Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24

to part with it, for it's been in our
family so long that it seemed it must
belong to me, and it's like next losing
my child; there's such a deal Of my
life that it calls to mind, though it's
been trouble, too, for the most part,
and it seems not me only, for you say
it like brought yours no good. But
any way it belongs to you Of right,
and you must please take it, and, if
It's any comfort to you, why, Pm
glad you found me-"
"The ring was in the hand of the
venerable stranger by this time, and
the grey hairs quivering with emotion
stronger than ever.
"Bless you! bless you, dear lady, for
thls." he said, in voice that quivered
with emphasized gratitude. ''But
Heaven will bless you; the voice OF
your own conscience will bless you,
when [ am gone, when | am gone! |
would not have taken the poor bauble
from you, though my old heart yearn
ed to it, [ would not; but my days are
numbered, and [ have no friend, no
child, no relative! When | am gone,
this ring shall be yours once more
yours and to this sweet innocent"
He stretched out his hand, but the
little golden head eluded him this
time. and the old gentleman, putting
his hand in his pocket, added the
inducement OF piece of money.
''Take this, dear child; it is little [
have to give, but you have made my
heart very glad this night" AS Ida
~ do no n y,,1,.( a.L, 1oc,,oi+n Tho hill
it was deposited on the table, for the
stranger was now in no mood to stay,
and was making his way towards the
door as fast as the inhrmities OF age
would allow.
''You will see me again." he said to
Nelly; ''you will let me come and see
you, know you will. Heaven bless
you, dear lady, Heaven bless you!'
The door closed; the poor old man
was heard making his way with diff
Guilty down the stairs, and Nelly, for
the moment, reproached herself with
having suffered the loss of the ring to
overcome her so far asnot to have Of
fered to assist the stranger in his des
cent.
She would have been possessed by a
different impulse, perhaps, if she could
have seen what were the movements
of that aged person, when he had
passed out Of earshot Of the attic oc-
cupants.
These were, lightly and quickly to
descend the stairs in the dark passage
at the foot, deity to transfer the soft
felt hat he had worn to his pocket, &C
companied by the venerable fringe
which had impaired unwonted dignity
to that article ofheadgear, replacing it
with q leathern cap which certainly
better befitted the stubble crop it
crowned. The stick, by a turn, slid
into so small compassit easily bore
company with the hat and wig; the
long brown coat which, to the stoop-
ing and ancient figure OF the infirm
man, was a loose and ample garment,
became tolerably- tting covering for
the upright, well knitted frame Of the
man who, in less time than you read
of them had effected these changes,
then opened the door and as softly
closed it. paused a moment to glance
up and down the court, at that hour
almost deserted.
His hand was in his deep side pocket,
where it grasped something firmly,
that short, thick club, on which, in it's
more slender form, the poor old man
had leaned, when he entered the attic.
But no metamorphose of hat, or
coat, or grey hair, could have effected
greater change than had come Of itself
to that face with it's thin compressed
lips, its hard lines and prominent high
cheekbone- only the keen grey eyes
were the same, and the old mans had
glittered more when he first set them
on the ring. The light had died out
of them now, as the man walked
steadily but not too quickly out OF
the court and turned into a wide
street, which he crossed into one mar
rover and dirty, thence he plunged in
to a back slum, Of intricate ways and
increasing filth and obscurity, where
his pace became rapid, and his lips
more compressed, and the light faded
out from his eyes yet more.
So he came to a street of wretched
houses, where the unbroken darkness
seemed q cover to hide the misery and
,dissoluteness OF the place.
He pushed open door and sprang
up broken staircase.
Half way up room door stood
half open, and he entered, then for the
first time unclasping the hand that
grasped the cudgel.
A woman, standing before the fire,
turned round with an exclamation Of
surprise.
"La! Jimmy, is it you? I never
heerd you, for the frizzing; here's what
you like for supper, tripe and"
The man with a bad word cursed
the tripe, and, while hastily divesting
himself of his clothes and emf tying his
pockets, asked for gin, which she
brought him, and hetossed off a couple
OF glasses.
''Now, then, must be off-cut like
winking! no, no, supper be hanged;
you fool, you always want telling
twice; you come after, too. Sharp's
the word! Here, take these things,
send 'em after the last, they mustn't
be found at any price. Ay, give me
the MIA ST eriDO blOuSn. that'11 Hf, -