Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-13


which l constantly wore on the third
finger of my left hand was missing.
1t was little too large for me; but
| had not thought It advisable to
have the size altered just yet:
and the result was that it slipped from
my finger. Iknew that l wore it when
| left my hotel, but | could not recol-
lcct noticing its presence at any subse-
quent time; SO | went to every place |
had visited since l came out, the cafe
where had dined, the shop where |
had boughtsome cigars, the streets Ihad
traversed, looking everywhere for somo
trace of my lost jewel, and inquring
Of every one to whom I had previously
spoken II they had seen anything of it.
] felt dreary conviction that my treas
ured ornament was gone forever, when,
rs last resource, went to q bureau
de police and gave description OF the
lost ring TO the officer there. The
officer was polite, but gave me small
hope Of ever seeing my diamond again.
l gave it up as gone forever.
/ was sitting in my hotel dull and de-
pressed, angry at my own carelessness,
and inclined to give up any further holi-
day and forget my annoyance by a
speedy return TO my professional du-
ties in London, when my friend of the
policc-oflice entered.
al am happy he said, bowing politely
and smiling with, as thought, antici-
patton of a handsome reward; II am
happy to inform monsieur that we hope
soon to place his ring in his hands. One
answering TO the description you gave
was brought to our Office by the finder,
a countryman Of your own. The ring
being rather an uncommon one, l fell
assured that it could be no other than
the one you had lost. You described 1t,
think, as consisting of five diamonds
set in the shape of n violet, with q
smaller brilliant in the center-a very
curious and valuable jewel"
"Yes, that's it," replied curtly, won
dcring why he could not give me bach
my property without so many words.
Then | may safely assume that thi,
is the ring in question: He brough
out my ring from his pocket and showed
1t to me.
at is," I said stretching out my hand
but he did not restore the jewel, onl,
stood there holding 1t and smiling NOR,
than ever. l supposed that he wantc,
TO see some sign of the reward he cx
pccted to receive before parting with tn
trlnket. took out my purse, AM
| onnuinrr 10 n,abo snn,a rom IL obn,,
showing my appreciation Of his honesty
bvt he shook his head, smiling, i
| possible, more broadly than before.
| "Do you not wish to know, monsieur
how your ring was found?n he asked
with u lcer which l thought was disa
grceablo.
well, how was it found?" / sn'd
tartly.
My policeman drew himself up to dc
liver his great effect. Monsieur, you
ring was found in another man
pocketr / stared at him in bewildel
ment, mingled with an indefinite fear
while he continued his narrative in
less courteous and more confdentia
tone than he had hitherto assumed
"Ah, mon ami, one may be too clever
ones dcxtcrlty may lead ono astra
il 1t bo rot balanced by discrC
ton. You had not long left tn
Office when another Englishman cam
in complaining that ho had lost pool,
c-book containing all his money, II
had put his hand in his pocket I
bring it out, meaning to pay for some
thing, but found it gone, and in II
place diamond ring-your ring. Fo
my own part, do not doubt your hor
esty--evcn your generosity. You b,
lieved, doubtless, that exchange is nc
robbery, and, that in leaving your rim
in exchange for.his portcmonnaie, yo
, would at once obtain memento of
compatriot and do him a practical ben,
llt That is the Interpretation | shoul
|, wish to put on the affair; but the owne
, of the pocket-book will not see it in tbs
light-he lacks Imagination, as so man
, English do. OF course, your coming t
, ask us to try to recover your lost rim
, tends TO give color to his version of til
matter, which IS, that while you wei
, robbing him Of his money the rim
! slipped from your hand and remainc
IN his pocket; and, with lack of syn
pathy for countryman which gricv
, to recount, he demands that you shoul
be arrested-a duty which l am r,
luctantly compelled to fulfill"
| was absolutely dumb with surpri.
: and anger. Had had my wits abol
! me l might-though circumstance
were against mc-have brought son
q counter charges OF theft against my a
cuser; but | was SO stupeied by Il
, strange turn events had taken, that
submitted meekly to be searched,
, have the fateful pocket-book take
from me and to be led away to prisol
Somehow, too, l was unable to secuI
y possessionof the ring that was the eau.
: Of my undoing, and have not seen
since nv arrest ti
. So here l sit in my cell, depresst
= and weary, victim to the bittere
= self-reproach. l could almost wish
2 be condemned to lifelong Imprisonment
!, for what is freedom to meP After sut
= piece of suicidal folly IT'S | have beC
J, guilty of, l shall never dare to lift |
= my head among my professional bret
I ren, and fear that nothing will be Ii
!, for me but to take to honesty when n
farm axniroq IN Y D1iIu Mans