with her feet braced against the
broad gutter, one elbow leaning OH the roof,
and the other hand busily tearing away the
old shingles and replacing them deftly with
overlapping rows of new, fragrant wood.
The click of the hammer, the ring of the
nails, was like music in her ears. 1t meant
that she had saved her mother bill of
several dollars to say nothing of mental
trbulations which could not be estimated !;
that Mrs. Lepell would still remain with
them, and that she, jamie, had actually
proved herself of some use in the world.
"I've always wished | had been born a
boy instead Of a girl" unused jamie. "But
now," with an eXultant glance at the neat
row of shingles, 81 am not SO dissatisfied
with my lot in life"
Suddenly, however, as she sat perched
like squirrel on the slanting roof, the
sound of voices struck on her ear. She
paused to listen.
'Three diamond rings! | heard her say
so herself. In the left-hand drawer of some
bureau" said the same accents which half
an hour ago had asked her for charity
"And no one but a woman in the house"'
"Sure of that? ?" said a deeper voice.
eyes, plum-sure," was the answer. "And
wouldn't wonder if there was other things
for the picking up"
'Come on, then" said the other one !;
"and step lively We can't stand here
having all day. The door bolted, is it?
Wait Il minute; I've got Il little joker here
that would start any staple this side of Den
ver"
jamie had listened in breathess horror.
In an instant as it were she cOmprehended