Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-03-08
THE DIAMOND RING.

Like drop of dew it sparkled OIL
Cora Vare's slender foreinger, catchin,
the slanting reflection Of the Afternoon
sunshine, as if every sunbeam loved t,
linger within the crystal-hearted jewel
as the young girl sat there, her fair heaC
dropping like lily bell, and the lashe
hanging low over her flushed cheeks.
"It's so strange that he loves me,
thought Cora, her scarlet lips half apart
and the sweetest dream-like shadow of ,
smile lowering about her mouth. "He
so wealthy, so high born, so courted il
aristocratic circles, where poor little
have never been admitted. | should al
most fancy the whole thing to be
dream, if it were not for this precious
stone sparkling on my finger"
And then Cora Vane leaned her cheek
on her hand and drfted off once more
into the delicious reveries that come tC
those who have set foot within the mystic
temple Of love.
1t did seem not unlike the phantasma
outlines of dream when one came tc
look at it from sober, everyday point
of view. Here she was, Ii tie, hard.
working, daily governess, earning mod
est livelihood by constant toil-hov
could it be that Aban Carlcsford, the
courted favorite of fortune and fashion,
should have learned to love should
have won her to promise to be his wife
And she had told him SO frankly ane
freely the story of her humble liEe, eVe'
to the brief, strange episode Of Bruce
Wayne's love and proposals.
Bruce Waynel" Mr.. Carlesford had
repeated: syou do not mean the Bruce
Wayne who was in the Seventh Regi
ment at one time. Why, l knew hin
WELL
eyes" said Cora, blush'ng, ''it wa
Captain WAYNE. He said he loved me
but he was so fierce and passionate that
was afraid of him. Oh, Alban, neyc
could have felt toward him as l did t
you'll"
And Mr.. Carlesford forgot the Incl
pient pang of jealousy which had al
ready entered his heart, concerning thi
handsome, reckless young captain
Bruce Wayne, and felt happy in the un
doubling certainty that Cora was all hi
own.
Cora Vane was secretly thinking of al
these things the next day, as she sat b,
little Bessie Malden's piano, countin,
time for the child's unused fingers a
they strayed regularly over the ivor,
keys, for Cora had insisted on duly full
filing all her engagements for the quar-
ter, before she would consent TO fix tn
marriage day, when the schoolroom doc
opened, and Capt. Wayne lounged idl
in.
'lBessie, he said to his little niece
''run and get my geld eye glasses, that
little gem of girl. They're in tn
parlor, or under my dressing table, or il
your mammals work basket, or some
wherel"
And Bessie, glad to be released fror
the thraldom of the pianoforte, slippe,
down from her seat, and trotted merrill
away.
Bruce Wayne sat down beside tn
daily governess, with darkening lool
of care upon his brow.
"Cora," he said, almost fiercely, +"
am in trouble, and there is no one t
help me-save you'll"
"Help youl II Captain Wayne, whs
can you meanl'
sCora, must have hundred dollar
between this and sundown, or l shall b
ruined, disgraced man. l can't te
you how it has happened-you need nc
look at me so inquiringly. Moreover,
is but temporary need-my allowanc
comes in tomorrow, bus you see how
is-today is the period Of necessity"
"But," faltered Cora, turning whit
and red, 'your brother law, Mr.. Ma
den-n
"He will not listen to word. II
says-and cannot blame him much
that he is tired of lending to me and m
sister is just as bad"
"Surely, your friends-'
He contemplated her with a mockin
laugh.
II have no friendsl Yes, you ma
look amazed, Cora, but 1T is the.molal
choly truth. Sometimes" he added
With bitter emphasis, lit seems to n
that it would be better to end the wh7
farce of life at once
"Captain Wayne, you did n,
mean"
II do, Cora. Nothing has gone ngE
with me in this world, and l swear I
you, before high Heaven, that unless