Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-01-25
THE SAPPHIRE RING.

VIII nOC SOOu NC iOI 6os.~.-. -
Observer.
THE SAPPHIRE RING.
During the two years I spent in
London 1 walked to Hyde Park every
morning for the benefit of my health,
and in one of the narrow streets
through which was passing there was
a tempting little curiosity shop which
almost every day arrested my foot
steps. 1t was more like one of those
shops which you see in Portsmouth,
except that it contained articles of
greater value than are generally dis
played in q seaport town.
The ring that seemed to keep its
place persistantly in the window, and
which seemed to stand out above the
others to my longing eyes, contained a
large sapphire, surrounded by dia-
monds. The stones were perfect; the
settings evidently foreign. 1 meant to
have that ring.
hesitated, huggled and bargained
until walked out of the shop with
the ring on my finger and forty pounds
less in my purse!
took off my glove when sat down
on bench in the park and gazed at
the ring, but the longer l looked the
more there came over me an uncom-
Portable, indefnable feeling. l shrank
from the ring. I did not like it.
was determined to change the ring,
but why 1 could not tell. could only
say to the sbopkeeper: ~ have taken
an extraordinary dislike to this ring.
I feel can neither wear nor keep it.
Will you be so obliging as to exchange
it-perhaps for that pearl hoop, though
1 know you ask fifty pounds for it?"
Nothing easier for me to say, because
l was putting ten pounds more into
his pocket. But was reckoning with
out my host. He was civil but at the
same time most decided.
~ am always" he said "very anx-
ious to oblige my customers, and If L
could do it in this case l would with
pleasure; but as for again taking that
ring, it is thing I can't do, ma'am,
and what's more, I WON'T"
~ can only infer" said I, with an
air of hauteur, "that you have come
by that ring in some way which you
have since found was not straightfor-
ward, and you fear to be implicated in
something unpleasant.
"You are wrong, ma am" he replied,
"and since you must know, the lady of
whom 1 bought that ring sold it for less
than half its value and lady who
bought it of me brought it back, just as
you have done, within an hour or
two after she had put it on her finger.
She said what you have said, that
before she had gone the length of the
Brompton Road she couldn't rest, and
she came back in such way that, not
wanting to have scene in shop like
mine, gave her back her money, and
I put the ring back in the window
again. No, ma'am, I'm not going to
take it back"
Should l put it away and never
look at it again? Consign forty pounds
to oblivion? No; I would not DO
that. 1t was very beautiful-so beau
tiful that on my finger it was sure to
attract notice. 1t was just within the
bounds of possibility that should sell
it if l wore it. / decided to wear it,
and to see what happened. Compar-
ative peace was restored to my MIND,
and l waited for the first dinner party
to show my treasure. Within two
months the opportunity came, and |
went to a dinner party, radiant.
My escort began talking about the
London season, and he ran on into
the seasons of other countries. In fact,
his conversation carried me so COM
pletely away that l forgot all about
nv ring. when suddenly he came to
a full stop, and l glanced at him to
see what was the matter.
"Madam," he at last said, "you
wear very beautiful ring"
"Not only a beautiful ring" he con-
tinued, "but Il very remarkable one,
madam. In point of fact, | never but
once in my life saw ring like it, and
the resemblance is so striking, so start
ling, that you would confer q very
great obligation if you would tell me
its history, and when and where you
became possessed Of it,"
l had no alternative but to tell him
the plain truth. I had seen it in a
pawnbroker's window, and had bought
it.
81 thank you," said he, "and ifyou
will intrust it to me a few days, I think
l shall be able to tell you something
very interesting about it. l feel con-
vinced it is the same ring if so, it
dates from the days of Catherine de
Medicis; but what / want to know IS,
how did it come into possession OF this
pawnbroker?'
In a few days my friend called at
my home, bringing the ring with him.
II am disappointed" said he, "for l
have been very unsuccessful. l have
only traced the ring back to three per-
sons. The first was lady, who
sold it to this pawnbroker; she was
foreigner; the second was the pur,
chaser who would not keep it; and
the third, madam: was YOURSELF
"Might ask one question - | said.
"Why do you think my ring is OF the
davs of Catherine de Mcdicis 2"
! Because" he answered, cmphatl-
cally, sit is no common ring. l be-
/ lieve it to have been one of those poiS-
oned weapons once in possession OF the
famous Rene, the queens periumcr'
His instruments of death were numer-
Gus. The poison which made the
leaves of book adhere together killed
Charles IN and his dog-so history
tells us. He had poisoned gloves
ready if required, and scented apples,
and, of course, ring, otherwise why
should this one be so constructed as
to be capable Of containing rs well as
emitting poison? :.
"Surely you wish to hear how it
came into my possession | Will tell
YOU. 1t is seven years ago since was
travelling with some friends through
Switzerland on my way to Italy. Our
road lay through one of those famous
passes which are fir bound as high you
can see, and below the edge OF the
road was a prccipicc full of young firs
and vcrlurc. 1t was i'll the worst part
of the Spulgen Pass, called the Via
Mala, when in sharp turn of the road
we suddenly came upon what was evil
IDENTIFY frighttul accident.
"For me and my companion to
spring out of our vehicle, and rush
to the rescue and assistance of these
eighteen or twenty people, was the
work of moment. One man l dis
covered hanging fifty yards down the
precipice, where his bones might now
be whitening had he not worn twisted