The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-04-21
STRANGE RECOVERY OF RING.
Masonic Emblem Restored to Its
Owner After q Long Search,

owner After Long Search.
The older members of the Masonic or
CARNATIONS have been discussing the loss
and peculiar discovery Of an emblematic
ring for the last two weeks, since the
death of s. II. Fields of Atlanta, lii. The
death Of Mr.. Fields, which is still fresh
in the minds of all the Masonic brother
hood, recalled these trayelings of the
ring. Mr.. Fields, who was always an
enthusiast on Masonic matters, some fif-
teen or twenty years ago, took the thirty
second degree and became a member of
the consistory. Incidental to his taking
the degree he was presented with d ring,
snrmounted with the device of the dol-
BILE eagle, an emblem only worn by the
knights of the high degree.
Inc device was surrounded by dia-
monds Of exceptional size and brilliancy,
and at the time of it's making was not
surpassed by any in the country. Mr..
never allowed it to leave his finger for
an instant. Judge, then, his feelings, if
you can, when he emerged from a plunge
| i'll Great Salt lake ten years ago and
found that his ring was missing. 1t was
the old story. and the wearer was not
conscious until too late that Il small for
tune was slipping off his finger
Efforts were made for it's recovery, but
they amounted to nothing, and the re-
turn Of Mi. Fields to the East was not
| filled with gladness. Two years after his
visit III the West young lady from New
Orleans was among the visitors at Salt
Lake City and all of the masculine Dor
ton of the city. fell down and worshipe,l
But she was independent and went in
search of pleasure without any assist
ance. One day of her visit, while taking
bath in the lake, on a wager she at
tempted to remain under water, which is
nearly impossible, owing to the fact that
the water is strongly imrrcgnated with
salt. In her vain endeayor she poked
her pretty fingers into the AXE bed, to
ind hold to counteract the floating
qualities of the water. In so doing one
Of her fingers slipped gently into ring.
the mlagnificence of which was astound-
ing. The bath was soon finished and
nothing else was talked of during the
day but the wonderful find, and specula-
ton was rife as to the identity Of the
| peared the name S. H. Fields, but there
was no address and nothing else to prove
the ownership. Nobody at the hotel re-
| membered S. H. Fields and when the
young lady returned to her Southern
home the ring was in her possession.
She made up her mind to find the own
er if it took years and at once hit upon
systematic plan. She first consulted Ma
sons and knights Templar until she
found the nature of the emblem, and
| then she obtained the name and address
| of the grand recorder of the order. 4
letter to him brought the names and adj
dresses of those high in authority in each
state. Then commenced correspond
ence that was tedious in the extreme,
Taking the states Alphabetically, she
wrote to the headquarters of the consis-
tory and asked if one S. H. Fields was
numbered among the members in the
state; If so, what was his address?
Not until she reached Illinois and sent
| an inquiry to Gilbert w. Barnard of
this city did she receive an affirmative
answer. Mr.. Barnard Immediately an
swered and sent Mr.. Fields address.
The ring had been lost two years and the
| third had nearly elapsed before the long
correspondence eliminated in it's recoy7
cry, and it likewise eliminated in a very
happy marriage. Mr.. Fields was not one
of the contracting parties. however. He
was already married and old enough to
take the young lady on his knee, but he
graced the wedding and the generosity
of his gift to the bride has not been for