Connecticut western news., 1871-09-15
EXCHANGING RINGS.

EXCHANGING RINGS.
 Prudence Holmes sat alone in the wide, shady kitchen, busily engaged in "picking oyer' whortleberries. Without, the golden sunshine of an August afternoon bathed the green fields and the dusty road that wound away to the village, and touched with richer color the uasturtiums, sweet pease, geraniums. and zinnias in the tiny garden. and the heavy Virginia creeper that climbed and blossomed above the door. Prudence made pretty picture ss she sat on low cricket, with 8 big calico apron spread over her blue-sprigged muslin dress to defend it from the stains that had soiled her litCle brown hands. She was petite, dai..tilv rounded maiden of eighteen, with great dark eyes. and glossy curls shading fair brow, and cheeks that had a touch of wild-rose bloom upon them. Tue kitchen: too made pretty picture, with it's well-scoured floor and dresser, it's as paragns-topped clock, its shining stove. with punches of herbs hung behind it, and the great bouquet of vivid cardinal flowers set on the snowy table. . The kitchen was perfectly still, save the buzz of the flies and the tick of the clock j; and outside the crickets and the locusts alone disturbed the silence. Prudence be- lievcd that every one in the house was asleep but herself, and yawned somewhat wesrily as she tossed over the berries, fin isbing the yawn with bit of soliloquy uttered half aloud:
 ooh dear this having summer boarders isn't very nicem .. Miss Prudence" said voice in the doorway, so suddenly that Prudence nearly upset her berries in her surprise.
 "Oh, MT. Wentworth, is it you" she said bashfully, bending down to pick up a few berries that had rolled from her apron. "T'n pick lem up" exclaimed the new comer-a tall and rather aristocratic-look- ing youth of twenty-one, with merry blue eyes, and short auburn hair curling closely under a straw hat-diving for the missing berries with ungraceful dexterity. "Yes, it is l, of course. Have you forgotten your promise to go after lilies with me this afternoon 2" u..... "Oh, but I didn't say this afternoon, you know; only some afternoon this week, responded Prudence, demurely. q. We'll, we'll call it this afternoon, won't we p was the persuasive rejoinder, as the straw hat was tossed on a chair.
 ''I can't I've got these berries to pick over" -.t-
 "Pl1 help you. Lend me half that apron and we'll have them done in trice." "But shall have supper to get. Moth CTS away, and there are biscuits to make , insisted Prudence, turning her face away to hide a smile that would curve her lips
 "Never mind that" responded MT. Ab- bolt Wentworth, bringing chair to heI side. "Tea's at six, isn't it and it's only half past two. We'll be back by five without fail, and have time to get half the lilies in the river ," and he began to assort haodful of berries with much earnestness "W-e H." assented Prudence, after g pause for consideration and a glance at the clock-"I can go for little while, per haps. "Oh, don t stain your coat, MT Wentworth"
 But MT. Wentworth was sublimely in different to his coat, and worked with sucf goodwill that the berries were soon picked over, and Prudence and himself on thei way to the river. Five minutes later Pru dence, with her draperies daintily bestowed around her, was seated in the stern of {; little boat, which, propelled by MT. Went worth's practised hands, shot swiftly dowI stream.
 Although MT. Wentworth said to Pru dence five times within an hour that ii was a lovely day, and although Prudence assented every time, hardly think they appreciated the beauty around them, fol Prudence was quite absorbed with thu lilies and the reflections in the water, ant MT. Wentworth looked more at his com panion than at the aspects of nature. They had gathered enough lilies to satisfy them and Prudence was leaning backward aut idly trailing one hand in the water, whel she suddenly uttered little scream, an, sat erect, with white cheeks, from whicl the color had been frightened.
 ooh, I almost lost it! How careless m!" she exclaimed, replacing an old fash toned ring, set with tiny circle of rubies on her finger. .-s
 "Did the water sweep it off your hand !
 q suppose so. It's too large for mt Pm always losing it and finding it agair I woul Int lose it entirely for the worlc because it used to be grandmother's. Sh gave it to me.". .-..-...-.........
 "What curious old ring it is p' sai Mir. Wentworth. with interest. "May look at it Don't trouble yourself to talk it ot," he added, drawing in his oars an leaning toward his companion.
 Prudence allowed her tiny brown han to lie in his aristocratlc- white one mo ment, then coquettishly withdrew it.
 "Isn't it pretty p she inquired, archly
 "Very pretty. Shall tell you how t guard against losing it in future 2"
 "Oh yes, if you please"
 Wear this little ring of mine to guar it; or, better yet, exchange with m' Give me yours, and take this instead" sai the young man, daringly.
 Provoking Prudence looked at the hea, fly chased gold ring he held out to he and then looked back at the water wit an innocent, .... ...... ..
 ooh, don't think it would fit."
 "Try it," suggested her companion softl,
 Pru 1ence shook her head, but final agreed, blushingly, that it would do I harm to try" and slipped the ring on h forefingeI.
 ''It's a perfect fit!n crie;, Mir. Wen worth, delightedly. "Nothing could
 better Why, Miss Prudence, you sure don't mean to give it back ?"