Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-04-05
MAKING THE BEST OF IT.

tore. At dinner party given il
New York city by lady of wealth
there were present numerous re-
presentatives Of the re6nemen
and fashion OF the com munIty. La
the course of the evening it was
remarked thar one of the ladies
wore as diamond ring of EXCEPTIONS
beauty, and with amiable cOndes
censlOn the fair owner took the
treasure from her finger aud pass.
ed it around for the scrutiny and
admiration OF the other guests. An
hour or two later this lady said:
81 enjoy a joke as heartily as
any of the rest of yOn, but it ap
pears 70 me that this jest has gone
too far. Will the gentleman or
lady who has my ring please re
turn 1t to me at once"
These words fell like a thunder
bolt upon the company. All pro
tested that they had passed the
ring along, while tue Owrer dec ar
ed that 1t had net come back Ia
her. 1t was clear that q theft had
been committed and it vas deter
mined to institute search Of each
guest in order that suspicion
might not lie against any Innocent
person.
There vas one IN all the CON
paDy who declined to he searched
He was young artist who by rAa
son Of his talents and the charm
of his personality had been accept.
ed as welcome guest at The so
cia functions Of the ilcI. In fact,
he bad been much cOurted, bUi
now his refusal 10 submit 10 The
test of bis honesty convince ! hIo
former fIlrnds that be was indeed
a thief and IN no way worthy Of
their confidence. He was incOn
tinrntl, dismIsst d from the pre-.
ence OF the co npIny AMI ther"
after WAS tabooed 5y his former
patrons.
But, 10 and brhol,Il Severai
after this distressing scenr
the ring was 70 md, caught and hid
away IN one Of the numerous ruttirs
with which its owners dress VS.
dec rated. , mutual friend in
sought out the young
artist and tOId him of tue recovery
Of the lost ring aud offered all
that an honorable man
could ask.
"But tell me-" asked this mutual
friend, "Shy, innocentas you were
YOU refused 10 submit 10 the search
which would have proved your iu-
noctnce"
81 had intended keeping my
secret,7 replied the artist, "but
under the circumstances | feel
IN telling YOU tn. srOr,
OF my fe here in New York, an
involving pTlvation.
humiliation, deception aud sor.
row." He proceeded to say that he
was married and that his wife wss
an invalid. s lch was their power
ty that often Ines tn y werr With
out food. Yet his wife insisted
that he should avail himself of the
invitations extended to him by tbt
rich, feeling that ultimately these
social advantages wolld redOund
to his financial profit. The artist,
remembering always the lonely lOi
of his invalid wife and knO Sing
well that while he frasted she wsn
ted food, M le it practice to
piter vianis from the tables OF hi
fashionable host and convey them
home 10 bis lex AMI suffering dear
one.
"When the search was suggested
that particular evening"" SAID tbt
yOnng artist, ~ refused to sun.
NIT to it because | had only a
moment before secreted in my Goa
tail pocket part of a fowl which |
intended Tor nv invalid wife. 1
chose to br wrongtuIIy adjudgeI a
thief rather than expose the pover-
t, and wIrtchedness of nv dOmes
tic life"
TOugh-T want a dozen eggs,
an | want 'em bad, Sc. ~