The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-29
THE RING And THE MIRROR.
ARomancs of Room NO. az.

etor of an UPTOWN hotel in New York,
"who owe their first meeting to an incl
dent. or rather a series of incidents,
which occurred in the very room they
occupied last night. It's very pretty
story, MI told and will lay over any or
binary feat of the imagination. Through
pure luck and active reasoning faculties
young fellow has won the prettiest
little sweetheart one could wish. lie -
himself smart and handsome, and holds
responsible position as agent for
large hardware firm i'll the West. He
has stopped at my house when he was
in town for three years and over.
"The first act in the romance am
telling you occurred about year ago,
and the scene was laid in room No. 26,
second floor, front. A bell boy came
to me on the evening in question and
SAID the gentleman in No. 26 wished to
see me at my convenience. / went up
stairs and found Jimmy-we always
called him by his first name here.
found him sitting on his sofa admiring
a neat little diamond ring, which flashed
in the gaslight like an electric spark. 1t
was a lady's ring and must needs have
had very slender little finger to ELI 1t.
1t occurred to me that the ring was for
his intended, and that he was going to
tell me all about it. 1t is quite natural,
you see, for an enthusiastic young lover
to make confdant of friend. 1t
somehow boils over in 'em and will out.
WHY. I had a man old enough-but
never mind that. I'll finish the first story
before begin another.
at smiled, first at the ring and then
at Jimmy. 'Ahr said I, ALLOW me to
congratulate you, ; and was about to
ask who the fortunate young lady might
be. He laughed pleasantly, said he was
cut out for a old bachlor, just as all
fellows do. Then he went on to explain
about the ring. 1t seemed he had drop
ped some loose change upon the sofa
and it had slid down into the lining.
In feeling around for it he had fished
out the ring. We examinedit for some
mark of Identification, but found nothing
except simple letter as" engraved on
the inner side. That was certainly
rather a small clue to the owner, but
we used it for all it was worth. We
searched our register for over year
back, taking every name opposite room
No. 90 which began with an s. We had
about dozen Smiths, two or three
Shorts. Shank, and other names to
the number of thirty or more. We
wrote to each to know if they had
lost valuable ring, and asking them
to write and describe it if they had.
Only about half dozen answered, and
none of them had lost ring.
Jimmy went from here to Philadel-
phia, and then to Washington. 1t was
about three weeks before he showed up
at the hotel here again. Of course, he
inquired about the ring the first thing.
! If we ever discover the fair owner he
said, as he started for room No. 26 pre-
coded by bell boy with his satchel
and pitcher of ice water, If ever we dis
cover the fair owner of that ring, shall
claim the privilege of personally
presenting it to her."
"'Twenty- six said the clerk to boy
who stepped up in response to electric
call from one of the rooms. 1t was
after II o'clock, and I was smoking my
customary goodnight cigar in the office.
The boy came back down stairs
minute later, two steps at tine. He
said 26 acted little wild and wanted
me to come up aight away. Before
/
down himself.
"Rave you got your register for
1882 he asked, nervously. said that
1 had.
Then we'll soon know who that ring
belongs to- he added.
We got the 1882 register and he
turned to June 3, running his eye hur-
riedly up and down the numbers of
rooms. james Shepard, wife and
daughter, was scribbled opposite rooms
Nos % and 26, with the address in full,
largo manufacturing town in one of
the New England States.
"The letter S in that ring stands for
Shepard shouted Jimmy, hilariously.
"You see, before going to bed that
evening he made preparations to shave.
The mirror before which he was to
perform the operation reflected the
light of gas jet on either side. Plain
ly cut in one corner of the glass he
caught a sight of the inscription,
June 3, 1882 From the in
scription to diamond was an easy
step In train of thought, and from
diamond to the jeweled ring found in
the same room was another. 1t was
but natural conclusion that the
diamond in the ring was the same that
had cut the glass, and still more
natural that the date on the glass was
the date of the cut 1t then became
almost certainty that the person who
occupied room No.26 on June 3, 1882,
and the owner of the ring were the
same.
"Well, Jimmy started East the next
day, and took the ring with him. 1 got
letter from him few days later say
ing that Miss Shepard was the owner
&c tba nine op1 of n rrattv face and