The Forrest City times., 1894-03-16
'RREsT CITY, ARK, FRIDAY AFTERNOON MARCH l6, 1894.
But John Leaf, the soldier. had cast

But John Leaf, the soldier. had cast away his country's superstitions. I'll have those magpies chattering about my ears no more," he said Up, | and leave not 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 . ladder against the tree and then | swung out upon the branches There was grievous noise; and doubtless to this day old magpies tell their children 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 nest which the lads hand clutched at last He came down with the relic in his hand. and stood before his master with grin.
 'iih, master. mey have all found in the old nest?' he asked.
 If it's not a magpies egg" said John Leaf
 Its better than that" said the lad. Its u silver ring"
 Let me see it," cried John Leaf, and spatchcd it from his hand l It was the ring with which he had plighted his troth to Betty under the old oak, and he knew now that the magpies had stolen it, and that the Frenchman wore only one that re- sembled it.
 The first thing that John did was to call himself hard names: "A jealous fool" "A suspicious bruter' Heaven knows what else. Then he melted, and all by himself in the bit of woods be- vond the house shed tears. and vowed to find Betty if she still lived on earth.
 Where he went, of whom he inquired, matters not; but one day when the sun was setting in the west he opened a little cottage gate to which he had been directed and saw, at her knitting. un- der vine-covered porch, his Betty, not changed one single bit. And she? She looked at him and did not know him, with his thin, sallow face and his 1 wooden leg
 What may you be wanting, sir?" she asked.
 And he said: "Betty!' l And she cried out: 'Why, it's John Leaf.'
 Then he sat down on bench close by her side.
 You know I never had many words to spend on anything, Betty" he said. I'll come to the point at once 1 know now that you were true and no cheat, and that you never gave my ring to monseer. 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 magpie stole it, eh?' said Betty. Well, they ar, strange birds I've heard they've taken spoons before now"
 And so. Betty" said John. If you'll overlook the past, and let bygones be bygones, I'll be happy man"
 Il owe you no grudge," said Betty. And bygones are bygones. John Leaf. !"
 "Bnt you'll let things be as they were, 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 silver ring upon his finger, who led by his hand a toddling child.
 "Why, it's monseer" said John.
 You see," said Betty "I went to him to ask him how he came by his ring, and he proved it was none of mine It has name and date on it that mine never had. And he was kind to me. and you had been cruel. And so we have been married three years, eh. Louis? And this is our boy" l q l..l l. I :x~1~ J John Leaf. "One is always punished for being fool. But this Is your ring. Will you have it Betty?"
 Pray, keep it for your sweetheart. !" said Betty. You'll find one soon, no doubt"
 But John Leaf never found one again, and the ring found in the magpie's nest was buried with him when he died. 1 IN. Y. News.