The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-29
THE DEAREST RING.
By Mizpah F. Buckingham.
Copyright, 1921, by The Wheeler
SNndinafn Inc


| Copyright, 1921, by The Wheeler
Syndicate. 1nc.)
A chill, mysty rain had been fall
| ing all afternoon, the city streets
were wet and treacherously slip
perry. The few Shoppers who VEN
tured forth fastened from one store
| to another, evidently considering
the rain of insufficient importance
| to recognize by the opening of an
umbrella. On fremont street bust
ness men, tired women and children
| jostled one another at the subway
entrances, each attempting first to
find shelter from the creeping chill
of Boston's damDness.
All, save a young woman who
seemingly oblivious of the general
| purpose of the hurrying crowd, was
borne along with it as driftwood is
carried in an eddying brook. With
her hands thrust deep into the
pockets of an old brown coat, she
Rugged several packages under her
arm. She was unmindful of the
wisps of golden hair that had es-
capped from under her small hat and
formed damp curls around her face,
for, it was evident from the ex-
preston of her gray eyes, such
trivial matters were lost in the con-
temptation of a larger problem.
Turning mechanically with the
others to enter the subway, the gilt
ter of diamonds caught her eye,
Quickly she turned and stood be-
fore the jewelers. window, gazing
wistfuily at it's dazzling array. Her
eyes fell on a beautiful ring and for
moment she seemed again lost in
thought
at was just like that wonder,
was l foolish?" she muttered to her
self, as she turned hastily away
This time with purposeful deci-
sion in every motion, she iostled
her way to a seat on her homeward
bound car. She settled into it with
a tired little sigh, for Doris was
tired-tired of the endless monot-
ony of the life she'd lived, and that
lay before her. 1t always had been,
always would be, save and econ
omize, trying to make both ends
meet. Last night she had prom
ised to marry Dick-she loved him,
but, schooled as she was to see the
practical side of things, she won
dered if the romance might not
wear off, if love would fly out of
the window?
? And today of all days to be re-
minded by that diamond ring of the
one which, three years before, she
had given back to Howard Kent!
How proud she was when that ex-
pensive bit Of shining nothingness
was first hers, and happy to real
ize that at last the door was open
to free her from her prison of
drudgery for a family of migrate
full brothers and sisters. Just that
sense of freedom alone had been
enough for a time-she realized
now that she had been too dazzled
TO find that the son of rich old Kent
wanted to marry her to ask herself
If she really cared for him. That
was until But sometimes.
even yet, she asked herself IL she
couldn't as easily have put up with
the thought of "other women" as
with this monotony of shabby re-
spectability she now endured.
And Dick-dear old Dick, Had
she hurt him last night? All day
the memory of what she had said
and of the hurt look in his face, had
haunted her. Once more her anx-
ious mind went over it.
Doris" he had said. Doris, say
you will, and let me get you the
ring. 1t won't be any 'dazzler,'
dear, but it will be the best I can
give you"
But, Dick, don't get me
a ring. I'd rather you'd take the
money to buy things for our own
home. I guess I'm a little more