Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-27
MY OPAL RING.

saI,-ron yra,uIatory relief made itself evtde0 to
my mind Again I had gone down 10 my daily
mOnOtonous duties IN the Brown Paper once tat
wrstchsily Inadequate stipend. seeing the coun-
try.s wealth and my ablitles), gentleman OF GER
taipIv arfstOcratic appearance-an1 shall we say
in-alIertull featIres?-but wi Tn a considerable
number u unpaid bills at his lodgings, and tastes
Tar zoo expensive for the sordid pay furnished by
a cbeeleDlrinz government. AT D. n. / was the
betrothsI lover OF Miss Mabel Plurney, who was
az gge-inI a little overland sole mistress of
various admirable investments producing e., 600 a
she lived with her aunt-a woman OF gorgeous
auI n1Td taste IN costume and surroundinTs-0D
the BIyswateT side or Hyde Park The elI,,ble
family residence was her own for the renainder M
a ,0ug lease OF which SevCnty-rye Years were nm
txpireL SOCKS shares, house property, and some
firlaed The basis OF her wealth. A Careful study
at somerset House or her late uncle JabeZ Plum
oHicid mind II these most interesting facts To
% myself mere justice, however, must add that
qIl nld oeen rather eDTs with Mabel at Lady
tar financial aspect OF the matter For
Mabel han personal attractions. she was
tNeh.y-six, a blonde, 'large, languishing and
lazy, a L0rn Byron Beautifully expresses it. OF
guar features. azure eyes, and OF apparently
most equ!Oie temper. She was somewhat OF a
S1urnand, and think won her heart by nv al
most Juvenile fOadness for Strawberries and cream
81 which we partOOS largely and lazily while the
rest Of the party played lawn tennis which INV
lar one disllked: and as all the other fellows as
well as all the other girls were enthusiasts I'm that
me- and we both hated the game, we had another
taste In common as Ve ate our Strawberries ana
cram and satirized all the other people, After
This we met on several OCCASIONS and on this par
Ilcullr DAY TOOK my courage In both hands, as
ths French say, and proposed was accepted.
had Procured irUIn a con1ding jeweleT, with
whom had had some outstanding transactions
and 10 whom gave some hint OF my hopes dor
and pearl rim, which slipped on MaDefs taper
Niger She glanced at her well-ieweied hands
"Wear this, dear Fed, for me" she said' "It was
ny dear lncles, but should like you TO wear Il
row we are engaged" l can't say much appre-
cltted the romance Of the gift, for old Plumley
had been one OF the most prosaic not TO say dis
agreeable, wholesale grOcers who ever lived, and
y ltshed across me that there was popular idea
as 70 Opals being very unlucky stones. Alasi how
IJTcioiy the popular notion was illustrated IN
However, the ring was q snowy, and as my
Trend the JeWeler-who, in view OF future events,
was most cOmplacent-aSsured me- valuable
one, 80 / wore IL, much TO Mabel'S satisfaction,
ana vowed priced IL more than anything / pos
AMI was certainly a unique ring.
Neither Mabel nor were particularly poetlcal
o. Lhips0Gzing lovers, and In very matter-Of-fact
fashion II Was settled we should be married in the
following spring. Mrs Lester, her aunt, was very
Wei satisfied with me, and many an admirable
Ciatiye-tn my nancees house at Bayswater, OF
which, with secret complacency, l felt myself
prUspectlYe master. My colleagues at the b. =.
Office env-ed Inc, and the chief OF the department
cOndeScended 20 take rather more notice OF me
thin he had done. so mercenary Is human mature!
Wa asAed 10 heavy dinners with some OF the
lf1dll5 men In the various 'TOOmS," and more
ttJeLtlOn was palu 10 me IN month than Tor
years my refined aspect and brilliant talents had
al themselves only suf1ced TO procure. More i'm
p9rtdnt than ali. found IL far easier TO procure
aIyances at interest of high character, II Is true,
on my note OF hand, for had taken the precautiOn
T. obtain aud show an official copy OF the late Mr..
I.uinley's VIII. Mabels ring, too, was not unln-
lOrtant piece OF evidence
M.
Among my intimate acquantances was Dick
EverJOn, a brieness barrister, OF Bohemian tastes
We had that friendship for each other which is
based on reciprocal ability for ecarte and per-
s7teht enie2yoi 10 get the better Of each other.
