Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-03-22

ana mother by trying to steal their
only daughter away from them. No,
Sir, l wouldn't give Ned Fagan's little
finger for your whole body, if you
were one mass of diamonds from head
to toe; and I'd not go to London along
with you if you paved every step of
the road in gold blocks before me. So
take that for your answer, and bother
me no more"
With that she turned to leave him,
but he called her back and she told
her grandchildren many time that
she liked him better at that moment
than ever before; for his face was
changed into a grave and serious man
ner and says he, taking the ring from
his finger:
"You are a good girl--the very rose
of Ireland, as all may know. III
trouble you no more. But take this
as token, and keep it safe; and if
ever you need friend send or bring
this to London city, aud you'll find
him in the house of Arranmore.
At first she'd have none OF it, but he
persuaded he-, and, SO as not to vex
him, she took the ring, for she had a
kind heart, and thought it best to be
courteous to him, after all.
When he was gone she showed it to
her father and mother.
'It's too like a real diamond not to
be paste, Nora" said the old man. 81
doubt much but he's wanderer of
some kind; maybe he stole it, for that
matter"
But the mother said twas mean
thing to malign gift, anyway, and
she Dade Nora keep it safe. And so
she did, and forgot all about 1t, in n
little box of trinkets she had put
away.
Time passed; the old man and wo-
man died; the mill went to other
hands; Nora married Ned Pagan and
they were fairly well off and happy.
Then the old Earl of Arranmore died
himself, and the young one came into
power-just about the time of the
famine-not tie greatest of all, but
another one, The crops failed. The
potatoes turned black in the pits. The
new agent was terror, turning peo-
pie out into the road after raising the
rent on them till they couldn't pay it,
Ned Pagan took down with the fever,
and when he rose up he was weakly
man. The rent was behind and Ned
not able to earn shilling; aud one
day Nora was crying up in her room,
SO he wouldn't see her; and, to divert
her mind, she began fumbling about
in her little box of trinkets that she
had by her still. There she came across
the ring, and she took it down to Ned
and told him the tale, thinking to
divert his mind as well.
'It's queer, hora," says he, "but
that seems to me TO be real jewel;
and the setting is fine, as you can see.
Maybe if you'd take it up to the city
you might sell it for trihe; and you
know every little helps
just then there came knock ut the
door, and Nora opened it. There stood
the very man they were talking of, but
dressed more sober, and looking older
and changed since the day when Nora
saw him first, ten years before. He
put out his hand. But poor Nora,
thinking of all she'd gone through
since she saw him last, burst out
crying. Twas Ned ha to tell him tho
tale OF their misfortunes, and of the
avarice and greed of the agent; how
the tenants wero in poverty through
him and the fever and the famine and
how he threatened that The Earl him
SELF would be down shortly and put
what was left of them, body and bones,
on the road, where they'd either have
to die or go into the workhouse.
81 don't think he'll do that" says
the stranger; "but l wouldn't call it
much OF surprise to them that know
il the agent was left on the road him
self"
"And are you still in his lordship's
service?" says Nora. 81 divine you
are, or you wouldn't be here"
"Yes. I'm thankful to say Pm with
him STILL" says the other; "and Pm
pretty sure of being that same till he
dies"
'It's well for you," says Nora, with
sad smile. 'It's far different with
me; and look far different now, I'm
sure, from what 1 did in those days
long ago."
"Yes," says the man, "you do; but
the clouds are parting even now, and
the day will break in Joy and consola-
tion before you know it. And have
you the ring I gave you yet?" says he.
its here, on my little finger" says
Ned. "My wife was showing it to me
when you came to the door, and that
for the first time since we were mar
ried."
Sure, l forgot all about it, Ned"
says she, giving deep sigh. ''It was
to sell 1t we thought, we were that
pushed at the present moment"
"Oh, don't do that" saws the
stranger. rising up. ''But I'll ask you
one thing only. Come up yourself
this very day, Nora, to the castle.
I'll speak for you to the Earl when he
comes; and, take my word for it, some
good will come of it. And fetch the
ring along with you, for good luck,
and show it to the servant at the
door"
IL