Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-11-25

ono, uut sumcient to make
| ner happy. She braided her hair. mt
| on ner cap, buttoned her dress. tied
ABOUT ner throat the gay neck-ribbon
| raced ner shoes economically. and
.hen looked for her ring. It was
gone! vas
She knew the very spot upon Tho
red heart-shaped pin-cushion into
wnicn sne had thrust the needle over
which the silver ring had been hung
mere stuck the needle still. It was
peioW the window-sill, on a little
table; 1t could not have rolled out: but
1t was not in the room. She shook ont
her dress. her shawl, her bed-clothes
She swept the floor. 1t was gone. That
was the end of it.
hetty sat down and wept bitterly.
All the country people of the day were
superstitious. The ring had disap-
peared in most mysterious way. for
ner door was bolted, and her window
high from the ground, and she firmly
believed that the loss portended some
great evil.
Meanwhile at the bar Of the inn a
little scene was going on. The
Frenchman had asked for a glass of
ale, and John, who was always tapster
on Sunday mornings, had drawn it
Tor him, when, as their hands met in
the act, he saw upon the little finger
or his customer thick silver ring,
the very counterpart of that which he
had given to his Betty.
You've pretty ring, monsieur"
he said, with sort of catching of the
breath. May I ask where you got
ito"
"Ah, yes, certainly" said the
Frenchman. Zone does not boast, but
very pretty girl gave me that. Yes,
and a kiss Also"
John turned as pale as any ford
face could turn. He made no answer,
but marched straight out of the room
and into Betty's kitchen.
She stood near the door in her holi-
day dress, with her white cotton gloves
on. The magpies were chattering
overhead, and afar the church bells
We're ringing.
"You are not going to church with
me, John?" she asked, softly, with
SMILE
THAT depends" said John Leaf.
Then he walked straight up to her,
"You don't look like cheat" he
said; "but who knows woman? Take
off your gloves, Betty"
She obeyed.
where's your ring?" he asked.
Betty burst into tears.
Its lost, John" she said. II can
find it nowhere"
"You haven't looked on monsieur's
finger, then" said John. "You poor
fool, to give it to him, and think
shouldn't know It,"
ooh, I'll swear I never did," sobbed
Betty. 1T give your ring to anyone
else! Why, john
But he pushed her from him with
his rough hand, and would hear no
words from her; and the next day he
left the inn, and enlisted once more,
and was sent away again to India. And
Betty left the inn alro, and took SER
vice with farmers wife close by; and
whatever the magpies chartered about,
it was no more of the love-making
that they heard when John and Betty
sat together beneath the old oak-tree.
Five years went by. At last John re-
ceiyed a letter from England, telling
him that his father was dead, and had
left all his little possessions to his only
son.
John Leafs fighting days were over,
in any case, and he was on the 1nva-
lid for life. He fought as desperate
men do; had been commended and pro-
NOTED. and had some medals and rib
hons to show and boast of as compen-
sation for wooden leg. SO ne Went
home again, and settled down as pro-
prietor of the "Magpie's Nest, ana
was a sort of hero among the neigh
bors; but he was very lonely. Men 40
not quite forget in five years. he
could still see Bety's buxom form
fitting about the kitchen in magma
ton; and when the magpies chartered
in their nests he could fancy that he
sat with her under the oak brancnes.
Then he grew wroth with the magples,
who seemed to mock him, and ordered
his pot-boy to tear the nest GOWN.
In vain the boy pleaded for the
birds. In vain he declared that, even
if the new nests went, the old one IN
the topmost branches should be LETT
"for luck
.If the old magpies that built that
find it gone, they'll peck some one $
eve out in the nighttime" said the
boy. cts been known to be done
often"
But John Leaf, the soldier, had cast
away all his superstition.
"I'n have those magpies chatterlng
about nv ears no more" he said. up
and leave not nest of them all. Some
of the noisy rascals will take posses
sion of that old rag If it Is LETT nans-