The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-12-21


and had not yet found an opportunity
to speak to Elsie alone, though he called
at her mothers house that morning.
But he had experienced great satisfac-
ton to find the ring still upon her
finger, and then something In her man
ner assured him that she was not at
least wholly Indifferent TO his humble
self.
But now all was over, though she
might have expressed her preference for
Leeds in a more delicate and considerate
manner. Tom felt insulted, and in spite
of Miss Winthrop's persistence in teach
ing him, declared that he was totally
incapable in the art of making letters,
strolled away into the gallery, where he
assisted for a while In wreathing the
rallings with garlands of holly.
Elsie colored with vexation. She had
noted his glance when II fell upon the
ring, and the half-contemptuous, half
surprised expression of his face as he
turned away, after fixing one keen, re-
proachful look upon her.
+" Mr.. Leeds, pray give me back my
ring" she said. II am continually
startled by thinking l have lost it,when
missed 1t from my finger"
" But you will lose 1t, it is very loose,
you know; and you dropped 1t iuto my
hand when you were tying one of the
wreaths. think that was very signif
icant," with q glance which he meant
to be killing into her flushed face. 1T
seems to be very precious to you really.
A gift from some onepn
" 1t is precious Mr.. Leeds. The fact
that it slipped off my finger into your
hand is significant of my own careless
ness. usually wear a little guard TO
keep 1t on, but in my haste tonight, /
forgot 1t. Laura came for me before 1
was ready to go out. l went out of town
with mamma this afternoon, and had
only just returned"
And after more soft speeches on the
part of Mr.. Leeds, and almost angry
perseverance from Elsie, she finally sue
ceeded in obtaining the pretty trinket
which had caused such misunderstand-
ing. But 1t was too late to display 1t to
Tom in its accustomed place. He had
already left the church.
"Never mind he will come to see me
tomorrow" she said to herself, with an
effort at re assurance. "And then he
really could not have any idea that !
fancied Herman Leeds"
Mr.. Hayward used to be very oblig-
ing and genial before he went abroad,
but now he seems quite like bear"
said Laura Winthrop, struggling with
a perverse spray of holly. " 1t was pro-
voking in him to go away when we
need help SO much, extremely ungallant
too"
Elsie said nothing, but worked away
with will, and before very long she
had forgotten her vexation, and was
joining in hearty frolic with the other
young people, who had grown hilarious
as the evening wore on. They fell to
pelting each other with flowers and
evergreen sprays. They wound long,
prickly garlands around each other.--
They hid behind dusky pillars. They
tried all sorts of odd effects with their
graceful decorations, and all the echoes
in the vast building repeated their
merry burst of laughter, until the polite
organist was obliged to speak in behalf
of the choir, whose music they COM
pletely overpowered with their wild
merriment.
But when Elsie was about to draw oh
her glove in preparation to go home, she
found that her ring was gone.
30 my ring my ringl" she cried
~ would not have lost 1t for the world.n
" But If you lost it here in the church
we shall surely find it," said every one
confidently.
And every one Joined in the search,
but 1t was not to be found.
Perhaps it dropped while you were
at work, and lodged in the foliage of one
of the wreaths," suggested one.
And the sexton promised to examine
all the decorations carefully when they
should be taken down, and to search the
church faithfully by daylight the next
morning.
But the search by daylight was Of no
avail, neither was the ring found when
the decorations were talNm down some
weeks nfterward.
Elsie waited at home all the next day.
expecting 10 see Tom Hayward, but lie
did not make his appearance. Shelooh-