B.yOnd the natural readiness TO win money OF
cJcA other we were very Intimate In many ways
We backed each others bills and generally speak
iu-, VT were in alliance. Dick and j, however,
were something like MISUNDERSTANDING
never iuterfcTed with a chance of looking after |
One Own interests DICK was paragon or i'm |
pHC-nce; and when, as sometimes happened, he |
3 . strJJ U.d Bailey brief from some practitioner
n thLt hht wac was charmed oy MS Iund
81 amusing limitations and Iull-navored
stories at the Den, small Bohemian club |
81 a big thOrOushiare, and which was fullest at
lIs smallest hours, ne bearded the most august
JUICE who happened 10 preside with as much nom
cI.4ance as he would show toward the chairman |
II a '..see and easy, and he was much given 10 |
practical JONlHg. lie had MachiayeIlian facility |
IJr secrecy about him. despite his usual rocking
manners, which TOOK in most people. Nay, II even
J0ok IN me. But this is anticipating.
well, old man. said DICK, as we sat smoking |
cur pipes one Night after card party at my |
aatdSUnisln, had been partners and had both won |
tariy, Il congratulate you on your engagement, |
-
bank account don't forget your old rriends."
NO, | shall not forget them, Dick, you may
Diplomatic answer.
AL s.d he. CHANGING at me over his tumbier,
81 know your disposition. Fred Willsley Is the
man 10 forget his Old associates because he makes
Tlch marriage, no, no, he's too genuine q man."
Twas never quite sure whether truth or sarcasm
prompted DICE EyertOnS u.teranceS when he
eulOgizCd any body; which, TO do him justice, he
generally nd when his liquor suited him-and
therefore made LO reply.
wish could spot as good a chance" he con-
tiLued. mslitatiyely staring at the ceiling;
'wOuIdn't mind tying myself up II the moose was
well giided yours Is, Master Fred"
smiled somewhat cOmplacently. ~ know sew
er.,l nice glrls-Jhe Bells, for instance Geraldine
!. a sparkling brunette and has a modest dowry
be!ieyf- You have met them?'
''Oh, yes said he, In a carless voice, 'but 1
CJnJ remember their names I'm not a ladies'
man-hayenJ your appearance or manner, you
LUCKY Degsar, a remark which could not In can
"why, thought you danced with Geraldine
several times at the Whites ball surely you re-
member herr said i, Tor myself, I'LL the Qlter-
aIy) golden light OF Mabel rose on my horizon,
lad been rather marked IN my attentions to pretty
Gerudine But never could Ind out how much
she was Cer.aln TO have
- may have yawned Eyerton; "buI girls are
very much alike and very OFTEN nuisances," con-
tiuued the Goth We'll, I'm on; one more glass
INST" and he mixed and guped down another s
and D.. Ieaylng me 10 compose letter to Mabel,
wAC, with her aunt, was staying at an old school
friends IN the Isle Of Wight was not altogether
scrry, Tor my Mabel had. charming as she person.
ally and pecunlarly was. a very hIgh idea OF the
homage due To her ana was very exigeante As a
f4uCee, keeping one well up 10 the collar and
IN attendance, and admitting no excuse II one
C-v4ated from exact punctualty, for which
Characteristic she seemed to nave Inherited
most COMMERCIAL Instinct nom the late Plumley
WHO, believe, peyer lost the quarter 10 nine
bus for lnnumerabIe years. Therefore, IL was
with mingled feelings that by return OF post had
q letter from Mabel, informing me piayrully Us
reward Tor my pTCJestatiOus OF longing 10 see her.
she and Aer aunt would run up for the DAY from
Tie Is4e OF WIGHT 10 have a long day In town, as
there was some shopping 10 be done and little
sightseeing COinbiled, and the day following was
u meet them az the station.
dli -, and remarkably pretty In her Juno
fashion, MIb.e looked. l was rather surprised
however, when asked her n she were going %
y uGrIl1 INST she answered, .'Oh no; 4 let the
4 use Is II s-OOd Tor two months 10 some Devon
chTe people. No Use IN letting a house stand idle
or money either she said, and really thought 1
could discern a sort OF ''SiJy" ring IN her voice
T-is Lew discovery leo 20 some rejection on nay
part.
Ill
We had covered, i should imagine enough
ground TO satisfy the greatest glutton In 90
as-yO1-please contest In going from shop TO shop
aul had .'dJne" TWO picture galleries, when, thor
og.aly exhausted, 1 was wondering how soon
NsLrl and her aunt, who Scented Ia the pink OF
CyailtoH for staying powers, If may talk Ike
SIUrJn- paper, would let me have an interval OF
IrpC-'', when NY nancee remarked: