Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-04-20
Daisy's Ring
By HAROLD SINCLAIRE
q. 1921, western newspaper Union.

| ter, looked up in surprise as ne hear0
Daisy Martin ask falteringly:
What kind Of ring can buy for
| five dOllarsw
| met very good one" he returned /;
then as her pretty brown eyes filed,
he added, "but you might give me
that much as a deposit, and pay the
rest Later"
that way" Daisy said softly, and for
the FIRST time Bart, smarting from a
hurt given him by a heartless city
girl who had firted with him during
the past couple Of months, noticed
how lovely the girlish face was.
II never have" he said smiling, "but
, 1t is never too late to change my meth
DDS. Don't tell anyone about it, will
your
"and you won't tell that have bought
it" and the tears started in her sweet
eyes.
why, surely not" he returned,
wondering at her emotion, and brisk
ly turning matters into a thoroughly
business channel, he pulled out a tray
of rings, and asked:
"How high do you want to GOT"
The girls eyes fingered upon q
dainty little pearl cluster ring, and
Bart finally let her have it at cost,
twelve dollars, telling her to pay him
the ether seven rs she saw fit. He
laughed at himself little scornfully
the rest OF the day when the transac-
ton required to him, but by the next
| forgot it, for his heart was still heavy
with the sorrow the city girl had
made for him.
Daisy came in a week later with q
dollar, and he was somewhat sur
prised to see the ring on her finger,
for he had thought she was buying it
for someone else.
| While the two lived near each 9TH
! er, they moved in different circles,
| Bart being in one of the older sets,
| so he did not meet her socially until
the charity entertainment at Christ
mas in which all the young people Of
the town participated. There was
program made up of local talent, and
| afterwards dancing party. Bart
who was very popular, danced with
the various bellies of the place, but
began to notice that Daisy did not
seem to be asked, and SO he inquired
of his partner why so pretty a girl
as she seemed to be neglected.
"Oh, l don't know. She just doesn't
seem to take, l suppose, and then
since the talk about her ring, L guess
people think they had better know
just who she is going with before
! they are seen with her.
What talk?" Bart gasped, skillfully
guiding his partner into a recess as
the music ended, so she could con
tinuey her conversation.
@Why, she has ring that she says
was given her by someone who cares
| a great deal for her, and who knows
| her better than anyone else. She
won't tell who that someone is, and
people are talking" and the girl
threw UP her head.
J Bart looked serious, but said moth
ing, and eXcusing himself started to
cross the floor, intending to ask Daisy
to dance with him. He saw several
of the older girls go up to the little
figure and evidently say something to
her that was not kind in it's nature,
for Daisy sprang to her feet, her eyes
blazing. Then her head dropped and
she seemed to wilt as she resumed
her seat dejectedly.
In a moment the young man was by
her side, asking gently:
what is it, Daisy?"
/
face changing from white to crimson,
and then paling again, but she said
nothing.
He turned to the tormentors. "Per-
haps you will tell me the trouble"
"a mysterious person has given her
ring, and she won't tell who it is"
said the elder of the young women.
| Calmly, he took Daisy's little hand
on which appeared the offending ring,
and drawing it through his arm said
coldly:
'My dear, while I thank you for
keeping our engagement secret, still
think you have gone little too
far. AS you have respected my
wishes not to have it known until
after the first of the year, I'll solve
the mystery of this ring, and tell these
ladies, and they can spread the news
all over town, that you obtained this
ring from me-" and with these words
he swept the astounded girl from the
| room.
sect on your wraps" he told her,
"and / will take you home" and he
waited in the hall, fully conscious of
the buzzing tongues inside as the
news spread like wildfre.
what made you buy the ring.
! Daisy, dear?' he asked.
"The girls say I'm too quiet for the
boys to like me, and / thought if i
had a pretty ring they would think
someone out of town cared for me"
you poor little thing" he cried. Il
wonder, darling" he whispered, bend
ing his head over hers, and pressing
her hand, eff you are willing to make
what / said tonight strictly true?'
Daisy raised her eyes TO his. Bart
gathered her into his arms and COW
cred her soft lips with his own.
Daisy now has a half dozen very
| valuable rings, but prizes that little
pearl cluster more than any, and she
| opd Port o1roa6v have measured an