Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-09-13
A LOST RING.
eas Old Story Of Woman's Love
and Mans jealousy.

"A diamond, Jack? A real diamond
NJ, how bright 1t is, like sparl. Of
white ircl Like star, dropped dcwr
Ut Of the sky! Inever saw a diamond
icscre; and to think that ii Is mine
iear Jack, couldn't possibly love yor
ny more than did before, but d,
we you, oh, SO much"
The little bit of love-malsing too
zee under the frost-bound apple
rcgg Of the Back Orchard, wher,
.sther Elmford was standing, with d
ate wooden hood wrapped tight,
over her curls and o black-and-scarlct
Had shawl cnfolding her. mummy
ashton. She was tall, rosy-cheelsed
firl, with complexion born of noun
'lin-brcezes and eyes that shone will
rliIy health-no ideal sylph, but
rather q rosy, wholesome, dimplc,
human girl like Wordsworth's her
Dine--
4sut tuu sncct uur bOol
For hurnan natures daily food"
and as she looked at the tiny, glitter
iag stone, the sparklcs uuder her eye
aslIes were q dead match for it.
But you must not wearit every day,
l.ssie you know said John jefferson.
why not?' Her countenance fell
you wanted our engagement kept
Il secret, you know"
so Idid. Anything but the gossip
Of tic whole combined neighborhood!'
ried Esther, with mous Of distaste.
We'll, anyhow, ! can put a black
velvet ribbon through it and hang II
around my nec.s!'
"But you haven't paid me for 1t yet. II
paid you, you mcrcenary fellowl"
"On. kiss, Essie! don't often get a
chance to claim it, you know"
She poised herself on tiptoc to accord
the demanded royalty, and then ran,
laughing, away toward her home
How generous he ISL she kept re-
pcating to herself. "A real diamondr'
When she got back to the kite hen OF
the roomy old farmhouse, where Mrs,
Elmford was frying crullers In an
atmosphere Of fragrant blue smoke,
that lady cast discontinued glance
at her.
Seems to me you've been q long
time getting that spotted calf into the
barnyard,' said She
"Was long, mother? But he got
clear down the lane, and the orchard
gate was OPEN" equivocated Miss
Esther.
1.-THE Striker gals stopped here for
you. They was goin' up to the Maple
Sugar camp with a lot O fresh baked
Dread and pies for Tom and Leonidas,
AND they waited for you till they was
clear out O patience" added Mrs. Elm
ford, fishing another tin skinner full
of crisp brown beauties out Of the
bubbling mass Of fat and landing
them in the blue stone jar, afterward
to be literally sprinkled with white
sugar ~
"0h, mother, can go?" said Esther,
'agerly. "l'm sure | could overtake
hem in five minutes"
I've no objection said Mrs. Elm
ord. "And you might take basket
4 these ere crulls to your Uncle
'ctcr. He's dreadful partial to fried
axes, and he thinks there amt none
Ike them | make arter Mother Elm
ord's receipt"
Esther was right. In less than the
,pocificd five minutes she had managed
0 oycrtake Alice and Jessamine
Striker, with their basket of fresh pro-
'isions TO the jewellers in Maple Sugar
amp, on Giant Ill., where the SUI
RENE process of "sugaring off" was
,nst then in full blast But in the two
minutes during which she put on her
Embroidered hood and feece-lined nit
ems upstairs, she had slyly slipped the
liamond ring on the first finger Of her
eft hand.
81 shall DO wearing It," she said to
herself "and no one will be any the
wiser"
The Striker girls welcomed her Joy.
'usly,
tits so nice to have you," said
Alice. "Jessamine declared you would
not 60, but
"Why shouldn't I go?" said Esther,
Don't go up every year when they
IRE sugaring oif2'
Jessamine Striker began to giggle.
Yes" said she, "but our Leonidas
las never been there until this season.
md Mr.. Jefferson has never been SO
particular In his attentions to you be-
FORE"
Esther crimsoned to the roots Of her
hair
What ridiculous nonsensel'' said
she,
"Oh, Is 1t, thought" retorted Jessa-
mine. "When all the world knows
that Jack Jefferson Is as jealous Is
0thello."
Esther walked on, with silent dig
nifty. In her secret heart she was be-
ginning to regret that she had put her.
self out to accompany these silly girls.
Don't mind Jess, DEAR. said good
humored Alice Striker, slipping her
hand through Esther's arm, "She will
giggle at everything-it's her nature.
Isn't this a charming morning? I
heard q bluebird In the swamp down
by the river, and there's lot Of yellow
jonquils in bloom in Anne Rebeccas
window box. The snow is thawing in
the sunshine, but the walking Is good
yet, and Leon says the maple trees
have never given better yield"
Up at the sugar camp, all was life
and animation. Blue threads Of smoke
wound upward to the sky from the
chimneys Of the two or three board
shanties, matched with strips Of bark
and trusses OF straw, where the