Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-11-06

made nm OF five stones OF the purest
water. and on the inside were the lnl-
tials "B. f." The ring was double
hoop Of gold and had probably been
made to order. IL was lying loosely IN
the box. and the box had once contain
ed steel pens. | argued that II must
have been some careless person VINO
carried a valuable ring around in that
fashion and that II had been lost by a
passenger wi had left the train at the
junction.
am only a fairly honest man. Ny
first idea was to keep the ring to my
own profit, but remembered that
was known to the railway porter and
that the property might be- traced 70
me. II not strictly honest. ] am pru'
dent. and ] therefore gave up the idea
of converting the ring. ! would hold II
for a reward. however. That bauble
must have cost at least 5000 and was
perhaps valued beyond price as gilt
l figured that ought TO get 500 out
of II. and figured Just what | would
do with that extra money. Hair IN
hour later | felt q curious sensation
stealing over me. | began TO feel sen
timental. began TO connect that deal
little ring with a dear little blond hair
ed. blue eyed girl. got mp and kicked
myself three times and called myself
fool. but the feeling did not 90 away
To my astonlshment and indignation
found II growing stronger, and before
knew it the grip OF romance had go
me by the neck.
was man Of leisure. though hat
no great amount OF money to my cred
IT, would hunt up the owner OF tina
ring, and II all things went well
would marry her. l settled on tha
even as kicked myself again. Com
mon sense told me that might bette
fall in love with the old apple woman
nj the Waterloo terminus, but wheI
romance takes hold common sense ha
10 LET 20. For week | watched al
the papers. but the ring was not adver
tised. This seemed to prove to me tha
the loser was either rich and indiffer
ept TO her loss or that for some reasol
the loss had not yet been discovered
Romance made me anxious, and
therefore went to the expense OF advei
tising In five different papers. | sim
ply stated that a diamond ring ha
been found on a railroad train and ask
ed the loser to correspond.
Inside Of three days received abou
$50 letters In reply. They came fror
all sorts Of places and from all sorts
people. The number Of stones wa
| given all the way from one to ten. an
almost every railroad in the kingdoI
was mentioned. The $50 writers wer
fakes and liars. and the true loser ha
| not answered me. was bit nettle
| at this neglect on her part. She wa
| not meeting my romance half way.
advertised second time. and this tim
! | gave date and day and train. Agai
I got peck vf letters. and at least hal
Of them wert from people who had al
swered before. As none Of them coul
describe the ring | was no better o
than before. Indeed | was worse OF
A railway official wrote me that
keeping an article Of value found O
the line had made myself thief an
that he would take great pleasure
seeing me behind the bars.
was now in love with the loser ,
that ring. Sentiment had firm gr
on me, and | got all sorts Of silly n
tions into my head. | must see the a
fair to the end at whatever cost, Al
the end must be my marriage with Il
! fair haired Beatrice. That was Il