The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-29


A large gold split ring. elegantly chas-
ed and evidently OF antique manufac-
ture, to which was suspended a COM
mon copper English penny piece. The
combination was so incongruous. so lu-.
dicrous, that could not refrain from
taking II In my hand to examine.
"Oh. please don't touch that" ex-
claimed the dying gira. 1T -is all I
have" 81
Then there was q story to It!
When had prescribed . simple pal.
liatfve for the rackins cough and had
given Instructions for other simple
treatment, went down stairs again
with the mother.
'You saw the penny and the ring,
DOCTOR" she said, "and you wondered.
IL II not sp7''
. I couftseed that I had felt q little
curious to ksow its history, and here
IL what the old woman told me:
The old seld ring had belonged to
Elsie's great-grandmother. 1t bad once
been q thunb ring. Elsie looked upon
il as q sort of heirloom and had car.
ried It with her as sort OF talIsman
since childhood. One day. after she
had known Mr.. Wilmington few
months before they were engaged to
be married, she young man had laugh.
ingiy pulled from Ms pocket penny
through which some foolish person
had bored hole. Elsie was just about
to appear In q new. character. 50 Hor-
ace, In fun, remarked: Take this PEN
ny and keep it for luck. You will new.
er fall in Q part 80 long as you keep
It."
Elsie entered, into the spirit Of the
thing and said. .'Now, II 1 could only
get my own talisman split would
hang the penny on to IT,"
THAT is easily. DONE" said Horace
as he took the ring in his hand and
admired its chasing. Il. will take 1t te
Evans. in Sheffield. and have II split :
Accordingly be took the ring and lr
few days returned It with the penny
hanging to II. Elsie fastened ribbor
to 1t aud wore It around her neck.
Alas, that ring and that penny wert
the parallels Of the characters Of thu
two persons to whom they had belong
ed! The one pure gold, refined ant
chased by q master hand, destined t.
be broken by the owner Of the basel
metal which entered the golden hear
and broke it In two and left 1t.
When she went to London. Willing
| ton followed Elsie, and there, amid tbt
foIlies and exciteznents OF the grea
Babylon, he came out in his true col
| ors, q consciencelees, loveless scoun
drel. 1t seems unnatural and untrue
| that q man could deliberately lay planI
| and take years to mature them for th'
ruin Of a young girls life. but so !
| was with wilmington and Elsie Under
hill
who remember the success Of tn
young actress on the Princess board
and who remember with sorrow be
sudden departure and death.
wellington succeeded In his designs
then left her. as 1t was afterwart
known he had left others, to droop ant
die or to go from bad to worse. a.
cared nothing.
Elsie's sensitive nature was too higl
strung. She could not survive the dis
grace even though 1t was apparent onl.
to herself. Her heart broke. aud Il
the early weeks OF December. whel
the narrow little Church street an
the roofs OF the neighboring cottage
were covered with snow. when th
timid robin had become 50 tame as +
fly to the windows Of human habita
tions for the food Of charity. when tn
world was beginning to prepare its an
nual festival Of peace and good vii
toward men," the poor little actress
who was a delicate flower In the mids
Of life Of nettles and brambles, with
cred and passed away. to be trans
planted in the garden that is kept fol
ever beautiful by those angels who's
duty It is to soothe and comfort th0s
poor waits of humanity who are nc
strong enough to overcome humanity
blows and buffets.
What became of wellington? hav
never heard Of him since. Somewhere
probably. he holds an honored positio
on earth. for be was rich, and wealt
on earth covers innumerable sins; bu
surely when his time comes to go {
that bourn from which no traveller eve
returns ne will be met by the dark r,
cording angel with page not yet bio
ted out. on which he will be shown
/ A penny suspended from pure sol
ring.