The Belding banner-news., 1921-11-23
THE DEAREST RING [
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Q le2I. by McClure Newspaper syndleat,


O. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate
A chill. misty rain had been falling
all afternoon. the city streets were
wet and treacherously slippery. On
fremont street business men. tired
women and children jostled one an
other at the subway entrances, each
attempting first TO find shelter from
the creeping chill of BostOn's damp
ness.
'All. save young woman who,
seemingly Oblivious of the general
purpose OF the hurrying crowd, was
borne along with 1t as driftwood Is
carried in an eddying brook.
Turning mechanically with the
others TO eater the subway, the gilt
ter of diamonds caught her eye.
Quickly she turned and stood before
the jewelers. window, gazing wist-
fully at its dazzling array. Her eyes
fell on beautiful ring and for
moment she seemed again lost In
thought.
at was Just like that wonder.
was | foolish?" she muttered to her
self. as she turned hastily away.
This time with purposeful decision
In every motion. she jostled her way
10 seat on her homeward bound
car, She settled into :: with tired
little sigh. for Doris was tired--tired
of the endless monotony of the ''fe
she'd lived, and that lay before her.
, II always had been. always would be-
save and economic. trying to make
bo.h ends meet Last night she had
promised TO marry Dick.
And today of all days TO be remind
ed by that diamond ring of the one
which. three years before. she had
given back TO Howard Kent! How
proud she was when that expensive
bit Of shining nothingness was first
hers. and happy 10 realize that at
last the door was open TO free her
from her prison OF drudgery for a
family Of ungrateful brothers and
sisters. Just that sense OF freedom
alone had been enough for time
she realized now that she had been
too lazzled TO find that the son Of
rich old, Kent wanted TO marry her to
ask herself IL she really cared for
him. That was until. But some
times. 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 anxious mind
went over IT,
Doris" he had said. Doris. say
/ you will. and let me get you the ring.
| II won't he any 'dazzler.' dear. hut n
will he the best | can. give YOU"
And her answer How had she
said It?
." Bu.. Dick. please. don't get me
ring. I'd rather you'd take the
| money To buy things for our own
home. ! guess I'm little more SEN
sible than some girls about II. Most
! of them think they can't really be
| engaged unless they have diamond
| rings. but I've told you. Dick, about
| the beauty Howard gave me. and I
! don't feel that I could care for an
other. unless it's inst as good-don't
| you see. :"
But here Harvard Harvard
| square," interrupted her reverie: so.
| impatiently gathering her packages
together. she FASTENED from the car
| and joined the home -ebbinG tide Of
| tired humanity.
"Home"--she dreaied IL, and yet
| that was what she had promised tn
make for Dick-a home. And she
| had done II because she loved him.
| Anyway" she thought, as she ran
np the front steps, "the money Dick
| would have spent on an insignificant
! lor furniture. something to be proud
of. instead OF feeling that ! have to
| apologize for a cheap ring. Tonight
| I'll make Dick understand what
| mean. OF course, he couldn't at first
| he's never loved any other girl and
| can't realize that poor little dia-
mond could remind me Of the lux
uries might once have had"
! But that evening she didn't tell
Dick. When she met him at the door
and he caught her in his arms with
"IIow is my little girl tonight?' q GER
tain boyish happiness in the way he
fingered on the "my" forbade her
bringing up any unpleasant subject.
Doris. I've thought all day of what
] you said last night about the ring
and / know you're right, the way YOU
look at It, can't get you as nice a
ring as you ought to wear, and be
cause you've had one, you feel that
you do not want another | don't
blame you. dear, and / know I'm a
fool for what I've done.
"But,, you see, we fellows sometimes
have as foolish ideas about diamond
rings being part of an engagement as