The morning call., 1893-06-06
A DIAMOND RING.


him. AS boy ne was the one to be pun
ished for his brothers misdeeds. When
at college he particularly distinguished
himself, his brother was awarded the
DR. Zes The girl he loved his brother mar
ried, because, poor girl. she couldn't tell
the difference, and when his brother died
they buried him instead.
The people who figure in the little family
episode | am about to tell remind me of
those relations.
Jack Bolton and George Staynor were
boys together. Approaching the twenties
they became inse parable, and when Jack
started housekeeping with matchless
piece of 1emininity, George was constant
visitor at that temple OF domestic bliss.
Now. Jack and George were pair of
opposites. jack succeeded in everything
George was an uncOmpromlsing failure.
1t was Jack who carried of all the honors
at college, Jack whose recitations and
songs were received at the smoking con-
cert with such favor, Jack whose little
tliers in the stock market always came off
as anticipated.
On the contrary, George had an inva-
rAble way CT having his fondest aspra-
tions crushed. He was the jonah in the
football team and the hoodoo of his busi-
ness associates. Ii depressed him; he be-
came CyUicdl anu 1uISbl UoW 10 IduRn.
All this changed, however, when one day
Lena Goldthwaite smiled on him. He be-
gan tn think fate was caprlclouS, yet was
not one-sided in its DEGREES, and life be-
came very sunny, indeed, for Mr.. George
Staynor more especially as Lena was
pretty and Lena had rich maiden aunt
whose will was drawn in her favor.
In an unlucky moment he introduced his
lifelong friend, Mr.. Jack Bolton, and the
fair but fckle Lena smiled on lfIm no more.
When a year after she became Mrs. Boil
ton poor George took to cultivating taste
for the cup that cheers with most de-
mOralZing effect on his person, his pocket
book and his morals.
Whether Mrs Jack Bolton had little
twinge of conscience or not nobody knows,
but it is fact that she played the part of
the good Samaritan, and she ana her hns-
band set about to reclaim their friend from
the laws of certain very warm place,
with the result that Mir. Staynor was a fire.
quent visitor mt their house.
Now Mr. Bolton was renowned. among
other things, in the possession of a mag
nificent diamond ring. 1t WAS really
famous stone, worth. perhaps, S1400 or
$500, and it had often been the theme of
several cnuStlc remarks by that trustee OF
i'll. luck, MIR. Staynor.
He would hold it was a crime for some
people to be clad in purple and fine linen
and be beie eweled when others were starry
ing II even went 81 far as to point out
that poverty was an excuse for any crime
and starvation should steal rather than go
hungry, and be justified therein.
All this I learned some time after my
connection with this story, and when l
made the acquaintance of MIR. George Stay
nor, but ] will put the rest Of it as told me
by that gentleman.
81 had always hated the sight of that
diamond ring; it had a peculiar fascina alton
for me. l would watch the play of the
light around the stnne come and go; |
would see its prlsmatlc hues dance In and
out until it seemed to me like a living
thing, glaring at me, mocking me In my
poverty aud wretchedness, while Its owner
sat there, calm, content, happy with q
that the world could give him in love,
honor and wealth.
what. wonder, with the consciousness
that my life was failure; that the only
woman | had cared for was the vile of
that man, ] felt the world WAS out of join
"Ail of a sudden, one evening, when
was looking at it, as usual, it fl 'shed across
my mind why not possess it? | was in
great straits for money at the time, and II
was easy enough; there were n thousand
opportunities to take 1t, and who would
suspect me?
"irhat night we were playing billiards.
He had had his usual luck. L mine | was
ncensed, mad. and when he left the ring
lying on the marble basin, after washing
his hands, took it.
ut was mine, mine at last! l hardly
waited tor the store to open next day. |
might easily have been taken for thief
in my anxiety. but did not think of that.
placed it upon the counter | saw the
peculiar smile OF the jewelsr as he said
This is not diamond; it is nothing but
paste
Il was dumfounded. l examined it,
and sure enough, the beautiful brllliancy
had vanished. 1t was nothing but clear
piece OF common crystal L was staggered.
Even in this the curse of my life clung TO
me. But one night in my possess ion and
the diamond had changed to pastel
ii determined to return III. OF course it
was my iHtenton to do so without being
discovered, but, oh, what weary day it
was! The thing burned in my poke and
| longed to throw it away, yet desire to
see If it would regain its brilliancy over
powered me-
"At last the evening came. With feel
ing Of con siderable nervousness and inner
excitement, l entered the drawing-room,
only to receive another stagger, for in its
usual place on the hand Of Jack Bolton
was the diamond ring. flashing in the bril-
liantly lighted room with all Its old fire.
Il felt in my rocket there was the ring
] had taken safely enough
Then there must he two rings evidently,
and one was genuine, the other imitation,
ana with my usual LUCK udu taken UHe
worthless one.
WHATS the matter with your ring?' /
ventured TO say, 1 never saw it look so
bright
"'Ah! thereby hangs tale said Jack
Some time since | was troubled by
feeling tha some one was watching for an
opportunity to steal my ring
Il looked up quickly--did he know?
"'I tried to shake the impression off, he
continued, but without success, and finally
l gave up wearing it. But / had had it so
many years tharI was really uncomfort-
able without 1t.
"'Then il occurred to me to have du-
plcate male. that | might wear on occa-
si0ns when there was some risk of losing
II, owing to the society | might be thrown
among III my political work.
lone night L was going to dinner,
and | wanted TO wear the real stone. but a
voice seemed to whisper 10 ME to wear the
other
"'Durine the evening suddenly missed
my ring. Icoud not account for his dis
appearance IN any way, but gone it was.
"'Of course, the value was so slight that
L was not troubled on that account. but l
did speculate in NV mind as 10 how had
lost 1t. and, If stolen, who was the thief.
THAT night | had dream. | saw my
ring lying on q dressing-table. The occu-
pant of the place was asleep, but | went
to his bedside and shook him until he
awakened, and he sat up in bed.
But only for a moment, for the instant
he saw my face he uttered sharp scream,
and buried himself behind the clothes.
"'Hi. was the face of one of my warmest