Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-03
NELLY'S RING.

cane and q pair of trousers OF small check
pattern, Of which he appeared particularly
vain Between two fingers of his left hand
he carried a lighted cigar, from which at
wide intervals be sucked a minute dose Of
smoke with lofty writhe which implied that
to a great man like him the smoking of that
delicious cigar was as disagreeable as the
taking Of physic to those of common clay.
On hearing my NAME this poor creature first
tried to stare me out of countenance by way
of impressing me with his greatness, and
then, failing completely in that, no fondly
nibbled the silver knob of his cane took an
Rd1niring glance at his lovely check trousers,
and then said:
''You are catcher of thieves, / believer
Eyes: you are not one Of them, are your
said with face as immovable as that Of
statue.
no, no." and he flushed up, and needed
dainty suck at his cigar TO bring him round.
81 come here--to-ah-send you after one
see!7
you've been robbed, then p and I spoke in
surprise, fer no did not look so much enraged
Or excited IS uneasy and confused
"Yes-ah-I suppose that's the way to put
1t. I've been robbed Of a ring set with dia
monds and rubies and all that sort of thing,
You AuON- DOuSub IL SO1Ne llilie ago 10
give to a lady who is to be-ah-you know"
md he simpered like a girl to imply that the
lady was TO be his wife, land l was showing
it to a low person lately, and she put it on
her own ger-and--ah-would you believe
it2-actually kept it,"
ooh, that's common enough" shortly an
swered, thinking that / understood the whole
ease, land the only safe plan Is not 20 go into
the company of low persons"
''True-very true" he not very heartily
returned, ''but you see never thought she
would refuse to give it up"
ooh, you didn't" and L laughed uproar-
iously at his apparent simplicity. "You
thought she would give it up whenever you
asked ;t-eh? Well, who is she, and where
noes she lives"
''Her name is Nelly Stephens, and she
works at McNab's, on tho bridge, there-she'S
what's called a machinist, and rather
pretty girl, too"
"Ohi' | returned with gasp, "she works
then9 | thought she was al
"Oh, 10, nothing of the kind" ho an
swered, with guilty flush and heightened
nibble at his cane top. ''Shes good enough
girl, but she won't give up that ring"
But how did you come to have anything
to do with girl in her posiionT' [ wonder
ingly asked
81 can't tell" he answered, with pleased
look. Suppose it's because I'm so deuced
fascinating. The girls won't keep away
from me; sometimes think IL be srnothered
among them, or fairly eaten up like lump
OF sugar candy" and he proudly adjusted his
cigar and saw that the buttons of his laven-
der kid gloves were ell right.
"Ah! l suppose it's those lovely checked
trousers that do itF' l eagerly and gravely
suggested.
cad! l believe you've hit it," be ex-
claimed, rs he bestowed another worship
ing glance on the small checks ''No
woman can resist them. But really" he
added, with sublime complacence, Il cannot
marry ali the delightful creatchas; some Of
them must be disappointed. P'r'aps they'll
break their hearts and die. But I'm not t.
be blamed for that. They should not fall &,
love with me"
"They should not indeed" L emphatically
responded.
when win you get me the ringg" he
added. quite ilattered 10y my words.
''Oh, that depends very much on the cum
min. and determination of the thief You
say she took it from you and refused to give
1t upf'
answered: land it cost me go, and that's
too much to losen
"Well, YOU know, when n woman sets her
heart on a thing she generally succeeds. so
shall probably not get the ring ct all She'll
have it safely hidden, I've no doubt, but we
can take her and punish her for the theft. |
suppose you told her you were coming heru
10 lodge the chsrge."
t'Yes, but the cunning jade wouldn't be
ieve me. It's not easy getting a woman to
believe YOU'RE in earnest" he added with
hook of experience and another loving nibble
at his cane knob. Nv hat VIII be her sentence
for stealing that rings"
''Oh. pr'aps thirty days. Has she ever been
here beforef'
"Oh, no: she's respectable, you know
''StranGe, then, that she should refuse 10
give up the ring. P'r'apS you've made love
to her. thought"
'Never, never-'pon honor" he bolster
oCsly answered, with a delighted chuckle,
however. which implied that making love
to simple girls and then repudiatins it was
the most noble occupation in the world.
''She'll very likely tell You some fine story,
but you'll not believe heran he anxiously
added
u have nothing 10 do with her story or
yours You swear that she stole the ring
from Yea, and have simply TO recover that
and have the thief punished
That's 1t exactly" he responded. with
forced eIuberance. Women are such liars
no one would believe them" and he
twirled the ends of his pretty rnustache and
looked all around the room, evidently in
search OF mirror, before which to arrange /!
himself before leaving. Then, finding none.
he sirily bade me good day, and str,ltted out
Of the place, wagGinS his coat tails behind I
him, much Us woman might do with a new
dress, or peacock with a new tail
AnIaour or two later went out to McNahs
a large dreSsInaking and tailoring plaza and
asked for Nelly Stephens, the raachinise. but
was told that she had just gone TO dinner
None Of those about the place seemed tn /
know very well whsre she lodged, TIL one of
the girls said:
ASK John Jenkins; he's sure to know
''Why is he sure 10 knowi" l asked after /
the girl had explained that Jenkins was oos
Of the working tailors
Because he's always running after Ter. /
though SIG Wilma look at him." answered the
girl, with bright smile, which told more
than her words
found Jenkins in the hot and staaIny
workshop lie was 4 plain looking, psilid |
faced fellow, and clothed in such ragged /
working things that it Was absolutely q &ag- |