Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1869 — The Theft of a Diamond Ring. [ARTICLE]

The Theft of a Diamond Ring.

A valuable diamond ring had been stolen from a jeweler’s in Quincy, Illinois, whither it had been sent for some work to be done upon it. The jeweler was in great distress—could hear nothing of the ring—was scarcely able to pay for it—was miserable. Ransack his mind, as he did, over and over again, he could fix the theft but upon one person, a married lady who was his neighbor, his wife’s friend, spotless in reputation—a Christian. He snid nothing, however, and, after several months hail passed away, the lady’s husband moved to Kansas City, bringing with him his wife and two children. He followed in a week, sought out D——, gave him a full description of the ring, and departed as suddenly as he had come. Lying constantly on guard behind the impenetrable mask of his observation, D kept watch and ward over the doomed woman, waiting for the magnificent diamond to Hash out before his eyes its light of unmistakable recognition. One day be saw it on her right hand, and knew it in a moment. That evening, satisfying himself that her husband was absent, D called upon the lady and found her alone. The ring was nowhere to be seen. Instinctively feeling the approach of danger, she had again disposed of it. • , “I came, Madam,” said D , very politely, “to speak to you upon a little matter of business.” “Ah ! sir,” she replied, “ then, perhaps you will call again when my husband is at home.” “ Unfortunately, madam, my.reasons far seeing you were of such a nature that I had rather your husband would not be at home. What have you done with the ring you wore this morning at church ?" a a Not a muscle moved in the woman’s matchless sac for its wonderful calmness and repose. “ A ring 1” she replied in the most nonchalant voice in the world, “what ring, and whht do you mean, sir V” - “I mean a diamond ring, madam—a ring lost by Mr. , of Quincy, Illinois; a ring which I saw in your possession this morning; a ring, to recover which I now Rave a warrant for your arrest.” The word arrest paralyzed her. A few broken vows of repentance, a few stormy tears of grief, and shame, and agony, and the lady produced the ring) imploring D , with all a'woman’s pleading, that lie would spare her for her children's sake, lie promised a full compliance, and to this day has kept his word, utterly refusing to give even the initials of the woman’s name. The family not long ago moved to Southern Kansas, and to this fact alone avc arc indebted for even tTie outline o{ this true and romantic story.— Kansas Oily 2 imes.