The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-01-18
The Engaged
Girls Worries

grOWn?" asked the engaged girl of her
chum, who had just returned from q
trip.
you aren't quite up to the usual
mark, now that you call my attention
to 1t, DEAR" murmured the chum.
Let me see," said the engaged girl,
1t was six weeks ago, wasn't 1t, that
l wrote you Tom had proposed? He
passed one delicious week with me,
then, three days after he arrived
home, my ring came. Yes, l know
you've been dying to ask me about it.,
and that's what I'm coming to.
well, when l opened the box and
saw that lovely solitaire it seemed as
though Tom was near me somehow
OF course, any engaged girl can un-
derstand when l say that it compen-
The family were exclaiming over the
ring when l took it from the box and
started to slip it on my finger
For goodness sake, child gasped
Aunt Mary, don't you know that it's
bad luck for anyone but Tom to put
that ring on your finger the first
timer
"Of course everybody laughed, as
we always do whenever Aunt Mary
parades her superstitions. Then, just
to show her that l didn't give a par
ticle of weight to such foolishness,
slipped the ring on and waved my fin
ger under Aunt Mary's nose. She
looked deeply injured, as usual, and
walked out of the room. In my
thoughtless way l went on admiring
the diamond and thinking what dear
Tom is.
THAT afternoon as I was dressing to
80 to the embroidery circle meeting
and anticipating the sensation my ring
would create l suddenly remembered
the bathroom. OF course ran to get
It, and just as l reached forward to
pick it up in some unexplainable man.
ner it slipped forward on the marble
and down it went into the pipe!
II was simply paralyzed for mo-
ment Then l flew downstairs and
phoned for a plumber to come post
haste, meanwhile wringing my hands
and not daring to try to recover the
ring myself for fear | might not get
It at all. Mother and Aunt Mary were
In the library and had heard me when
I phoned. Mother was perfect dear
and never reproached me for my care
lessness, but if ever a mortal looked
triumphant Aunt Mary did.
1T seemed ages before the plumber
arrived, and when he finally did come
Of course he had to go back to the
shop for some tool or other. Well,
when he got started he worked and
worked, and after an agonizing time
he actually fished up my ring! Re-
lieved! could have kissed him,
grimy as he was! But was so worn
out from the nervous strain that
wasn't fit to go to the meeting. 1t was
too late, anyhow.
"The next day took my ring down
to the jewelers. to have him clean it,
because some particles of dirt had got
under the setting and wouldn't at
tempt to clean it myself. l took it of
and laid it on the counter while he
wrote my name on a little slip. When
he reached for the ring it wasn't
there!
AT first l thought 1t was joke he
had played on me, for I've been going
to him for years. So l laughed and
told him not to brighten me. But soon
l saw by his manner that it wasn't a
joke at all. The ring was really
gone!
1--WE turned everything over, I
looked up and down the floor, into
crevices and every possible place l
could think Of. Then grew hysteri-
cal and l really believe that in spite
of his knowing me we'll he began to
suspect me of some ruse. AS
leaned against the showcase and wept
l heard something tinkle, and there,
hanging to the fuzzy sleeve of my
jacket, was my ring!
Il never mentioned a word of the
occurrence at home, but, of course,
Aunt Mary had to go to that jewelers.
the very next day to have lin clasp
repaired, and she heard the whole
story. BY that time the ring was be-
ginning to get on my nerves to such
an extent that couldn't sleep. I'd
wake up in the middle of the night in
a cold perspiration. having dreamed
that l had lost it. I'd hide it in all
sorts Of queer places for fear it would
be stolen, and then would nearly go
into spasms because l had forgotten
where had put the ring.
FINALLY, after l dropped it at the
matinee one day and had terrible
time rescuing it from under the feet
of fat man who sat near me, de-
cided to deposit it with mothers valu-
ables at the bank and there's where
1t reposes at present. Do you wonder
that l look anxious and worm"
well, it's rather poor story"
yawned the chum. Now, I've got |
something really interesting to tell |
you. Do you wnow-"
Toms coming next week." inter-
rupted the engaged girl, blushing pref
tily, land I'm going to ack him to ex-