Connecticut western news., 1872-05-31
VOL. l..

me go." told him again what the ring was like, and he bounded up the cliff and sat again sobbing and alone upon the cliff l watched the tide retreat and followed the water carefully down each step, exam ming each crevice and chink, hut in vain. At last a voice above said quietly, "You promised to wait for me here." turned quickly and climbed the steps with MT. Trevelyan's assistance. "Here is your ring" he said gravely, and handed me an open box, showinga sparkling opal indeed, but not mine, not the one 1 had chosen. A blank dismay fell upon me.
 "lt is not mine, have the box here," and I produced it. By Jove," he said ' what a fool have been,' be paused j; "listen to reason," at length, he said, "I cannot deceive your woman's wit. No ring would be found on the lore, unless by a lucky chance which we have no reason to expect, and so got ring as nearly like it as possible, and you must give that to your sister,"
 "I caDnot, it is-" here stopped and cried as if my heart would break.
 "Miss Evans you don't look like fool ish girl; have some common sense, don't sob in that dreadful way. There is noth- ing wrong in your taking this ring you shah pay me if you wish, whenever you choose" ....
 He drew my hand from my face, and put the opal ring on my finger; chance or mischief guided hlm-it was the wedding finger. @
 We were uncomfortably near the edge of the cliff, he drew me gently away, and said, "Keep it, and think it a brothers fgift. am so glad to help nice, dear. good little girl like you out of trouble" :" and, stopping down, he kissed me, kissed my lips kissed meas well, as # he was really fond of me, and be had never seen me before that dreadful day Hot, cold, giddy, wretched, with strange, sudden liking for him, utterly unacconntable to myself, stood amazed, terrified, not at him, but at the wild beating of my own heart He took my hand aud led me with out word to the summit of tho cliff; we walked silently to the chaise; he placed me in quietly and carefully united the pony's head, and drove off in silence.
 sat in a dream; neither spoke until we entered the wood we go through, a dark three miles from home. As if the trees gave him courage, he said, "Forgive me, have behaved hke-like black guard. l can't forgive myself, say you don't hate me- ,... .,-....... ....... ... .
 |" I hate nayselfw I cried, passionately. and with the hand on which glittered the fatal opal, struck my lips, that-that had been kissed" ...
 "For Gods sake, don't my girl, don't, , he said, taking my hand, "be sensible and I trust to my knowing what is best for us both. Take the ring off, put it into the T box, give it to your sister, and keep your own counsel, as I shall." He added, s' treated you as child, and-you are an Of I tended indignant woman, and deserve all you can say to me; but am ordered off next week; you will Dever see me again; and when you are older, will be less hard on a fellow.o ....t ... At this moment George galloped up. s'What time you have been, Trevel
 yan have been round the covers, and
 home and out again to meet you. Why
 Mabel, what is the matter what scar let face, and red eyes, toom B. .- ..
 "Hold your tongue, George. Your sis ter has been alarmed at your absence, anc . the rising tide; let her be.''
 "She is not my sister, old boy, but my little COZ, who will one day be Mrs. Evans ! Eh. Mabel 2" aaia.qrs a1" 2a- .a , This was Georges favorite piece ofteas ing he knew did not like to blush, anC l always got red when he spoke like that 7 Mir Treyelyan whistlcd. s.. r4 >-i ..a "Indeed, George, you should not say [ such things. shall never marry any one, [ murmured.
 "Well, yon need not be cross, Mabel f what did you get for Mary after all ?" , The question came at last, came like IT ATr Trevelyan drew the box out of his pocket and said, "Miss EvaDs entrusted it to m, ] care going home is it not elegant p : "By love! it's not halt a bad ring. t cried George. Let me see, opals are no I luck, are they2 An, yes," he went on l Git don't matter from woman to woman D but from a man to girl it brings all sort g ot bad luck, don't it May Death an' e misery, and broken hearts, what is it, eh t Mabel? You are superstitious, you knoy s all about that sort of things"
 II don't believe in luck" said Trevely r. an, softly. "I believe in love at frs sight" -s.
 n Mamma appeared on the steps as W 2 drove up, anxious at our absence, an d rather cross at seeing stranger. She re ? csived Georges explanations, hurried ava
 
 :, need not have troubled herself, for MI :, Trevelyau rode away, after inspecting tn l horses, and George returned with him. b l escaped with slight lecture, ant e with the fatal ring, was at last left alone ,, Alone with the ring should I ever fec 7, alone again No man, and but few wome1 T could realize the sufferings of that nigh S I had been brought up in strict seclusior 'f educated by lady, with Mary for my sol n companion, had never heard but Puritani e sentiments on the subject of marriage, an sf held tue first-love of every woman's hear 5, as holy thing to be sought out and wo e as in the olden days. And I, who revel !; enced this love, and thought of demigoc !" hero, as the s'not impossible he" wh 2, would make my life glorious with his low 'f and crown it with the honor of witehood
 I had suffered my lips, the portals of m d heart, to be deseclated by mere man-n l. hero, no demigod-a brother officer of m y cousins, with whom chance had cause if me- to be left alone for few hour IS felt as if were an outcast, Pariah, o
 the earth. And beside this fatal kis 'e which had destroyed my lifc's happines It actually owed this man money. My rin n had cost near thirty pounds; this horrib
 ring looked worth double that sum, an F. how was I ever to repay the money, ho y could tell mamma !? should confess m s wickedness, my fault to Mary I coul
 tell all but for that kiss. Never, neve is could allow any human being to gue Il my shame. t E 5| E. er Toward morning I fell into trouble
 slumbcr, and dreamt of falling from cliff re and, worst of all, dreamt that I hs 3, found the ring, and woke to the stern r
 ality of my loss and consequences. M r. chanically 1 opened the box which col le tainei the fatal opal, and examined i e, On the inside of the ring was engraved se old characters
 lg In Christe and thee,