The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1886-05-01

| had not thnnRht I mfaali'e ~
have fha aff altered Iuaf yeit
ani fhr ffaHii #n4 thli d slipped from
my hngaf. know that wore t when
I Iffi uy hniel. bet ! oaHld nnt fefals
led HmIing Ita presence AZ hnY suisse
quonl lime, ~ ! weni ~ every place l
6ad visited dnro I oame oai. ihe oafs
whore ! bad d|nei. The shop whore ]
had bgnrht some Cigar, the streets bad
tfayefsad. looking everywhere fgr sOma
tfane n my lot Jewel. and lnIulrlnR
" every me h. whom bad previously
spoken Il ihsy had seen anything ~ H.
/ iali drsary conviction that mY trcas'
ured afnahient was gone forever. whom,
~ n lasl respuffs, J went " bnfean
do police and gayd description Of lhs
lost ring 10 Inc officer there. The
o1lcor was polite, but gfso me ainali
hope Of ever seeing my diamond again.
] gave II up as gone forever.
| was sitting IN my hotel dun and de-
pressed. Engry NJ my own cafelcnsnest,
and ncliurd 10 give upRny further holl.
day aud forgot my annoyance ny a
speedy return TO my professional dus
ties In London, when my friend Of tho
policc.onice entered.
'1 am happy hc said, bowing politely
and smiling with, a. | thought. anilci4
patton " handsome reward IL am
happy 70 inform monsieur that we hopo
soon 10 place his rng IN his hands. One
answering 10 the description you gave
wa. brought 10 our office by the Under,
a countrymar OF your own. The ring
being rather IN uncommon one, feig
assured that Il could be no other than
the one you had lost. You described IL.
! think, as consisting Of five diamonds
set In the shape Of a violet, with q
smaller brilliant In the ccnter-a very
curious and valuable Jewell.
"Yes, that's II. replied ourtly. won.
dcring why be could not give me back
my property without 80 many words.
Then may safely assume that this
Is the ring In question:" lie brought
out my ring from his pocket and showed
II TO me.
"It s," said stretching out my hand;
but he did not restore the jewel, only
stood there holding IL and smiling mora
than ever. supposed that he wanted
TO sec some sign Of the reward he ex-
pccted 10 receive before parting with tho
trinkct | took out my purse. and
opening II, made some remark about
showing my appreciation Of his honestyi
bu, he shook his head. smiling, II
possible, more broadly than before.
'Do yon not wish to know, monsieur,
how your ring was foundp' he asked.
with a leer which J thought was disa-
greeable.
well. how was II focadP" / said,
tartly.
Ny policeman drew himself up TO de-
liver his great effect "Monseur, your
ring was found In another mans
pocketpi stared at him In bewlldori
ment, mingled with an indefinite fear,
while he continued his narrative In q
lees courteous and more confidential
tone than he had hitherto assumed.
"Ah, mon ami, one may be too clever;
ones dexieriiy may lead one astray
II Il be rot balanced by discre-
ton. You had not long left tho
Office when another Englishmrn came
In complaining that he had lost peck
etbook containing all his money. lie
had put hls hand In his pocket "a
bring Il ont, meaning 10 pay for some
thing. but found il gone, and In IN
place q diamond ring--your ring For
my own part, do not doubt your hon
esty-eyen your generosity. You be-
lieyed, doubtless. that exchange Is not
robbery. and. that In leaving your ring
in exchange for his portemonnaie. you
would at once obtain u memenlo of q
compatriot and do him practical bene-
IT. That IL the Interpretation should
wish to put on the affair; but the owner
of the pocket-book will not see II Ia that
light--bs lacks imagination. ~ 10 many
English do. Of course. your coming 10
ask IA 10 try 10 recover your Lost ring
tends 20 give color 10 his version of tho
matter, which u. that while you were
tobbing him Of bis money the ring
slipped from your hand and remained
In bis pocket; ard. with lack Of SYM
paihy for . counfryfnan which grieye
10 recount. he demands that you should
be arrested-a duty which l am re-
luctsntly compelled TO fnlhiL"
I was absolutely dumb with surprise
and anger Had I had my wits about
me | might-though circumstances
were against ms--haye brought somo
counter charges Of thoft against my aci
cn-er; but I was 20 stnpehsd By the
strange turn events had taken, that I
submitted meekly to be searched. 10
have the fstsfui pocket-book taken
from me and 70 be led away 10 prison.
somehow, too. ! WIS unable 10 secure
possession Of the ring that was the cause
si my undong. and I have not seen II
since my arrest.
So here sit In nv cell. depressed
and weary. n victim 10 the bittsrest
self-reproaeh. I could almost wish to
be condemned 10 lifelong imprisonment,
for what l. freedom 70 meP Aftsr such
q piece of suicidal folly as have been
guilty u, shall never dare 70 lift up
my bead among my professional breth-
ren. and fear that nothing viii be lsft
: for me bat 10 take to honesty when my
term expires.-H J. Daily Ktrs.