The Indianapolis journal., 1884-07-26


ment, but the girl secretly vowed that she
would be the wife of no other man
A year had passed Josie Harte, whose mar
riage had been postponed because her inhrm
mother needed day and night daughters care
answered at last the inquiries of Miss Carnes,
made few weeks after the burial of Mrs.
Harte, Il have fixed my wedding for this day
fortnight
7 wish you all happiness, my good Josie
said Frederka with smile and a sigh sAnd
now you will give me the pleasure to add few
trifies to your trousseau, since you were-ah,
do not forget it-so interested in mine"
Among the many useful gifts and the many
not useful but quite pleasurable bits OF tinery
that Miss Carnes pressed upon the acceptance
of Josie Harte was silk costume which for
twelvemonth had hung in the dark of a seldom
visited cedar closet.
do you know said the sweet girl, that
hardly like to give you this, and yet will,
hoping that time has taken from it whatever
ill-luck it had. For, Josie, this is the carriage
dress / wore the day / lost all the happiness OF
my life. felt that ought to tell you this; but
you need not be superstitious about 1t, for happy
love makes all things right
Josie accepted the gift, but not without
superstitious misgiving, with which she com
promised by determining that she would alter
The fashion of the costume at once
The enterprising young undertaken who, in
spite of the solemnity of his trade, had found as
Josie said, his business so good, and who was
one of the sunniest hearted beings in the world,
encountered at last the Compensation" of his
good times in the verified fact that the course
of true love did never yet run smooth"
The postponement of his marriage for year,
truly as he respected Josies filial devotion, had
occasioned him continued regret; and now, a
fortnight before his wedding day, at the last
moment, it seemed fate had great trial in store
for him.
One evening he noticed that Josies manner
showed unusual seriousness; but he 'Iaughed it
off, thinking fondly when she is married
woman she shall have no care"
just as he was about to close his visit, Josie
said: Robert, want to speak to you about
something
Speak away, darling said her lover pos
sessing himself OF what Harrison had called
that dear little hand and quite content listen
Robbie you know have two hundred dol
lars in the bank 1t would have been more,
but
II know it, child, said Robert, relaxing slight
ly his clasp Of the small hand.
well, dear said Josie, speaking very quick
ly and softly, WANTED to keep that money y-or,
rather, / meant to keep it--for a rainy day
But now, all of sudden, | want to spend it.
And want to spend it in ridiculous way at
least you will think it is ridiculous way, and
think so, too, looking at in one light. But
never mind. Robbie, / want to cross the ocean
don't start so! that's nothing much nowadays--to
cross the ocean, and come right back. Oh, right
back, you may be sure dear Robbie! But even
that will defer our wedding day little while.
/
in me- Robert; you have shown that to me al
ways and without it, heaven knows, you would
not want me for your little wife, as shall be,
| dearest Well, on Saturday-and my passage
| is taken-I am to sail Ny heart is set upon it
And on Saturday, Robert actually crying-tis
a pity such uncommon things should be-crying
| like child upon the sea- sick wharf whence the
! jubilant looking steamship departed-Josie
! sailed
/ A foggy night in London-a foggy night sue
| ceeding foggy day; the fifteenth foggy night
succeeding fifteen foggy days. Very depressing
! to an American.
Edward Lowell, leaving his office late, and
/ wearily vending his way to his lodgings, looked
this dismal night, oh, how much older than ht
/ looked ayear agol He had always been thought
| full, he was now a sorrowful, man. His grie
had told upon him. Those vague, deadly rumor:
could any prosperity in business, any kindness
| any admiration extended to him in his new field
| of career, ever dispel them? And Frederika-
i would her faith die at last of the slow poison
4 Reaching his lodgings. Edward Lowell found
visitor awaiting him. "A young woman; a for
| eigner, think, sir; very respectable like. Shj
/ insisted on waiting, sir"
The young man did not recognize his visitor
/ She made herself known to him as the sewing
girl who worked for Miss Carnes. "Oh, do yoi
not remember, sirf she said. Once you were 81
kind to mel"
Then Josie Harte put into the hand of Edward
Lowell little object which she had found in
closed In box pleat of carriage dress, which
"a fortnight before her wedding day she haG
be enremodelling.
i A diamond ring-the diamond ring! Edward
| Lowell, strongly nerved man as he was, turned
pale and staggered at the sight of it.
The day that Frederika Carnes driving in th'
| park with her lover, showed him her ring, i
4 Slipped from his fingers, and lodged unseen il
the open pleat of her skirts goffered founcing
Josie Harte, the humble, obscure sewing CIR
to whom Edward Lowell had shown a brief chiv
alric kindness had crossed the ocean to put init
his own hands the cleW alike of his evil an(
! good fortune.
s'Take back this ring"