Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-01-06

4
ring back.
II want you To keep it until you
die. Mile" he had said. Il don't
blame you. Your mother doesn't think
| I'm your social equal. and guess she
is right. If | were sure could make
you happy I'd run away with you.
/ Rut I'm not sure You are so far
above me. dearest"
| So Miss Millicent through all the
| stress OF poverty had kept the ring
And it seemed sacrilege to sell it
now. But The need was urgent. She
must not take bread from the mouths
OF Sarah Kendall's children.
On Monday, therefore. Miss Milf
cent for the first time in her life en-
tered little secondhand jewelry shop,
and when she came out there was a
roll of bills tucked away in her small
bag.
With a shrewd intuition she knew
that she must not let Amos know that
she had any money. He would not be
satisfied until he had il in his posses
sion. and he would spend It as reck-
lessly as he did his wages.
So il happened thar mysterious pack
ages began to appear at The Kendall
mansion One week il would be lit
tie pig ready for roasting. the next
leg Of lamb with greens. Again it
was Il basket Of groceries. bucket OF
oysters. and on Thanksgiving appeared
a turkey.
There" Sarah said triumphantly as
she showed the turkey 10 Amos, you
can't complain now that you've got too
many to feed"
tits no credit TO her" Amos grum-
bled. that we get the things"
We'll, I'll bet il is" Sarah said.
"Some of her old friends are probably
doing for her that way. They don't
want to hurt her pride by offering it
openly"
But II the Kendalls had observed
closely they would have seen that Miss
Millicent rarely partoOk of the luxuries
that graced their table. To her sensi-
tive soul it was blood money that she
had taken for John Tremont's ring.
But Amos ate and Dragged to his
neighbors, 1--WE had spring lamb yes
terday." or mot many people can eat
strawberries at this season."
Miss Millicent spent recklessly. She
wanted to make Amos good natured,
and she bad found a way.
But she was not happy. The possess
sion Of the ring had seemed to bind
her 10 her old lover. She did not know
where he was. whether living or dead
but he had seemed to be in her life
until she had sold his ring.
Daily she went to the little Jewel
shop and looked in the window where
the ring was displayed. Inside the
golden circle were the words ITO Dear
est" She wondered II some other
lover would buy 1t and use that in
scription secondhand.
One day as she stood. little fragile
figure with faded curls falling In old
fashioned style over her thin, white,
cheeks. a man stopped beside her.
"Millicent." he said softly.
She flashed up at him a startled
glance. "Oh. John, John" she gasped.
II had TO sell it,
"Sell whatT'
"My ring-the ring you gave me-"
1t all came out then-her story OF
poverty. his story Of work and ac-
quirement of wealth in the far west.
"And l guess I'm good enough to
take care Of you now. Millie." he said
triumphantly as he finished.
But I'm such poor little old
thing" she faltered.
Don't" he said quickly. "You are
young to me. and what's forty-five?
Why, we've long, long life ahead of
us yet. dearest"
And with that he went in and pur-
chased another ring aud also one of
plain gold. and in the morning they
were married. with Sarah Kendall for
matron of honor.
After that the Kendalls lived on 4
wave Of prosperity. for John fremont
never forgot Sarah's kindness TO Mill
cent
And whenever Amos Kendall grum-
bled about his work or worries Sarah
always stopped him. "You just re
member how you used TO fuss about
Miss Mile" she would tell him. -and
all the time she was an angel un-
awares"