Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-04-13
TWO OPAL RINGS.

ueddler What did he care about tho su-
perstition regarding the stonesf His fell
low officer, Allonby, was only laughed at
for warning him against the purchase.
Clifton rode Off with the rings, while his
frtend strollcd over to where the pcddlcr
was tying up his pack.
"See here" no said, "hcrc's n rupee for
you. Now tell me about those rings. The
sahib has bought them, and you can tell
me the truth now" "Master promise not
to tell the other sahib, and will tell him."
replied the old man. Allonby gave the re-
quired promise
"1hose jewels very unlucky jewels, " be.
gan the ancient vender. "They making
very bad luck To different peoples. First
sahib who bought them was maharajah OF
Karospoor. The sahib knows what hap.
pened to him. Then Fortescue, sahib al
Rotibad, bought them. That poor gentle.
man killed out riding very next day. Aft.
or, Rotibad merchant buying those jewels
and his house burned down next week.
Then all the people saying, These very
bad Jewels, and all very much afraid tO
buy them. That merchant wanting to sell
them 10 me, but /, too, am much afraid to
buy. Then another man told me-those
Jewels only bad for three people. You buy
and then sell them, and next purchaser
will have good luck"
Clifton reined In in front of pretty lit.
tie bungalow half way up the kharpuf
hill, where most of the residents of the sta.
tion had their bungalows, and where what
breeze there was in the place could be en-.
joyed by the jaded plain dwellers. At the
sound of his horses hoofs young girl
who had been reclining at ease on a deck
chair in the vcranda hastily rose. Ncttie
Vernon was pretty sight that afternoon,
with her golden hair and the English roses
still in her cheeks. So thought Clifton, |
and he thought, too, what a lucky fellow |
he was 10 have won her. why, sir Off. |
cer," said the young lady, with the light |
of laughter in her eyes and its dimples in
her cheeks, "what brings you here SO early |
this afternoon? Have you been promotedi
Are you ordered TO the frontier to fight the
Russians, or whatY Do tell me, and don't
oh, don't look so serious" The young
officer looked down mt the bewitching up
turned face, and then
"Did you come all this way to 90 that?"
asked Miss Vernon with mock reproach.
"Oh, how foolish and hotheadcd the
young men of the present day arel Now,
when was young-oh!" The sentence
was not finished.
"Look here, Nettie," said her lover,
"what do you thinl, of this ring? That's
what brought me here. Isn't 1t beautiful
opalY And the most beautiful girl in
Pangal shall wear 1t if she likes
"Oh, Charlie, what n dear you arev'
cried the young lady in delight. But
aren't opals dreadfully unlucky."
"There you go, said the discomfited
lover. "You are as bad as Allonby who
has been croaSing on the subject like Ed
gar Allan Poe's Raven
II didn't say they were unlucky,"
pleaded Miss Vernon. II only asked II
they weren't. I am sure, Charlie, dear,
nothing will be unlucky that you give
me" she added swcctly.
In another moment the ring was on. and
the two lovers comparing their jewels,
thought them quite the incest in Kharpur.
A few days later Charlie Clifton was
driving 10 the kharpur station. 1t was
the day Of the Sawarbad races. Sawarbad
was some 30 miles from KharpLr and a
large party was going over The railway
station was couple of miles from Cliff.
tons bungalow. He had driven about hall
way when he discovered that his famous
opal ring was not on his finger
"Confound itp' he exclaimed. 81 must
have taken it off when washed my hands.
/ must have it. l promised Nettie never
to take il off. Besides 1t might be stolen.
i shall have to go back"
He turned his horses head and drove
rapidly home. He found the ring, and he
found also when he got to the railway
station that the train had gone without
him. Poor fellow How sick he felt as
he walked out Of the station! Nettie must
have gone without him, and he had been
looking forward so much to the outing.
dreadful feeling OF desolation took pos.
session Of him. 1t seemed to him that he
was separated forever from his beloved
He cursed the opal ring which had been
the cause Of his misfortune. Was 1t really
going TO bring him III luck after all, he
wondered? A sound of wheels approach
ing made him look up. Was il possiblei
He knew the cart. He knew the driver
Miss Vernon drove up looking the pretties,
OF pictures in new straw hat and a most
becoming frock. After all, there is not
always such great gulf fixed between
paradise and the other place
"We must be quick, Charlie" cried the
young lady as she threw down the reins
81 have run it very fine, know" Don't
hurry, darling" was her lovers reply,
given in "a calm and leisurely manner-he
could afford TO be calm and leisurely now
-'thc train has gone without us. /" "Oh,
what a pityp' cried Ncttie, clasping her
hands, "but never mind, dear, we have got
each ether" and she looked at the young
man in Il way that more than consoled
him for all his disappointment. "And
now" said the young lady, II dare say
you'd like 10 know how 1t is / am so late.
Do you know, sir, IL Is really an your
fault? Yes, it was. It's no good denying
It, 1t was that opal ring of yours that fell
of-you know it was rather large for me.
Well, / spent no end of time looking for IT,
thought shculd never find 1t, but did,
and here 1t Is But what OH earth makes
yor stare 20! Don't do 1t, dear; you look
30 ugly, and you are really not such bad
looking boy in your normal state" Poor
Clifton explained the cause of his own de.
Lay, which he had been trying to do for
some time, but his fair lady had not given
him a chance "Nov dearest be CON |