The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-03-15
The Lost RING:

had devoted myself during the
winter TO Marjorie. and Marjorie had
accepted my devotion Indeed her
preference for me WAS very plain. ]
remember that on one occasion at Il
meeting Of our assembly. an asSocia
ton formed for dancing. when, having
been absent from the city. | had not
secured partners. Marjorie deliberate
ly turned down two men on her list
and gave their places to me. Neither
Of them grumbled, for she was cons.d
cred as my best girl.
When Lent came and all gayety
ceased took Marjorie to theaters and
other amusements. and the only rea
son | didn't propose to her was that
! didn't quite see my way clear to sup
port wife. thought would best
let the matter run on as long as /
could manage 10 do so without mis-
understanding or danger OF losing her.
for ! had made n start in my profes
sion and expected my clientele and
lees ~ Sttuulll lUCItuSt.
One OF our set. Ed Darby. invited u
dozen OF us to spend the week end. in
Guiding Easter sunday, at his fathers
place in the suburb OF Enfield, Mario
RE and TO be OF the party Easter Is
favorite season with me. as it Is
with most persons, especially when
the spring opens, as 1t usually does at
Easter. for after Il long winter, when
the days are very short and the sun
stands small and low in the south the
opening of spring is delicious. ! love
it best when certain green things. like
the crocuses. break through the last
snow left on the ground, as though
they couldn't wait for ii To get out OF
the way. SO we all anticipated n joy
full three days at Darby's.
arrived about o'clock-too late to
dress for dinner. Ed sent me to my
room, where ] tidied up a bit. and,
passing a lavatory OH my way down
stairs. concluded to go in and get the
dirt off my hands. While standing by
the bowl | saw on the slab a diamond
ring.
How many are there Of us who have
not at some time or times done some.
thing that afterward made us won.
der how in the world we could have
been so foolish? ! was or believed
myself on the threshold of delightful
visit. | had just made very large
fee-enough to furnish Il house-and
had decided to propose TO Marjorie.
who, did not doubt, would accept me
for life partner. and ! was trimming
over with happiness. Some girl had
left her diamond ring In the lavatory,
and / would take 1t, keep her on the
anxious seat for time, thinking ii had
been stolen. then spring a surprise on
her by producing her ring.
| admit that In nine cases in ten. or.
IL you like, ninety-nine I'm hundred,
such an innocent joke would come to
no harm But IL Is TO he remembered
that during the time Of taking the
property and producing 1t something
may happen to place the joker i'm the
position Of a thief. One wouldn't think
Of taking thousand dollar bill at a
bank for sport. and he should no more
take diamond ring In the same spirit
slipped my find in my vest pocket
and went down TO dinner jolly com.
pany was assembled. and after saut.
ing and being saluted by them waited
for some girl to suddenly start and ex.
claim. Good gracious. where's my
ring?" But the dinner proceeded with.
out any intimation that the property
was missed. and after awhile tue mat.
ter slipped my mind. During the even.
Ing 1t occurred to me several times
that ! would better not wait for the
ring to be missed before producing IL,
but on each occasion something oc.
CURED to distract my attention. The
consequence was that when we sep.
arated for the night and went to my
room i found IL IN my vest pocket,
where l had placed IL before going
down to dinner
Then for the first time II occurred TO
me that perhaps the loser OF the ring
/ might have gone to tho lavatory for
1t, had not found Il aud. surprising
some one had appropriated 1t. without