Passaic City record., 1894-03-24
MY WEDDING RING.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

Sharp and clear came the sound OF
the postman's whistle, cutting the
frigid winter air like knife blade. l
started up from the sofa, where had
been dreaming over the morning pa
per, with the CHEEKY crackle of the an
thracite fire close beside me, and the
scent of my morning coffee streaming
gratefully up from the chased silver
equipage on the little round table.
(The bachelors mode of life is not
altogether without its disadvantages,
after all.
ssMrs. Metcalfe," I called out, put
ting my head over the stair-rail (which
hadn't been busted that morning;
clearinghouse stairrails never do
get busted until noon, if you have ever
observed it), s'is there anything for
me?'
An ominous silence. knew as well
as if was on the spot that the land
lady's daughter was reading my pos
tai cards, holding my letters up
between her eye and the light, and
indulging in other proceedings pecu-
liar to the genus "landlady's daugh-
ter"
sT say" L reiterated, throwing a
little spice of evaporation into my ac-
cent, els there anything for me?"
"Coming sir! Coming!" and Miss
Melinda Metcalfe shuff1ed upstairs
with my correspondence on a japanneo
tray.
"Is there any news?" said I, sarcas-
tically as I took my letter, my two
postal cards and my newspaper.
''Sir?" said Miss Melinda.
.I didn't know but that you were
opening my mail, said I, blandly.
"Oh, sir, I shouldn't think of such
a thing!"
And Miss Melinda went down stairs
tossing her head like an enraged Shet
land pony.
One card from my tailor, to notify
me of his change of business resi-
dence; one from Louis Durande, to
tell me that he could not keep a GER
tain sleighing engagement with me on
the boulevard, and letter from Percy
Wyncote, who had warmed his slip
pers at the same college fire with me,
thirty years ago.
"Dear Belton," SO his epistle ran,
SCI claim your congratulations. I am
to be married next week to the sweet
est girl the sun ever shone on. There's
surprise number one for you. And
wish you'd go to Goldluck & Glitter
mans and get the wedding ring: size
inclosed on a bit of paper. There's
surprise number two. Seriously old
fellow, it will be doing me great
favor, for business matters here are
complicated in such way that I can
not hope to get down to New York a
day before the event. And, of course,
I know that can trust your taste and
Judgment equally with my own. Have
the words ''Helen, 1884," engraved
on the inside, and please send by ex-
press without delay.
Sever yours faithfully,
'sPEReY WYNooTE.
s'P. S.-She1 Is an angel
''P. P. S.-She has eyes exactly
iike that famous print OF the Beat
rice Cenci' by Guido, that you see in
all the shop windows.
"Well," said L to myself, laying
down my old chum's rapturous letter,
''here's pretty commission for 9
bachelor. An angel, is she? l don't
believe she's any more angelic than
Pauline Brookes. But every man
thinks his own goose swan. I pity
the poor fellow, I'm sure; he's clearly
in state of glamour that makes him
see everything Colour de rose. But
I'm not one to desert friend at {
pinch--I'll buy his miserable wedding
ring with all the pleasure in hfe.'
So I locked my desk, put on my
seal trimmed overcoat and wen
straightway to Goldluck & Glitter
mans.
Jones was behind the counter.
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