Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-03
AN ERRATIC RING.
now Mr.. rrLlrNaBuRy WON HIS
wIrs AND A FORTUNE.
irh,laaelphia lress.l

Just off: I've como from making my
sdieu to friends"
Tillingbury laughed and waited for
the speaker. Z" I'm bound for nowhere
in particular" be said, 81 was only
thinking"
" Thinking, were you? | never
knew your thoughts to race so before"
81 never head before that was to
be heir to q million"
Ligh,iield uttered an exclamation.
"You don't mean that the old fellOg
has done itY"
"No, not done it, you know. lie
hasn't keeled over yet, and | don't
wish hirp harm. OF course. can't be
in q hurry decently, but he's going 20
do IL. lie has nearer relatives, but he
is outrageous sg.iust these says they
have treated him sbominably, and that,
i'll am only second cousin, | shall rake
in the whole pile some day if behave
we'll"
"Irs doubtful il you do" retorted
Lightfleld. with q laugh.
Tlllingbry asked where his friend
was going.
TO an suction--will you come?
"why, yes bat feel like buying
every thing at first.hsud this morning."
"Oh, this is the widest kind Of a
lark. They are going to sell off the
unclaimed packages at the - Ex-
press Office. The fellows buy them
under cover, you know, and when the
strings come off it's sometimes rare
fun"
Mr.. TilIinghury realized that here
was an opportunity to safely give vent
10 the hilsrity Of his mood.
The Office was crowded, the bidding
lively.
lie had hearty laugh when a man
Of six feet unfoided boys cap; when
a solemn old gentleman solemnly took
off the wrsppings about Enthusiastically
ornamented pArssol, which in its cover
be bad decided must be walking stick {;
when dude lespe1 back from sudden
collision with " Punch and Judy"
unwsfily sprung and when young
man noted for extreme diflidence unsus-
peetinely displayed to view an infants
wardrobe.
"Try your luck" insisted Lightheld,
and Tillingbury, quoting the saying
about precious things in small pack
sges, pitched upon what looked as if it
might be a small jewel-box.
"a vivid imagination" laughed his
friend, when he heard this suggestion.
1t ras a jewel-box. Tillingbury was
elated.
81 have the prize " he cried.
A curious and half.envious group
clustered about him as be opened IL
with an air Of pride.
Whist made him shut down the lid so
hurriedly, while the unmansgeable
blood swept up to the roots Of his fair
hair as he beard universal shout Of
laughter 60 up from all about him?
There was in the box massive We'd
dipg-Iing.
But even lighiGeld could not ge.
second glance at it, and it was not until
its purchaser was by himself that he
looked attentiyely at what had caught
his eye alone IN the first hssty examina-
ton. Inside the ring was date, 1928,
and there were letters. Ii was those
letters which had startled him, 4" b. I.
to NJ. A. Bills own initials and
whose?
A change came over Tillingbury-a
new wrinkle Of some kind, his friends
said, and they concluded that he was
posing for bis future part of Fortunatus.
An old address upon brown paper was
often in his hands when he was alone.
lie had picked it up quietly from the
floor of the express Office; 1t read,
"Miss Msdge A. Biddle, Spruce street,
Philadelphia"
Tillingbury's duty was evidently to
restore the ring to its owner.
But DO Miss, Mrs, or Mr.. Bi5dle
lived at that number on Spruce street.
To be sure, he had the directory, and
It occurred to him to 90 through the
list and make inquiries for the young
ladies, and he began to do it.
lie found Miss Msdge 4. Biddlo.
ell think I'll tell 10y friend, and
ah-well-and call again" he stam-
mered, looking at the angular, red
headed damsel who presented herself,
an unwittiug candidate for the waiting
ring. Then ho asked if this Miss Bid
die had ever lived at No. - Spruce
street. The next instant his relief was
infinite, and he sped away as if nc had
Mercury's winged slippers on.
But be would run no more risks OF
duplicates.
Six months passed. 1t was August.
Tillingbury was at watering place.
There be found two Miss Biddles. The
first seemed very wealthy; she had an
air of haughtipess and was surrounded
by admirers. y. learned that her ini-
tials were NJ. A. b., but even this did
not open the way to man OF his ditb-
dent temperament. Miss Ii. looked
upon him with lofty scorn, she also had
just become engaged TO Mr.. Daniels,
who was always on hand. How could
she be approached on the subject of
weddipg.iiug?
If it had been the other-.he little
Miss Bddle--but she was simply An
ME. How pretty she was, though
slight, graceful, and delicate. II hi
had not vowed himself to "Madge
be saw that il might have been Annie
thai is, so far as his own will could de-
eide the matter. II was too late fol
that, however, and Annie made the
incest friend. Perhaps she had q sister
Madge. Why was it that he neve,
asked herY
One evening it happened, as it otter
did, that they we're out upon the rock
Sogsther. The twilight shadows sdde,
10 the feeling of remoteness iron
others. Tillingbury's desire to cou6d
his perplexities TO his companion grO'
irresistible.
" Miss Annie" he began, Il have
great puzzle, you know, connected wit
some psmeSake Of yours, Miss -
"Annie ?" suggested the lady.
"Ah, no 8 Miss Biddle, 0 lady VIII
L. ..toxartoI ma axsrauatxy for aavars