The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-09-12
Ry JOSEPH E. SMITH.
lt1ACa, n. Y. Jan. u. 100.

h' 6oe " iIhc HeT lot HcI
own sake, and then finally it hap
pened-only after had made a thou
sand fools of myself.
You see, since Jim and l were such
chims, got to know Edith pretty
We'll and We became great friends.
II 1t hadn't been for the ring, 4,
might never have happened 1t was
a heavy Egyptian scarab. with an on
gravtd setting. 1t was a particular
u ng in the frat, and YOU know YOU
couldn't let girl wear it unless you
were engaged. A scarab is supposed
10 bring luck, and mine certainly did
One night | had come back home
from taking Edith to reception. J
glanced down at my hand ard saw
that my ring was gone from my lit
tie finger. 1t upset me considerably
Not that the ring was valuable. only a
FELLOW hates to lose anything like
that could not see any way that ]
could possibly have lost 1t. After ]
had hunted everywhere I gave 1t up
was out Of town for week or SC,
but the next time l saw Edith. you
can imagine what I felt when I saw
my ring on her finger. It knocked me
nat with surprise. At first I couldn't
think Of any way that she could have
gotten 1t. until at last 1t came to me,
that the night Of the reception she
had asked me to hold her muff for q
moment. My ring must have slipped
of In 1t then, and the next day she
probably found it.
1t was the fact that she wore II
that gave me courage to speak al
last. AS long as she was Jim's sister,
knew that she must know what II
meant for girl to wear that ring,
and so was in a fools heaven OF
happiness
1t was good weather for sleighine
and SO took Edith out the first
chance got. Nothing seemed tc
come right to bring up the subject
until she took her glove off, for some
reason or other. 1t happened to be
on the hand that had the ring on.
looked at 1t and said:
you know what that ring means,
don't you. Edith?"
She looked rather surprised.
'Of course"
We were way out in the country
and guess my happiness went to my
head and made me all kinds OF a
presumptuous fool. She pulled her
hand away with a jerk. The air had
brought the color to her face, but 1t
was not the air which made 1t deepen.
She did not say a word, but just
looked at me.
But the ring" stammered.
what has the ring got to DO
with"
"Why, you know what 1t means,
and thought you understood"
She stared at me incredulously.
Jack, what do you mean! don't
understand at all"
1t was my turn to stare at her.
"Why, didn't you find my ring IN
your muff?'
Your ring in my muf! How
should It come there?"
II lost my ring the night of the 70
ception, and when l saw you with
that on, l thought you had found It
Your wearing 1t gave me hope for
something | had never dared dream
of. You must know that l."
Edith looked at me q moment and
then she laughed.
This ring? 1t has always had Q
fascination for me. | have tried to
persuade Jim to let me wear 1t and
he never would. So when found 1t
on his dresser last night appropriate
ed It"
Then all of sudden It came over
me what a fool I'd been. ! might
have known It was inns. but was
so ready In my conceit to think II
was mine that l never stopped to con-
slider anything else.
II don't suppose there's anything ]
can cay. am sorry to have made q
fool OF myself and have spoiled every
thing"
There was a long silence after
had headed the horse around. !
thought of all the things ! might say.
and didn't,
It must have been the courage OF
despair that made me ask:
cant we keep on being fr1enoA
only In another way!
And then 1t happened. I could hard
~ believe that Edith could care for .
fellow like me. =.
But. Dad. here's where come 70
,he. ,oke OF the thing. The next time
mad on my evening coat, 1t was colo
and dug nv hands deep Into my
nockets to keep them warm. DoWn
:, a corner felt something cold and
hard fshed It out, and what 90
vm think? That lucky old SCARAB
ring, It had slipped of in my pocket
and been there all the time.
Bpt I'll choke off this yarn SEM
ma YOUR congratulations, Dad.
Yours as ever.
JACK
,ro,...-l. Nv Daily Story Pub, Coz
g-.l OoIi9-q Fee