The Republican., 1891-07-17
MARCELLA'S PRESENT.
A Mistake in Rings That Caused
Much Trouble.

Marcella's birthday was approaching
and / desired to give her present 1t
grieved me to think that | could not
afford a costly one. l should have re-
ioiced to be able to offer Marcella dia-
monds, rubics or emeralds, but since
this was impossible, l did the best |
could. A ring is always an acceptable
token of love or friendship, and having
spent an evening or so roaming the
Bowery, | ventured into shop in
which the unreclaimed pledges of a
pawnbroller were displayed for sale,
and found amongst the iewelry very
nice amethyst ring of the right size,
az the modest price of ten dollars.
Worth double, so help me Simpson" ="
said the young Hebrew behind the coun-
ter. Worth double, or I'll eat'my head. -"
1t was such large head and so covered
with black curls glistening with poma-
tum, that this was very impressive
offer: and | knew that it really was a
nice amethyst. and hoped that it had
never been stolen.
OF course, Marcella would never
know where l bought it, and poverty
drives us TO strange ueeuS
l bought the ring, took it home, pol
ished it up with an old nail-brush
and ammonia, rubbed it in wash-leath-
er, and resolved to get handsome box
for it.
| had barely time enough to do this
and express the ring in season to reach
my darling by the dawn of the ami
80 ~ 10 al, cha
saw the light; for she had gone with her
mother to visit an aunt in Boston, and
the aunt was not favorable to my
suit: and even if had had a holiday,
which had not, had no invitation to
visit her. The ring must be sent, and
before six o'clock, and | hurried from
the Bowery in the direction of Broad
way, toward the establishment of a
well-known fashionable jeweler. l was
acquainted with one of the clerks; and
the boxes there must be handsome if
they would sell them. Young Doughty
was at counter and unemployed,
and he exhibited some little boxes of
satin-lined Russian deather which were
very handsome.
Give me your ring" he said, ''and
I'll fit it to one" And gave it to him,
and he went away. When he came
back he had two boxes in his hand,
and handed one of them to me, the
other to an elegantly attired lady, who,
after receiving it, passed to a carriage
which stood before the door. A foot
man in livery opened it, a coachman to
match was upon the box. Mr. Glitter
himself opened the door. Mr.. Glow
bowed in the background.
Notice that lady, Parkin?" said my
friend.
"She's a handsome woman l replied.
every well for a married lady of
forty" said Doughty. "But l was TAX
ing what you might call professional
view of her. She is said to have finer
diamonds than any other woman in the
country. They say there are lots OF
duchesses and all that on the other side
that couldn't show their equals. OF
course she don't wear 'em on the
street, but of an evening she blazes
with them. Her husband is immensely
rich, but they say he hates to hand out
ready cash, and now and then-but
there is Glitter coming this way and he
don't allow gossip. That's a pretty
amethyst of yours. She'll like it. Ha!
ha! ha!''
And glad to escape, for l had not a
moment to spare, l rushed out of the
store and to the express office.
longed to look at my ring again, but
Doughty had it put up into such a
workmanlike little parcel that l hated
to undo it. The clerk at the express
office directed it and rejoiced to know
it was on its way. Two days after |
received note from Marcella.