The Columbus journal., 1894-03-14

"Oh, I'll swear ! Fever did," sobbed
Betty. Il give your ring to any n
Else! Why, John"
But he pushed her from him with
lis rough hand, and would hear no
word from her; and the next day he
left the inn and enlisted once mora,
and was sent away again to India.
And BETTY left the inn also and took
service with 4 farmers wife hard by:
and whatever the magpieS Chartered
about, it was no more Of the ID Finak-
ing that they heard when john and
Betty sat together beneath the old oak
tree.
Five years went by. At last John re-
ceiyed q letter from England. telling
him that his father was dead, and had
left all his little posseSSio ns to his only
son.
John Leafs fighting days Wee oyer.
in any case, and he was on the invalid
list for life. He had fought as desper-
::te men do. had been commented and
promoted, and had some medals and
ribbons to show and boast of as cOm-
pei satiCnS for q wooden log. So he
went home again and settled down as
RI oprietor of the 'Magpie's Nest" AMI
vas a sort Of hero among his neigh
bors, but he was very lonely. Men do
not quite forget in five years. He
could still see Betty's buNOm form Hit
ting about the kitchen in imagination,
and when the magpies chartered in
their nests, he could fancy that he sat
With her still under the oak branches.
Then no grew wrOth with the magDies,
who seemed to mock him, and ordered
his little serving boy to tear the nests
down.
In vain the lad pleaded for the birds.
In vain he declared that, v if the
new nests went, the old enc in the top
most branches should be left for
luck"
IF the old magpies that built that
find it gone, they'll peck some ones
eyes out in the night time" said the
boy. Its been known to be done Of
ten"
But John Leaf, the soldier. had cast
away his country'S superstitiOns.
III have those magpies chattering
about my ear no more" he said. up,
and leave not a nest of them all. Some
of the noisy devils will take possession
of that old rag if it is left hanging"
So the boy obeyed. He planted a
ladder against the tree, and then
swung out upon the branches. There
vas a grievous noise; and doubtless to
this day old magpies tell their child
rtn Of that massacre of the innocents
at the great oak tree. But there were
no birds to chatter and scream in that
great rag Of a nest which the lads
hand clutched at last. He came down
with the relic in his hand. and stood
before his master with a grin.
Eth, master! may l have oil l found
in the old nest?" he asked.
IF it's not a magpie's egg said Joha
Leaf.
Its better than that" said the lad,
Its a silver ring"
LET me see it." cried John Leaf,
ond snatchs d it from his hand.
1t was the ring with which he had
r}i2hted his troth to Betty under the
I'D oak, and he knew now that the
magpies had stolen it, and that the
Frenchman wOre only n that re-
sembled it.
The first thing that John did was to
cell himself hard names "A jealous
fool", "A suspicious bruter' Heaven
knows what else. Then he melt III, and
all by himself in the bit Of woods be-
You'd the house, shed tears, and vowed
to fird Betty if she still lived on earth.
Where he went, Of whom he in
Quired, matters E't; but One day VIII I'll
the SUN was setting in the west he open
cd a little cottage gate to which he had
been directed and saw, at her knitting
under a uncovered porch, his Betty,
NOT phonOn6 ono SinO1n hit And che .
She looked at him and did not know
Wooden leg.
And what may you be w~antins?"
she asked.
And he said, Betty
And she cried out, why, it's John
Leaf"
Then he sat down on the bench close
by her side.
You know 1 nevcr had many words
tc spend Oh anything. Betty" he said.
I'll come to the POINT at once. l know
now that. YOU were true and no cheat,
and that you never gave my ring to
Monseer. l found it-Or my lad did,
for I'm not very good at climbing now
in the old magpie's nest in the oak
top"
so the maybe stole it, chg said
Betty. We'll. they are strange birds.
I've heard they've taken spoons before
now"
And so. Betty" said John, IF you'll
overlook the past. and let by-gones be
bygCnes. I'll be a happy man."
Il owe you no grudge," said Betty.
"And bygones r bygoLes. John Leaf"
But you'll let things be as they We're
Betty?' said John. You'll be my
sweetheart again.
She laughed.
Don't you know" she said. why,
look there"
He looked. Through the gate came
a fOreign-lOOking man. with gold rings
in his ears and a silver ring upon his
finger, who led by the hand a tOddling
child.
why, it's Monseer,'' said John.
You see," said Betty, Il went to him
to ask him how he came by his ring,
1t has a maine and date on it that mine
1t has 4 name and dte on it that mine
never had. And he was so kind to me,
and you had been cruel. And so we
have been married three years, eh,
Louis? And this is our boy"
81 had better go home. 1 think" said
John Leaf. Zone is always punished
for being a fool. But this is your ring.
VIII you have it Betty:'
Pray keep it for your sweetheart"
said Betty. You'll find one soon, no
doubt"
But John Leaf never found n again
and the ring found in the magpie's
nest was buried with him when he
died.