The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1919-08-21
on the hand 1t would warn

spring thought. After mother died
father gave me all her old trinkets.
There is a bloodstone ring she had
when she was a little girl like you.
I'll bring it to you tomorrow, and
whenever you start to use your left
hand the sight of the ring will remind
you"
That was the beginning of an tdyllic
experience. For the next five years
those two were almost inseparable.
Nellie's left-handedness was cured, al
though she always insisted on greet
ing Arnold with the left hand.
Nearest my heart, You know" she
would say with bright smile.
1t was proud day fo- Arnold when
he and Nellie graduated from school,
both with unusual marks;of merit. Ar
mold gave her beautiful bouquet and
saw her home from the class banquet
that evening. Leaning over the garden
gate in the moonlight, he caught the
glimmer of the ring Nellie always
wore
why! You have changed it from
finger. to finger as they grew" ex-
claimed Arnold, until it is On-what
do you think? Your engagement fin
ger!'
Nellie blushed; her hand, Nesting
in his, twitched and trembled. Her
mother called her just then, but Ar
mold Wayne left her with a secret re-
solve to tell her of his love very soon.
Alas for youthful hopes! Within a
week his father decided to remove to
Canada, where a relative had left him
a great farm. And the hurry and
hustle of hurried departure Arnold
saw Nellie only twice in the interim.
Others were present. He could only
whisper to her: II am coming back
some day. and she had murmured
softly: Il shall count the days you
are gone"
Almost Immediately after reaching
the far northern farm land Mr.. Wayne
was taken Ill and later became entire
ly incapacitated for work. Young as he
was, Arnold was compelled to assume
all the responsibility Of managing the
farm. He did not shirk the duty. His
care and patience extended to a cross
grained stepmother and her three chill
dren. Once he wrote to Nellie. He
received no answer.
At the end of five years Mrs. Wayne
married again. The farm had thriven
and Arnold offered to sell out :1is In
terest to his stepmOther. He received
sufficient to make him comfortable for
life. He was lonely for the city and
old acquaintances and friends. The
evening that he was packing up he
came across fond memento Of the
pasta carne.ian heart that pretty,
Nellie Ross had given him in exchange
for the bloodstOne ring that eventful
schOolday in the now dim and misty
long ago.
How a memory of that scene in the
far past thrilled him! 1t seemed as
though secret door within his inmOst
soul had been abruptly unlocked. He
hungered for sight of the little fairy
who had grown up in his life as q
sentient part of his being.
Arnold had for a long time won
dered why work, wealth and success
had seemed vapid and dull to him. He
knew now. He must have an object
to love. He set his face southwark
| and his first destination was his native
village.
He sought the Ross family, but in
vain. He learned that within month
| after his departure their home had
burned down and they had removed te
a neighboring town. Arnold traced
them there to find that the father had
died. The family was broken up and
scattered. At the end of month Ar
mold gave up an apparently useless
quest. He went to the city, took VI
bachelors quarters and planned to In
vest his capital in some business II
the metropolis.
| One afternoon, turning crowded
street corner, Arnold made spring a!
he saw little child crossing the thor
| oughfare directly in the path Of
speeding automobile and all uncon
scious of her peril. Just in time h
seized her, but the fender Of the ma
chine struck his arm, hurting him II
the ground. The little one was terri
fed and hysterical. A policeman LEI
both to the nearest drug store.
"Only slight bruise," the attending
physician told Arnold, as he examined
his arm and applied a soothing lotion
"You, little one, can thank this gentle
man for saving your life."
The child lifted her eyes grateful!
to the face Of Arnold and placed he
hand confdingly within his own. A
she did so Arnold gave a vivid start
Upon one finger he noted ring
bloodstone ring-his ring, given to Mel
lie Ross years ago. Oh, he could no
mistake it!
Il will see this little one safel,
home," he said, and with her left tn
drug store.
Where did she live. With Aunt,
Nellie.
He thrilled with hope. "Aunty Mel
lie" had adopted her when her fathe
and mother died. Aunty Nellie di'
embroidery work for big store ant
she had just been delivering a parce
of the same when the accident Oc
cured.
aunt Nellie was Miss Ross to mos
people," Oh, she was SO good an'
kind! And the ring? That was pre-
cious keepsake, but Aunty had let he
wear it because it was her birthday
Was he trea(ling the path of para