Litchfield enquirer., 1873-07-24

[. areH# co 4-rr pipe, took counsel with myself. At last the night fell, and wandered homeward along the dusty roadway, past the lily pond, across the little bathing beach. and | then along the avenue among the gleam- ing lights of the houses and into the quaint old town ft
 ''Shall we walk little through the grounds ?" This said to Miss Helen as we stepped out of the hot ballroom of that most charming house on the cliffs we all of us know so well. ''Yes, I would like it, but must not go beyond this walk by the veranda, be- cause I promised MT. Jones the next waltz; and you know he does waltz so de- ightfully."
 The walk was pleasant, and the moon l light white and cheery; the sound of the music oppressive under the windows, but delicious as we wandered away from the house and found ourselves-who shall say how ?-on the rocks which here and there | jut out from the smooth lawns of the cliff-walk.
 ''Sit down and l will tell you a story"
 70, think that would be so very nice. But please to hurry. Mir. Jones'"
 ''Mr. Jones will be the better for being this much saved from temptation; and my story is not very short. What! you must go you will go I think you said this morning that you wanted certain ring which you lost"
 ''Havesyou it? Is that possible ?"
 ''E don't think said so. My story" "No, my ring. l want to hear about my ring. If you have it, give it to me-" 'One would think it had some strange l value to you"
 "And if it has, what are you concerned in it?
 ''Once upon time"
 not see why you should find it agreeable to plague me so." ''Once upon a time-''
 ''Am I really to listen ?'' 'Once upon time" ''Go on. I am your foe for life." ''Once upon Q time, in the far-away days of fable, a woman went fishing with little gold ring and strands of her hair; she went 8 fishing for mermaids. This is very nice fishing, if only you are heart-whole, but not otherwise; and alasl this woman must have had one little cor ner of her heart in quiet or unquiet keep ing of somebody, because snap goes the line and off goes the ring on mermaid's l finger"
 "What nonsense "Wel, it chanced, as the years went away, that a man, who had loved once and always and but one woman, was 1y- ing on the rocks where the mermaids were fished for, when one of these danes, sec ing that his heart was pure, gave him her love; and when he would none of it, she, being kindlier tempered than the danes of earth, said, ''Here is a ring which came from an unlucky fisherwoman whose heart was not love-clear quite, and" "What nice story! I do so want to hear 1t all; but there goes the band again, and shall miss my dance."
 Just one moment" t.t
 70, it is that lovely Danube Waltz of Strauss!' Here she hummed it gayly. "Wlll you have your ring? Here, I nave 1s grve IU me. Qulck, please. am in such hurry ''On one condition" '1 never heard of anything so dishon- est. What is it
 'I want you to tell me what you were thinking of when you were guilty of that absurd fishery"
 "1 decline to answer. o, yes; I was thinking of MT. Jones'" "Will you never be serious?
 "Do you think your absurd stories are of kind to make one so? Please to give me my ring. don't believe you have il" Perhaps not. Helen, you must hear me this time. am weary of this endless waiting. There, take your ring. I found it on the rocks. May I put it on your fin ger?"
 70, here is MT. Jones come for me. How nice Now shall have my waltz" "And I, one word." ''It is our waltz, Miss Helen, Ibelieve"
 ''Do not leave me so. One word. I love you, Helen A word, @ sign, n,-some- thing" .n
 'Was it a red rose promised you Please to bring me my opera-cloak, Mr. Jones. It is on the rock yondsr."
 "A rose for me, and you?"
 "Yes; but, indeed, am not half good enough for you.'' 'How can thank youw
 "And now for that waltz, Mr. Jones'" w. M.