Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-12-24
seein' who'd heard, and her face got
awful red

OCCili w lip AoNO ~
awful red
81 haven't got any change with me"
she says to the Harman muchacha,
"but let's see if my credit is good for a
dimes worth of peanut candy and a
dozen apples"
And she shuts the kids mouth by
ftuffin' it full of trash to eat.
Things rocked along until Christmas,
with more talk Of that ring than any
thing else, and then folks begun to try
10 decide what they'd like to have so
as to give it to some of their family
or friends for Christmas gift, and
gossip turned to the big dance that
was to come off on the night Of the
e5th. with fireworks before and after
Minnie Hughes had got so she'd
hardly speak to her and give her dirt
to her back pretty near every time she
opened her mouth.
The dance was more'n half over and
the old ladies and children had gone
home to bed when Cecilia sets down in
one of the front windows to rest be-
tween dances.
There was whole bunch around
her, and from the place where the
stair steps come up into the hall you
could only see the top of her golden
head with band of light blue ribbon
around it.
Minnie Hughes had crowded close to
where Cecilia sat lookin' awful pretty
in her black dress against the white
shade, which was pulled down behind
her.
Some of the boys offered Minnie
some preserved cherries, which they
was all eatin' out of the bottle with
their fingers. But she declined.
I'm weariu' my gloves tonight"
she says, looking hard at Cecilia's dia-
mond, for she was bollin' over with
rage and jealousy at Cecilia bein' the
belle Of the ball in place of her, as had
been the case for long time.
II haven't got any diamond to show
off now she says, spiteful.
That's too bad about your ring"
says Cecilia, sympathetic. what do
you suppose could have become of itH
ITS on your finger" says Minnie.
her lip curlin'.
Cecilia went white.
She snatched the ring off and held it
toward Minnie. At the same moment
she braced her shoulders as though
she'd been struck at, and then. before
anybody realized it, there was a quick.
dull sound, and out of the window she
fell, for it was open. and the thin
strip of wood in the shade had snap
ped. Below was the only piece of sand
stone sidewalk in Clanahans.
1t was 50 sudden everybody seemed
paralyZed except Hick Fuller, who had
presence Of mind enough to grab one
black satin toe, and in less time than it
takes to tell it he had jumped to his
feet and pulled her back from death,
pale, sick girl with a pretty badly
sprained back.
Anyhow, that second was not too
brief for very important thing to
happen The conscience Of every man
and woman in that room got wrench
that brought them back to a sense of
justice, so they were ready to receive
Red Martin when he bounded into
their midst.
He had heard and seen it all on his
way across from the head of the stairs;
he had pictured her manned form on
the stone walk below, and the skeer
had all but made him faint, though he
was plumb dauntless as broncho
buster and would fight bear.
OH Cecilia says when she saw
him bendin over her. "Oh, but I'm
glad you are back! Here's your ring"
she says as she holds it out In her
hand. Tell them"
ut amt my ring, girl" he says. at
was, but it's yours now," and he puts
1t back on her third finger and holds
her hand to his lips.
She half set up on the bench where
we'd laid her, then fell back pale as
ha'nt.
Somebody run for water" begs
Red, helpless and skeered.
I'm all right" she says, stern and
digni6ed. But why does Mrs Hughes
say she once wore this ring?" and she
draws her hand away from him.
"She did wear it," says old Red, with
grOan. "She kept it for me year.
| had no safe place to keep it. and Bill
and | were always pals. ought to
have told you. That's why | asked