The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-28
The Eueni,1g Story
Grandma's Diamond Ring

Grandma's Diamond Ring.
(By John Dar1ing.)
At one end of . long bench In the
sitting room OF the Union depot in the
city sat Mrs. Gordon Aimes and her
sister, Miss Allie Bennett, waiting for
train to take them to the formers
country home.
At the other end Of the bench xat
Robert Childers. q young man who
called. He was there first. and he
glanced at the ladies an they sat down.
They glanced at him as they took
seats.
Nobody was injured in the slightest
by this glancing. Had the prim old
maid who sat on the seat opposite
with stiff back and compressed lips
predicted that something would hap
pen from all this no ono would have
given her credit for being q prophet.
BY and by the two ladies took notice
OF q baby in its mothers arms-a
baby Growing and laughing. The young
man took notice that they took notice.
Then the ladies' took, notice that he
took a small pasteboard box from his
pocket.
He was not about to take a mer-
curry pill and throw up his hands and
have q call sent in for the ambulance.
He was not drummer who. under
the instructions of q doctor. must
take pill of some sort from that box
ty-four hours or find himself q mem
tai and physical wreck.
The ladies saw him, smile az he
looked at the contents of the box
They heard him chuckle as he re-
stored it to his pocket. But did he
restore it? He did not. AS he rose
to go out and ask the, president Of
the road what in Texas allied his old
train the announcer's voice was heard
and fifty people rose at once.
It was then that the bog came roll
ing down along the seat to Miss Allie.
why, it's his box!" she exclaimed
as she picked 1t up.
Bring it along" replied the sister.
The idea was that they might see
the young man at the train and hand
MT see him. They looked around for
him in the car in which they took
seats. but he was not among the pas
sengera
what shall we do with tit" asked
Miss Allie.
That's according to the contents. %
was the reply. "Open the box"
Maybe they are troches for
hoarseness. He looked hoarse."
And maybe it's something else, said
the elder sister.
They both gas2ed. On a bed Of pink
eASeD4AASeA@
ring.
my stars!" from the elder.
"Je-ru- shat" from the younger.
WELL said Mrs. Aimes, as she held
up the jewel. I'VE are In for trouble"
but how?''- D. -.~-
I'VE must go to the bother Of adj
vertising and Of watching tho papers to
see II he does. We can't keep the ring.
Of course?"
ssN-O-o but-''
That young man will make very
careless husband"
WHY"
Because he ought to have made
sure that he returned the box to his
pocket, and because he ought to have
heard it fall. This is doubtless an en-
gegement ring. and what will his
fiancee say when he appears without
IT"
But folks are losing things all the
time still defending. - 10 rs IS
MOT engagement rings. sister. II I
were the girl and he told me how care
less he had been. r"
''See here, sister," broke in Miss
Allie, 81 never had a romance in my
life, and am almost twenty years old. =
Didn't a wi3ower sixty-seven years
old offer you his hand and heart q
year ago?"
And didn't tell him to go to Bally-
hack? Give me the ring and I'll go to
all the trouble there may be-" ---.7s. -
"And you'll think of the poor girl
waiting and weeping for 1t
Yes"
And If you meet the young man. you
won't try to cut her outr'
NO"
Then take it." Z
Miss Allie advertised the ring.
Neither the young man nor any one
ole oar f<,RVx oy-d 90
nearest to it was an oldish man with
a stiff knee.
You advertise that you found dla-
mond ring" he began. M
Yes, SIR
'1t wasn't package?"
1T wasn't :. package with a safety
razor in it?'
mo, sir"
"A safety razor to shave safely with ?''
mo, SIR
Just diamond ring?"
| Just that. SIR
We'll, I don't know what in Sam
razor. My wife says can shave with
the butcher knife. but what does q
woman know bout shaving? I think.
young lady, you ought to have made
that advertisement palmer"
| Didn't 1t say diamond ring?" was
asked.
| Yes. it did. but 1t didn't say not a
safety razor, and I came down here
with high hopso. and am out IS cents
railroad fare"
| It's too bad"
so the We id goes Let a man get
q stin knee and everybody throws him
down.. I never shall see that safety
razor again in this hard world"
When q week had passed and there
had been no call for I'll q ring Mfas
Allie began to hope that she might
meet the loser face to face She wa
sure he had taken her train that day
and lived somewhere along the line
and she found excuses for going to
the city Ql--s often and returning by