The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1897-12-02
THE sfLyLR RING

cInci 70 b. l1avn a. Tue Msspis'
Not
- II ssd been ibas usm because Of th
sam Der Of msspis's 10 tbe utlss bothooS
AoI ,ttsl. bt before lbe door ssood 90 oal
ires. ctetaty old, .moag whose uppsi
m1.t brsscse,. ycst tu SOD year ogt =
vsys hDng magpte'' pest, 'o which tb'
roaBlry people believed lhat tie sane Old
nsspls returned regularly
No very eleaAJt eottrtaiDtatut ~ss
td.fsd a. The Msspie's Meet" IT. either
mao or besst, bu, IT, patrons thought tbe
tse good. sod theb It VS. sesTed to them
by the m9st charming, rosy checked little
mni, who wore a cap With bright ribbons
sod bad vsisi that old baye been
spanue by tao hands "A well behaved
httls maid. also, who was known by the
rector OF the parish church to hsye been
the best girl 10 bis Sunday school
So, though she vas poor orphan, aud
had only her little need oI wages, BIT tty
might have married many stout i'rmer.
Howeyer. she refused them all, and kspt
90 with her duties at the Msgple's Nest
uLtl the son Of her master, coming home
from Indis, where he bad served as sol
der for several years fell 10 love With her
aud "a red htr bis hand and heart Bet
y did not prove uuklnd. The ion keep
ing father vas williag enough TO secure
hi. handy Betty Tor q permanent assistant,
and amid the chstterins OF the msgples
b. tty snd John exchanged their VOWS IN
der the nest.hung oak tree one bright at
terboon; and John put upon her tnger a
thick silver ring, which be had obtained !
abroad. perhaps by purchase, perhaps by
gilt perhsps as soldiers obtain many
things 10 the time Of war
II was ia costly gift to our eyes it
would not be beautiful one-but Betty
valued il highly. Ste kept it polished to
perfection md wore 1t with great pride on
high d ys and holidays; but though she
loved John and looked forward to her wed
ding day with Joy, she would not alter
the bright, coqletli.h manner which had
always belonged to her She Ioked with
tbe'isrmets. tiung them ba repsrtee for
repsrtee and even gave them those bright
elsuoes which John. the soldier, thought
should only be given TO himself, 60
John grew Jealous, snd, being moody
sort ofa man, sail nothing about it.
Itnev entered Betty's mind that the
very manner which had once enchanted
Joho should now offend him, and she q
grew angry with her lover for bis scowls
and snlkIness. {
Therefore, when a Young Frenohmsn L
from MsrsslIes, black eyed, black haired q
and polite 10 his manners, ss Frenchmen O
usually are, Chsnced in q business jour
ney, to stop at the Magpes Nest, she Il
felt that be really would be a fine example o
for surly John Leaf, and was amiabe to 9
him to degree that might have made q 0
less jealous man angry. Then, indeed, n
John Leaf spoke ont. and Betty discover II
ed the secret OF his i'll temper. a
Her pride being hattered thereby, she "
forgsve him. and retired on Saturday L
night with the firm intention Of winning a
back Jacks smiles on the morrow. her
holiday, when she would 60 TO church il Il
her best attire and charm bis heart from
him over again, as be walked by her side. l.
What woman ever had design on q mans
lesrt, ever desired to win from him any
svor or gift, that she did not bethink her
i sll her fnery? Before Betty slept she 81
ook from her trunk her Scotch plaid
lress her iriuged shawl ber blue ribbon pl
d c,p, her Sunday shoes, and hsr silver al
Jog and having giving the latter 40 extra it
,olish laid them where they would meet re
Ter eyes the frst thing next morning.
John Leaf, sulkng 10 bis room under ca
be gsrrtt caves, bad DO thought OF this. A
'bose slow natures DO not forget and for ell
i've 10 hurry any more than they do Sc
nythlng else. te
The morning sun, shining sslsut liz
gslnst the inns walls, aroused Betty
nth his fret rays She rubbed her eyes, m
peoed them put her little feet ont upon vi
be foor kuet down and said her simple co
rsy,r and then flew to the glass. 1t was ed
oily crooked thing, with flaw in, it and co
rough osken frame, bnt sufficient to on
lske her happy. She braided her hair BIZ
ut on her cap, butoned her dress, tied sal
bout her throat the gay neck ribbon.
ICED her shoes geometricslly and then asl
,eked for her ring. 1t was eoueI
She knew the very spot uToD the red
esrted pin cushion into which she had Jo
lrust the needle over which the silver
ng bad been hung. There stuck the be
aedle etill II was below the window
Il, on a little table; it could not have sp'
,olled out, but it Was not 10 the room. col
be shook ont her dress, her shawl, her th'
ID clothes, She swept the floor. 1t was yo
,ne. That vas the end Of il. for
Betty sat down Sud wept bitterly. All go'
e country people Of the day were super pie
itious. The ring bad disappeared 10
oct mysterious way, for her door vss W.
llted snd Der window hI,h from the The
ound, aud she hruly believed that the
ss purteuded sens great evil loo
MeAuwbile st the bar q the inn little III
eIe ~s, going on The Freuehmsn bad /
he'd Tor glsss Of ale, and John, who by.
's ,lSays spster on suuday mornings,
a drawn 1t for him. vben. ss their Bel
nds met 10 the act, be sw upon the hes
tie fpeer Il bic customer tLick silver