The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-11-26

place, where he was sure to meet gay
company
Mr.. Bramont was not at all pleased
with the conduct of his future son-in-
law, and his Caut ktCr betrayed annoy
ance at his neglect. Baroness Defce was
at last no longer able To control her out
ragged feelings.
dissolve the bondw she exclaimed,
EPizing Ada's hand. at is still time.
You will be unhappy, and then it will
be too late
Ada shook her head.
''It would be unwomanly," cried
Ada. "An engagement is a promise nei-
thcr man nor woman should break. As
yet he has given me no cause for such
an act. If lie should break it, it
wOuld"-
The girl paused, startled by the
thought that only too readily suggested
itself. "If l furnish you with proof
that he is faithless, will you break with
him then?" asked the baroness.
"How will you do it?''
"Trust me" whispered the baroness.
Next morning the marchese departed
on one of his periodical journeys.
While the marchese was absent Mr..
Bramont paid Erwin visit. AS he was
not aware of the latter's suit for his
daughters hand, this visit was but the
natural outcome of the kindly feelings
he had always entertained for his SON s
schoolmate and friend. He returned
from the Gerz estates highly pleased
with Erwin's ability to manage his
property.
Marchese Luciano remained away Ion
ger than was his wont. A letter came
from him, advising his fiancee that
important business engagements made
it impossible to return. Mr.. Bramont's
face grew more thoughtful as letter up
on letter arrived from Luciano asking for
loans of various large sums of money.
The father refrained from acquainting
his daughter with the purport of these
missives.
Reports from other sources were not
calculated to dissipate Mr.. Bramont's
vexation. 1t became known that the
marchese spent his time at fashionable
wateringplaces, indulging in frivolities
unbecoming a man who was the be-
trothed of a sweet and innocent young
woman.
When he returned at last, he was as
amiable as ever. He relied upon his
power over Ada, whom he had fascinat-
ed by his dashing exterior. On the day
of his arrival at the Bramont home the
Baroness Defoe came over for day s
visit with her friend.
The marchese asked his betrothed
how she had spent her time during his
absence, and Ada told him that she had
been very much interested in volume
of Italian fairy tales which had acct
dentally fallen into her hands
"How kind of you to devote your at.
tention to the literature of my native
landl" smiled the marchese.
Zone of these stories has been es.
pecially interesting.
(Which one, my darling?"
at is called Loves Test Was True. ~
"a romantic title! Tell me the story,
sweet"
They gathered around the girl anG
the marchese.
"Once upon time there lived {
prince. He was handsome and elegant
Of manner, and it was an easy thing FOL
him to captivate the heart of a young
girl. She consented to become his wife
and placed upon his finger ring to sea
the bond between them. But he did no
love her as he should, caring only t
possess her wealth. Her innocence anC
simplicity wearied him even before they
were united i'll marriage. He left he,
for days at time to engage in the ga.
pastimes of the world. In her distress
the young girl sought the counsel of
good fairy when next her lover wa
gone. Together they thought of plal
by which she would know whether he
lover was true to her or not.
under every ring constantly worl
on the same finger a stripe of white j
formed No matter how brown ant
weather stained the hand may become
this stripe remains white and pure
Men who are faithless to their vows re
move their rings in the pursuit of un
holy pleasures.
" This, the fairy said to the younI
girl, is an unfailing sign. When mex
your lover returns to you, remove fron
his hand the ring you have given him
If the skin beneath is pure and white
he has been true to you. If the stripe
missing -
AS Ada spoke these words she play
fully drew from the marchese's han
the ring that bound him to her.
Luciano tried to snatch his hand fror
her grasp, but Ada was quicker tina
he. The telltale stripe was missing.
Pale as death, the girl arose, drawn
from her own hand the ring he ha
given her and throwing it at his feet.
That night the marchese went ava
for the last time, never to return. ]
developed subsequently that he had boz
rowed money wherever he could on hi
: prospect of marrying an heiress.
A year later we find Ada again
spending the summer at the home {
/ her friend, the Baroness Defoe. TIL
baron had been away for several day
: on a mission, the purpose of which onl
his wife knew