The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1912-06-14
The Cameo
Rings

small box in her hand, unmlndtul OF
the shadows which were beginning to
steal into the room. If one could have
peeped inside the boz one would have
seen cameo ring of peculiar style.
She was thinking of the one who had
given it to her eleven years ago.
Just then light tap at her door
aroused her from her reverie, and she
sprang to her feet. The box fell from
her hand and rolled under the table.
ooh, it's you, Miss Fuller!" she ex-
claimed, opening the door.
Yes, it's l." laughed young voice,
and a girl of about 20 came into the
room. "And why are you sitting in
the dark?"
81 didn't realize it was so late" ex-
planned Muriel, as she turned on the
light. She stopped to pick up the
box, but it had opened and the ring
had fallen out.
That's a peculiar ring" she said,
"and a beautiful one"
Muriers face crimsoned. eyes, it
has strange setting" she replied
1--WE had it a long time. A very dear
friend gave it to me-"
"Would you mind telling me about
it?" said the girl, softly, and she
slipped her arms about the others
| neck.
Lois Fuller was a niece of Muriels
landlady and during the last year had
| frequently visited her aunt. Muriel
had seen quite a lot of the girl, for
nearly every evening during her stay
she had come up to MuriePs room.
Lois was expectant, and at last the
| other broke the silence. 1--WE never
| told any one before" she said, "but
perhaps it may do me good to confide
in you. I was very young when l
Grst met Philip Browning"
| Here Lois gave a little start, but
Muriel did not notice it. "He was an
artist and came to our village the
summer l was IT, He was a constant
visitor at our home during his stay in
town, and as he was far superior to
any young man 1 had ever seen, it was
| not long before l grew to admire him
Before he returned to the city in
the autumn he told me that he loved
me. There was no happier girl in
the world than I when he put this
ring on my finger. He said that il
was an heirloom and showed me an
other ring which was exactly like it
only little smaller.
"This he wore on his watch chain
His parents had died when he was {
child, and the rings had been left fo1
him. This one was his mothers be
trothal ring, and his father used t.
wear the other ring, as he himself wa!
doing, on his watch chain.
"The days after this were yer!
bright until Philip was obliged to re
turn home. At first l was lonely, bu
I tried to comfort myself with thu
thought that we would not be sep
arated very long, for the followin!
June we were to be married. I grew
quite happy again as ! made m,
plans for our new home, but in a few
weeks my happiness turned into sol
row. My father was suddenly takel
i'll with pneumonia and in less than
fortnight I was left alone. This wa
a severe blow to me, for l loved m
father very dearly. Now I only ha
Phillip left.
! Cup to that time he had written m
. long, loving letters, and it was crue
fathers death to pick up paper an
read of his marriage"
When Muriel had finished, Lois wa
| looking very thoughtful. "Are 20
) sure that there wasn't some mi!
take?" she said.
: ooh, no." answered Muriel, "ther
wasn't any mistake. I only hope h
is happy-without doubt he il
! and he probably never gives though
, to the girl he used to know so Ion
! ago."
| Lois murmured few words of syn
) pathy and then, after a little while
she left Muriel alone.
One evening, about two weeks afte
ward, a feeling which Muriel could nc
define compelled her to again look 6
\ the cameo ring. After a little Will
I she slipped it on her finger. AT thi
juncture Lois came up to her room
s. her eyes sparkling and her cheek
flushed with excitement.
"Auntie has gone out" she sal
a "and l have a caller downstairs
cousin of mine. 1 want you to met
Y him. You'll come down, won't yon?'
AS they entered the living room
\ made bright and coy by a CLOWN
open fire, Muriel started as a tai
: familiar figure stepped toward then
q Philip Browning! Could it be Pc
o sible? Yes, it was he and no othe
: who took her trembling hands in his
t 1t took her only few minutes
n find out that there had been a mistak
y after all. 1t was Philips brother VIII
had married, and it was through a
error of the paper that Philips nam
was used
He told her how panied he we
when he received the letter unopene
and how he had written after tn;
several times, only to have every lie
ter returned to him in the same wa
At last he had been forced to beliey
that she cared for him no longer.
was then that he had gone abroa
and he had returned home only tW
months ago.
Il owe my good fortune in findin
you to Lois" he said, and he locke
around gratefully, but his cousin ha
slipped from the room.
Among the Browning's possession
there is nothing they prize more tina