The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-08-26
BERTHA'S UNLUCKY OPAL.

Among the birthday gifts received
by an uptown young lady was d
beautiful opal ring of exquisite de.
sign The opal setting was as large
as a Boston bean and in its depth
shimmered the combined, subdued
and refined sun and moon beams,
like the reflection OF rainbow upon
the crystal surface of a secluded
mountain pool. The ring was the
gift OF TIE young la Us lover, and
the Gift carried with it tire evidence
of a true heart and depleted pocket
book.
When the ring shone forth in all
its FURNISHED gl,ry the recipient
shed tears OF Joy as she fitted it upon
the thumb OF her left band, il being
TOO large ior any Of her fingers. She
raised it too her lips and kissed it
fervently; then, running into her
mothers room, exclaimed Hello,
NON, wake up there, and get some
life into you. Its my birthday, and
I've got one of the sweetest rings
you ever dreamed of. 1t came from
dear old precious Tom. Bless his
loving soul! See, here it is; now
gaze upon the treasure rare.
The mother sprang out OF bed, lit
the kerosene lamp and taking the
ring from her daughters thumb, held
it close to the light. After examin-
ing it she dropped the jewel upon
the bureau and exclaimed:
Bad luck as sure as you're alive.
Send it right back to the giver. No,
throw it out the window as quick as
you can. No! No! That would not
do, for some poor creature mig hit
pick it up. Pitch it in the fire, for
You'll have bad luck as long a. you
keep it. Tom is an ignorant dolt to
spend his hard-earned money on
such trash. I'll give him a piece of
my mind the first time he comes
here see if | don't. Now Bertha
| want you to do just what I've told
you and burn up that omen OF i'll
luck.
Bertha left the room in far more
detected mood than she had entered
1t. She went to the kitchen, threw
open the window and looked out
upon the spotless snow that lay un-
trodden in the back yard. She
raised the lid from the stove, threw
the ring in upon the Goals and sat
down upon chair and wept bitterly
for the space Of half an hour, when
it occurred to her that the room was
cold. There she sat wrapped in a
thin gown and her own thoughts,
thoughts of regret and rebellion
She had always been a dutiful and
obedient daughter, and even now
had not hesitated to throw away an
evidence Of her lovers affection in
obedience to her mothers command. |
Her frame shook with emotion and
cold, her teeth chattered and she
became most miserable. Arising
she walked to the stove, placed her
dainty hand upon it and found that
it, too, was cold. She raised the
lid, and there, halt buried in the cold
ashes, lay the ring. Gazing upon it
for a moment, she picked it up, and
replacing it upon her thumb, ran
down into the cellar for wood to
kindle the fire.
The ring was saved, and on
informing her mother how she had
obeyed her command, the old lady |
replied: ooh, well, Bertha, you
can keep it and we'll trust to luck"
Everything went along all right till
nearing dinner time, when, just as
Mrs. Murtha was carrying the
roasted turkey from the kitchen to
the dining room, luckless mouse
ran out from its hiding place across
the floor. Prince, the pug dog, saw
the mouse, and springing from the
lap Of Mrs. Isabella Lukens, Mrs
Murtha's aged aunt, went for the
mouse, which ran right in front OF
Mrs. Murtha, and she, tripping over
the pet, fell forward, and threw the
plate containing the turkey toward
the table, where it anded among the
dishes, breaking several and sending
the coffee urn and cream pitcher on
the floor. Poor old Mrs Lukens
was SO frightened that she jumped
up SO quick and so high that her
head struck the bird cage that was
hanging near the window and
knocked it down, the bird escaping
Just as old Kit, the turtle shell cat,
rame rushing into the room, In an
instant the bird was a corpse, for the
cat had caught it.
The mess was cleared up and the
dinner proceeded with. Things had
not gone far, however, when Jacob
Murtha's father, broke the horn
handled carving knife in two as he