The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-09-02

WORK ring after ring upon the widows
dainty finger. I" hope am not hurt
ing YOU" he murmured.
"Oh; no." she sighed "there was
time, but that is passed-when it would
havegiven me pleasure. 1 mean,T1 she
added hastily, and with modest blush,
when rings would have done so; but
jewels and gewgaws have no longer any
attractions for me-"
Mr. John Riddel by no means felt
certain of this, but he had an eve for
number, and would have missed ring
from the tray In an instant, though he
had been exhibiting thousand. At
last she made her choice 1t was the
most expensive of the whole lot, and
produced from the prettiest little bag
in the world-a check-book.
Pardon me, Madame, we do not
take checks from - ahem-old custo
mers."
Well, am not very old custo-
mer," she said smiling. e. No; but YOU
are queer one" he thought, cor PIN
much mistaken)." Still, should have
thought in the case of lady like N.Y.
SELF
Madame" said this crafty young
man, " if it lay in my power to oblige
you, there would be no difficulty in the
matter; the rule of the firm is, unhap-
PLY, what have stated.''
"Then the firm will take my last six
pence ~ she rejoined with tender play
fulness; and from the most elegant of
portemonnaies" she counted him out
the sam required, when its contents in
truth were quite exhausted. 81 am
lodging at De la Bois', the court hair
dresser" she said; "my name is Mrs.
Montfort. However, will not trouble
you to send the ring, as l shall have to
go home to get some more money! and
she looked at him with eyes that SEEM
ed to say, " Cruel man, thus to reduce to
destitution.''
Then she rose and sailed down the
shop, carelessly glancing at this or that
Chiefly in the hair and mourning de-
partment) as she passed out.
eff she is not on the square, she
does it uncommonly well" thought Mr..
Riddel; "perhaps have done her an
injustice, poor dear"
On the third morning after her visit
the widow called again, sailed quite
naturally up to our hero, and cast an
chor under his eyes.
You will think" she remarked,
"after what said the other day about
gewgaws, that am very changeable in
my tastes but 1 am not come this time
upon my own account; want to see
some diamond lockets for friend.'
This is quite the usual course with
ladies and Others who victimize the
jewellers. They buy ring for e10, and
after having thus established them
selves-cast out their sprat to catch
herring-they patronize the. establish
ment in earnest.
Singular, to say, however, this did
not rouse Mr.. Riddel's suspicious. Not
withstanding his pretence of indiffer-
ence to Mrs. Montfort's charms, he had
privately sent to De la Bois, in the in
terim, and found that the lady did re-
side at that fashionable hair-dresser's,
and on the first floor; he had done it of
course, in the interests of the firm, and
in case she should call again; but per-
haps he would not have been pleased
had Messrs. Nation and Bcltby been
made aware of his precaution.
The locket that pleased her most was
An expensive one, perhaps too much so
for her friends purse, she said. 1t was
very foolish of that lady, but she had
such a complete reliance upon her Mrs.
Montfort's) taste and judgment that she
had placed the matter entirely in her
hands. 1t was great responsibility.
What did Mr.. Riddel think?
Mr.. Riddel's thoughts were always
out and dried on such occasions. He
expressed his opinion that the locket Sc
lected by Mrs. Montfort was certainly
the most elegant of all, and testified to
the sagacity of the lady who had such
confidence in her good taste. But as to
the price, Mrs. Montfort herself was the
only Judge as to the state of her friends
exchequer
"Oh, she's rich enough" smiled Mrs.
Montfort, "and as open-handed as any
woman can be. Our sex are naturally
inclined to be little close" she added
with a smile, don't you think so y"
Mr.. Riddel did not think so; he had
always found the ladies very generous