The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-26
/ RING and A GIRL
ey ROBERT RUSSELL.
(Copyright-)

clock, and jumped hastily out Of bed.
Il was nearly nine o'clock, and had
been awakened by the buzzer of our
apartment. was accustomed to being
called in the morning by my mother,
and as she was away on this particular
day. had oversight.
Scarcely awake, / slipped on my
hathrobe and slippers, opened the door
Q bit, and received from the lad stand
ing there four suits of clothes that had
been to the tailor's for rejuvenation.
Blinking, I got the requisite two dol
lars from my pocketbook, paid the lad.
md hurriedly made my toilet for the
day, thinking meanwhile Of the deli.
c3ous coffee and toast and boiled eggs
which my mother was in the habit Of
preparing for me, and which would
not get on this particular morning
But as it was SO late when l was
finally ready for public appearance. l
decided to wait till had put in an ap-
pearance at the Office before break
fasting. and went directly to the sub
way station near at hand.
My hand in my change pocket. as
stood before the ticket window, SUI
fered q shock. There was nothing
there except four pennies and two
keys. And l remembered well enough
now that l had no bills.
It was Saturday, and pay day, but
that benefited me little, when I was
here at One Hundred and Sixteenth
street, and the Office on lower Broad.
way.
had given my last two dollars to
the boy from the tailor shop, and now
I had not enough money to get down
town. If had not been so sleepy when
the lad had come with my clothes I
would have remembered my unusual
financial condition.
OF course, l could walk down town,
but that would take over two hours,
and was late as it was. Perhaps the
ticket agent would lend me a penny,
but could not get myself to beg it of
him.
OF course, all sorts of ideas flashed
through my mind, but each involved
explaining my predicament to some.
one A flash from my ring gave me
IN inspiration. would pawn It for
my car fare and return that afternoon
after had received my pay and re-
deem 1t.
Across Morningside park, on Eighth
avenue. l had noticed q place where
the three golden balls gave promise
Of help to the needy.
My aunt had sent me ten dollars
about week before, telling me to get
. ring for my birthday with the money.
and the ring now took OF was the
one had procured.
How much do you want?" asked
the proprietor.
twenty-five cents" l replied faint.
~.
He looked at me a moment in ap.
parent surprise.
Better take dollar" he replied
1T won't cost any more in interest"
"All right"
All l wanted to do was to get out Of
the shop as fast as possible.
"Your name aad address?" he in
Quired, making out the ticket
! had not reckoned on this, and die
not like the idea of having those facts
on record in such place. so I gave g
fictitious name and q false address.
remembered now having heard an &C
Quaintance Of mine say that he always
did that
The man finished making his entry
In the book and on the ticket, and lait
the latter on the counter while he go
the money for me.
! arrived at the office a little afte,
ten o'clock, explained truthfully thai
had oversight, and slipped out to &c,
some breakfast. All through the da,
the finger on which I had worn thu
ring seemed to cry out, and when I re
oeived my weekly salary felt a.
though one dollar Of It did not belona
10 me.
It was late in the afternoon that the
Telegram came. The girl I hoped t.
marry was to arrive in the city for q
short visit to her aunt and uncle. the
latter being Eleanors guardian.
I was to meet her. Of course. A sud.
den chill shot through me when l re-.
membered that I had written her all
about the unique ring had purchased,
end realized that with her interest in
odd bits Of jewelry. she would want to
80 It ut once.
But when the office closed and left
to meet Eleanor at the Grand Central
station put such worries from me in
the anticipation Of seeing her again.
Il had been = long time since we had
been together.
She was just as beautiful as ever,
and. a. I expected, spoke almost i'm.
mediately about the ring. I was care.
ful to have my gloves on and turned
her inquiry OF, saying that l would
sh0w It to her that evening.
Ybr we we're to be happy. I was to
can 1t her aunt's, meet her uncle and
guardian for the first time, and get his
permission to marry his ward. We
knew that there would be little diff.
Guilty over the matter. for he had as
much a. given his consent already,
Though | ives personally unknown to
ain
Leaving Eiesfsof 1t the door Of her
.unt's home, I started in rush Tor the
.Ioan once" It was nearly six o'clock
and l had been informed that sucn
places were compelled to close at that