The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-07
Strange storz Of q Ring.

An old man sat in the doorway Of Epaly's
undertaking establishment. ls8 West Ninth
street. yesterday afternoon. says the Cine n
mai Enquire. He was reading pa.er, and
from one uplfted And an opal flashed in the
sunlight
The rich stone contrasted SIR ugly with the
tOil-worn finger on which il rested and with the
modest garment, Of the wearer. Perhaps this
TACT caused a handsome lady, who was passnZ,
ID scrutinIze il more closely than she would
Otherwise have done. Suddenly she gave a
little scream Of astonis hment and cried:
My fathers ring! My fathers Ving.'
Without speaking to the Old gentleman she
hurried into the place and made complaint TO
Mr.. Epply in person.
That man sitting there has my fathers
ring she said. He died nearly twelve years
ago, and we could never find his opal. That
man has it on his finger"
The accused took the bauble from bis finger
with the remark that he had no doubt her state
ment was correct, and all he desired was to
make an explanation OF how he came into pos
session OK the opal. This he did satisfactorily
and the lady left.
The wearer of the ring was c. G. Smith. who
has been employed by Epply, the undertaN er,
Tor twenty-four years. The lady who accosted
him was Mrs. Charles Muscroft, wife of the
well known young physician. In July, 1881,
her father, Charles G. Collins, died IN the city
hospital and his remains were inferred by
Eppiy, whose employee, Mr.. Smith, handled the
body. During the funeral ceremonies it WAS
discovered that an opal ring of a very peculiar
setting belonging to the deceased had dsap-
bCeAA run Ills uuEeI. duQ there was uluCn III
curry for il, but without result. Mr.. Smiths
story OF the manner in which the stone came
into his hands is very interesting
y on see this cooling board" he said, open
ing bier with legs, on which the dead are
placed This was taken to the hospital, where
the body of Mr.. Collins lay. saw no ring on
the deceased. and it probably slipped down on
the board 1t may have got csught in the
fringe of the canopy; at any rate, it wasn't
found for some time afterward as there was a
dull season and other cooling boards were used,
as this one needed some tinkering on it.
Some Of the iron pieces about the legs we're
loose, and one day took it out to the lumber
room to repair it. ] threw it on the table and
heard something fall on the floor. It was the
ring. l couldn't remember where the board
had been last nor any corpse that had worn the
stone, so put it on my finger, thinking that
some time relative of the owner would recog-
nize'it, wore it off and on for nearly twelve
it."
Not shadow of doubt falls upon Mr.. Smiths
integrity, as during his long and faithful serv-
ice with the establishment he has turned up
every valuable left on the cooling boards are
restored them to their owners II is we'll
known fact that the fingers of q corpse wither
away TO some extent in two or three days and
rings are apt 20 slip OF the lifeless hands Since
he found the opal Mr.. Smith has always tie
such pieces Of jewelry securely to the remains.
smith has another opal almost similar to the
one found on the cooling board.