Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-10-22
RESTORED.

Twelve months ago last November, l
ran down into Warwickshire to spend a
few days with my cousin Horace Mason.
When September came 1 was busy,
and even October found me still in the
whirl of that Maelstrom of work, and
not until the morning Of the first day of
November did l waken with the bless
ed consciousness that the load was gone
from my shoulders, and that l was once
again comparatively free. l lay awake
in bed, feeling serenely happy, wonder
ing whether l ought to celebrate my
emancipation by having my breakfast
brought up to me, and vaguely specula-
ting as to how and where should give
myself the holiday / had so fairly earned.
decided against tie sybaritic breakfast
in bed; rang my bell, and informed my
landlady that I should be down stairs in
twenty minutes; and on entering my
snug little sitting-room, found on the
table solitary letter. l digested the
kidney and it together, and they were
both eminently satisfactory. The former
was perfect--Mrs. Higgins bad been a
cook-and the latter was equally to my
taste. 1t was from Horace Mason, who
said he was completely bored-Horace is
always complaining of being bored,
though no one enjoys life more than he
and that he would be eternally grateful
to me if would sacrifice myself by COM
ing to share his boredom for two OF
, three weeks. This was the very thing
Winthorpe, though only bachelor es
tablishment, was most delightful hous'
to stay at; ana as 1t was surrounded b,
= other houses almost equally delightful
the inhabitants of which understood wei
the great art of enjoying themselves,
need hardly say that l accepted the invi
; tatiOn by return OF post.
Three days later, shortly after six il
the afternoon, was met at the door c
Winthrope by Horace himself, who q
usual assured me, in tones which SCENE
, symptomatic of perfect health and spil
its. that he was more bored than eve
and that he would never, never forg,
the good turn had done him by comm
so soon. These highly intellectual gree
ings being exchanged, l was escorted
to my room, and then down to the draw
ing-room, where l found Mrs. Patio
Horace's lady-housekeeper-his duenn
as he was wont to call her-and M
Fitzpatrick, the rector of the paris
Mrs. Patton, I knew well. She was
most amusing compound of dignity 81
iollity, and we were the best friends
the world, though she always declar
W that l did nothing but make fun OF IL
'~ Mr.. Fitzpatrick had never seen betol
for during my previous visits he had
ways happened to be from home
6, was a tall, portly, elderly gentlem;
.--a with a rather horid complexion, anC
ana magnificent head of perfectly white hf
sons the effect of which was increased b.
pair of bushy and perfectly black e
lH brows. He greeted me very cordial
Jus and as soon as we were seated at the d
IAslTl ner-table, | discovered that his forte '
=. Of conversation and his foible monolog
had noticed during dinner that, a
o. the habit of some widowers, he wor
II. wedding-ring, which had presuma
In- been his wife's; and over this anot
80 ring, of the kind usually worn by Lad
host in which were set three very hands'
~ brilliants. After dinner, when Mrs.
+ho ton had retired, the conversation so
49, how or other took turn in the direc
49, of precious stones, and Horace, VIII
,oso last managed to get in word OF
;,.t said something about the difficult.
90 = distinguishing, in the absence of test
,1,on true stone from really well exec
,uou imitation, and took from his waist
a in pocket manufactured diamond whi
ltbv certainly should have pronounced G
arJ inc. For purposes of comparison,
,nlo Fitzpatrick slipped from his finger
acid ring of which l have just spoken;
ct ho after it had been examined and replt
were he said: "There is a curious story
very nected with that ring, Mr.. Mason
With daresay you have heard it,"
sease 1--WE heard something about it, y
| Ire Horace; "but don't know all the
that ticulars; and l don't think my c'
has heard anything of it"
"Well, then," said Mr. Fitzpatric
4 ~ . may as we'll tell it you, if you ca
~. - hear it. The story begins and ends 8
,rahlo time ago 1t is forty years this
n,,, ~ month since became engaged to be
- ho ried. was then curate, and ha
r;otor much money to spare; but had il
- Nv ceived legacy of rather less than Q
very dred pounds; and in fit of ext
mo 70 gance, hardly excusable even in a
cto, = of five-and-twenty, | spent the WI
it and few pounds more in purcl