Connecticut western news., 1885-03-25
pockets brought back more prudential

pOcKebS brought DaCK mOro pIuuoutlal considerations.
 "After all, it's only what he did him. self," he argued; Che found it and kept it, and that's what I'm doing"
 He made one or two intellectual at- tempts to console poor, miserable Sandy, and got himself away as speed fly us practicable into back street, where dwelt certain German. who kept kind of money-lending and gen. eral exchange and barter establishment for the benefit of sailors and emigrants. Saturday night was far advanced, and if he, Sam, meant to reap any immediate benefit from his possession, it was nec- essary to lose no time.
 He slipped softly in, and addressed himself to the proprietor.
 1T picked up something in the dock to-day, and I wad like to ken the worth of it gin I cared to part with it"
 "What is it?'' demanded the man, briefly.
 "It's ring-a diamond one," an- swered Sam, speaking under his breath.
 "Where is itP
 Sam slowly unfoIded the wrappers, and laid it, with a sort of gasp, in the mans dingy palm. How it glittered in the gaslightl Sam watched it with eager eyes. "A nice thing to have gone and given that away again, he said to himself.
 The German looked at the treasure under the gas-iet for moment, and touched it with his tongue; then he threw it down on the counter with Q sort of laugh.
 Diamonds, indeed A bit of glass p
 "It's no p ejaculated Sam, with dry lips. ''You're cheating l!
 The man knocked it smartly against the iron scales. Alas the unfortunate diamond vanished away into dusty pow der.
 "But the ring-that's gold p cried Sam in despair. It was the one last forlorn hope.
 "Take it away; no one would give you sixpence for it.
 Sam picked it up without word. When he got outside he flung it into the nearest gutter. Was it for this he had cheated Sandy, and made himself afraid to meet him-for this ? Why couldn't he have left him to find out the miserable cheat for himself? It was the very first time he had ever played friend a shabby trick, and in wrath and bitterness of spirit Sam registered solemn resolution that it should be the last.
 The sight of Sandy's woe-begone countenance when they met at the school next morning also helped to strengthen it. Sam realized, with 8 sinking heart, that he would never be able to explain to him how little cause for regret he really had. For weeks and months-even years-he might have to listen to the lamentations over that un- paralleled loss.
 They had the conclusion of the Judas tragedy that morning. The two lads wandered round the quay afterward al- most in silence, each privately repenting after his own fashion.
 eff had taken that diamond to the station," soberly remarked Sandy breaking into long pause, 'I might I might have got three or four pounds for it, instead of just nothing. It served me right. I'm thinking maybe there was some allowance to be made for Judas. After all, riches are an awful snare-nobody knows till they get them"
 "They are," calculated Sam, with great fervor. "There's no depending on them, and I'm thinking we'll be just as well without any,"
 "Ah, but you never had diamond, ," retorted Sandy, with sudden burst of sorrow for his lost treasure.
 "No, never had," was Sam's truth ful answer.