Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-12-01

1
did she glance fartisely at the door Of
the best room. and then bring ont
something wrapped in paper which
she carried in her pocket.
Il wonder if I've done wicked
thing, mnttered She. LA me, how
it sparlslesl But always did admire
a diamond ring aud poor dear joan
na, she'll never know that I've put a
glass one on her finger to be buried
L in Arphnxad he ncyer was one to
notice and I'm sure it's "A pretty ring
enough. I'll send this one down
South to my nephew, Albert Smith, as
is Just engaged TO a Florida lady, and
the tifty-dollar bill he sent me to pay
fort, WILDE just enough for winter
outfit 1 hain't had a cloak nor a
shawl for six year, and that old un is
gettin' too shabby for anything, let
alone the bonnet an muf Here I've
worked an done everything about the
place, ever since Arphaxad brought
his wife home, an never got nothin'
but my board. They'd ought to hev
paid me somethin', but some folks
is dreadful thoughtless, and all the
money the was to spare went to buy
new clothes an fal-lals for Joanna.
Yes, I'm pretty middlin sartin I've
done right
Bui, all the same, she started ner-
yously whenever the wind rustled the
bare lilac boughs against the siding Of
the house. or the cat made rush at
some srppositious mouse.
She felt like guilty creature when
Arphaxad came in for his supper, and
the whispered talk of the neighbors,
who came and went from time to time,
ncselY drove her frantic, especially
whom as was universally the case
the conversation turned on Mrs. Ar
phaxad -Iohnsons determination to be
buried in the diamond ring, the pos
session Of which had always, after a
fashion, set her above and beyond the
plane Of her social surroundings.
Car'line went 10 bed, but she could
not sleep. The ring seemed to haunt
her A sense Of overwhelming guilt
weighed down her heart; every sound
seemed magnifed to twice its usual
Importance, until at last she got up
and dressed herself in nervous haste.
Il can't stand it, said she, her teeth
shifting against one another Eve
got to get this ring back afore | can
sleep. 1t does seem as if Joanna was
standin behind me the hull whilei I
amt no believer in ghosts, but there's S
some things folks can't stand.
Noiselessly she crept down into the
room where the silent sleeper lay
peacefully among the flowers which
every south window in the neighbor-
hood had contributed, for florists
we're an unknown quantity in tiat be-
nighted quarter Of the globe, and re-
tmned the original trinkesto itsplaee,
not without some trepidation. And
then She breathed freely again.
guess III hev to make the old
thing do while longer, said she.
Il don't know whateyer put such a
notion into my head Poor Joanna
She looks exactly like she was asleep.
And Cousin car'line stopped ana
pressed her lipsto the waxen forehead
Of he woman whose caprices and un-
kiadnesses had often served to en-
li,sag hsE own drMdging life
n feel a sight easier now, said she
II do b'lieye that ring would 'aburned
4 hole ia my pocket ef I'd KEEP it any
longer
just year from that time, Ar
phaxad johnson and Car'Iine Cooper
were sitting togetherin the old kitchen
with the red April sunset shining in
through the west windows,
Simmer had inst been cleared avav