The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-06-13
SELECT STORY.
THE DIAMOND RING.

Like a drop of dew it sparkled on
Cora Vane's slender forefinger, catch
ing the slanting reflection of the after
noon sunshine, as if every sunbeam
loved to linger within the crystal-heart-
ed jewel, as the young girl sat there,
her fair head dropping like lily bell
and the lashes hanging low over her
flushed cheeks.
Cora Nane was very pretty, with a
delicate, retiring loveines that you
needed to study before you fairly ap-
preciate it. Her hair was brown and
lustrous, like the shining husk of an
October chestnut, aud the deep, hazel
eyes that exactly matched them in COL
or, were almond-shaped, and full of
limped changing lights. And yet, with
all these gifts of nature, Cora Vane
had never discovered that she was u
beauty.
"It's 50 strange that he loves me !"
thought Cora, her scarlet lips half
apart, and the sweetest dreamlike shad,
ow of smile lowering about her
mouth. "He, so wealthy, SO high
born, SO courted in aristocratic circles,
where poor little l have never been ad-
mitted. ! should almost fancy the
whole thing to be dream, if it were
not for this precious stone sparkling on
my finger !"
And then Cora Vane leaned her
cheek on her hand, and drifted off once
more into the delicious reveries that
come to those who have set foot with.
in the mystic temple of love.
1t did seem not unlike the phantas-
NAL outlines of a dream, when one
came to look at it from a sober, every
day point of view Here she was, q
little, hardworking daily governess
earning a modest livelihood by con
slant toil-how could it be that Alban
Carlesford, the courted favorite of for.
tune aud fashion, should have learned
to love her-should have won her to
promise to be his wife. And she had
told him so frankly and freely, the story
of her humble life, even to the brief
strange episode of Bruce Wayne's love
and proposals.
"Bruce Wayne !" Mr.. Carlesford had
repeated. "You do not mean the
Bruce Wayne who was in the Seventh
regiment at one time ? Why, knew
him we'll"
"Yes," said Cora blushing, sit wa,
Captain Wayne. He said he loved me
but he was so fierce and passionat,
that | was afraid of him. Oh, Alban
/ never could have felt toward him as
did to you !"
| And Mr.. Carlesford forgot the Incl
pient pang of jealousy which had al
ready entered his heart concerning thi
same handsome reckless young captain
Bruce Wayne, and felt happy in tn
undoubted certainty that Cora was al
his own.
| Cora Vane was secretly thinking o
all these things the next day, as sh,
sat by little Bessie Malden's piano
counting time for the child's unuse,
fingers as they strayed regularly oye
the ivory keys, for Cora had insisted
on duly fulfilling all hel engagement
for the quarter before she would con
sent to fix the marriage day, when tn
school-room door opened and Captai
Wayne lounged idly in.
"Bessie' he said to his little niece
"run and get my gold eye glass, that
a little gem of a girl. They're in tn
parlor or under my dressing table O
ia your mammals work-basket or some
where T.
And Bessie glad to be released from
the thraldom of the pianoforte, slippe,
down from her seat, and trotted mer
rily away.
Bruce Wayne sat down beside tn
daily governess, with darkening lool
of care upon his brow.
"Cora," he said most iercely, 81 an
in trouble, and there is no one to he'll
me-save you"
"Help you' Captain Wayne, wha
can you mean
"Cora | must have SlO0 betweel
this and sundown, or shall be RUNE,
disgraced man. cant tell you hoy
it has happened--you need not look s.
inquiringly. Moreover, it is but TEN
porary need-my allowance comes il
tomorrow but you see how it is--to
day is the period Of necessity"
"But,' faltered Cora, turning whit
and red. "Your borother-in-law MI
Maiden"
"IIe will not listen to a word II
says-and | cannot blame him much
that he is tired of lending to me, an,
my sister is just as bad y
"Surely your friends -"
! He contemplated her with mookinj
laugh.
81 have no friends Yes, you ma
look amazed, Cora, but il is the melan