Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-04-26
The
| Lost Ring
A Story Containing an
Easter Lesson
n.t ETINAIn N HAVEN
BY REGINALD ID. HAVEN

]
remember that on one occasion at a
meeting OF our assembly, an associa-
ton formed for dancing. when. having
4 been absent from the city. ] bad not
secured partners. Marjorie deliberate
( ~ turned down two men on her list
and gave their places to me. Neither
Of them grumbled. for she was consid-
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 a wife. | thought ! would best
let the matter run on MS long as ]
could manage TO do SO without mis-
4 understanding or danger OF losing her.
for had made start in my profes
sion and expected my clientele and
my fees TO steadily increase.
one Of our set Ed Darby, invited
i dozen of us to spend the week end, in
Guiding Easter Sunday. at his fathers
/ place Ia the suburb OF Enfield, Mario
RTE and 10 be of the party. Easter is
a favorite season with me. as 1t is
with most persons. especially when
the spring opens. as II usually does nj
I Easter. for after long winter. when
the days are very short and the sun
stands small aud low in the south, the
/ opening Of spring is delicious. ! love
II best when certain green things. like
the crocuses. break through the last
snow left on the ground. as though
they couldn't wait for il to get out OF
the way So we all anticipated n joy
full three days at Darbys.
/ | arrived about o'clock-too late 10
dress for dinner. Ed sent me 10 my
room, where tidied up a bit. and.
| passing lavatsry on my way down
stairs. concluded to 20 in and get the
dirt of my hands While standing by
the bowl saw on the slab a diamond
ring.
How many are there OF US who have
not NJ some time or times done some
thing that afterward made us won
1 der how in the world we could have
.
I myself on the threshold OF n delightful
/ visit. had just made very large
fee enough TO furnish n house-and
had decided TO propose TO Marjorie,
who, did not doubt. would accept me
for q life partner. and | was brimming
over with happiness. Some girl had
left her diamond ring in the lavatory.
and | would take IL. keep her on the
anxious seat for a time. thinking il had
been stolen. then spring n surprise on
her by producing her ring
! admit that In nine cases In ten. or.
II you like. ninety in a hundred.
such an innocent joke would come 10
no harm But 1t is 10 be remembered
that during the time OF taking the
property and producing II something
may happen 10 place the joker in the
position of thief One wouldn't think
OF taking a thousand dollar bill at a
bank for sport. and he should no more
take a diamond ring In the same spirit
| slipped my find IN my vest pocket
and went down 10 dinner. jolly com.
pany was assembled. and after salut.
ing and being saluied by them ! waited
for some girl TO suddenly start and ex
claim. Good gracious. where's my
ringf" But the dinner proceeded with.
out any intimation that the property
was missed, and after awhile the mat
ter slipped my mind. During the even
ing II occurred 10 me several times
that | would better not wait for the
ring TO be missed before producing II.
but on each occasion something oc
CURED 10 distract my attention. The
consequence was that when we sep
arated for the night and ! went 20 my
room | found II IN my vest pocket.
where had placed II before eoina
down 10 dinner
Then for the first time II occurred 10
me that perhaps the loser OF the ring
might have gone 10 the lavatory for
II. had not found II and. supposine
some one had appropriated II. without
publishing the fact had taken steps 10
detect the thief | have never since
ceased 10 wonder why did not 20 al
once 10 Darby's room. hand him the
ring and tell him how | had found II
would surely have done so. but
didn't know where his room WIS
What has since surprised me is why
didn't rouse the whole household rath-
er than 20 10 sleep with piece 81
property IN my possession that ! was
liable TO be accused OF having stolen
Had known what had occurred
would have been In terror Miss Ash
| ton. the owner ~ the ring. remember
cd while nj the table ~ having taken
II on her finger III the lnvatory while
she washed her hands. and I; occurred
TO her that she had not put II on again
Feeling for t. She found II not IN it,
place on her finger: hut. being one %
those girls who are tlmid about doing
anything unusual she rcfrained from
leaving the table 10 go for her property
till after dinner. when she did so and
| found II gone
After thinking the matter over she