Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-09-12
A ROMANCE.

1<tU TGldtC al tApCElGAOO VI iHlhO
which rebounds to the credit of that much
despised Instrument, the street hand or
gan There may be other instances in
which this instrument has figured as the
cause of much happiness, but do not my
self know. nor can believe, that it ever
produced any such amount of happiness
on any osaer occasion
About five years ago was taking my
summer vacation at resort not far from
Newport. The fact was we were engaged,
Margaret and l. and we had reached that
stage in the courtship that we criticised
each other somewhat freely On a certain
evening on which dance was TO be given
az the Casino, brought to her bunch of
flowers, the very best obtainable at that
time 1t was quite difficult 20 get flowers
at this resort 1t being some distance from
the city. and the difficulty was heightened
by the great demand for flowers on an &C.
casicr such as the dance in question.
Probably too. l was guilty of forgetful.
ness in not putting in my order for the
flowers several days beforehand
At all events the flowers that l cid OBJ
tain were not so very pretty, and Mar
garets face indicated TO me, when pre-
sented them TO her, that she was not at all
satisfied, In fact, there was distinct
smiling air about her which irritated me
greatly | remarked something to the eff.
feet that some girls were like republics, in
that they were ungrateful. She said some
thing to the effect that some men seemed
TO think more of billiards and tennis and
mint juleps than they did of their future
wives. Our remarks grew quite pointed
and sharp, and, during the lull which fol.
lowed some of them the air played by the
hotel orchestra distinctly impressed itself
on my memory
Although this air was one which was
supposed to be expressive Of but tempo
rary parting, it really meant for Margaret
and me a long and weary absence from
each other ] was unable to associate the
painful feelings which this air brought up
to me whenever | afterward heard it, for
at this meeting which had opened with a
gift of flowers on my part, we gave back
to each other the promises we had made.
received back the ring l had given Marga-
ret and the various letters that had passed
between us we solemnly agreed to destroy
The presents were to be returned or re-
tanned as each thought fit.
However, there was one gold ring of
unique design which had given Margaret
some time before, and which was never to
be returned to me under any condition
except in case she was in need of assistance
At the time 1t was given to her she had
agreed to ever keep 1t, even If we quarrel
ed and parted. The next day returned
to my occupation in the city and did not
see Margaret again
About five years elapsed between the
happening of the event above chronicled
and those that are now to be narrated. l
was passing down the street in quaint
New England village, which In the winter
time seemed to be entirely dead like the
country round it, and which was only
awakened into life by the warm breath of
spring and the gayeties of the summer
crowds who visited it. One of those street
piano organs which had grown to be so
common in the cities, but were looked up
on as novelty in the country towns, was
playing some familiar airs, to which | was
paying no particular attention until
heard the air which turned out to be the
funeral dirge of my only love affair. l
stopped on the walk some distance away
and unwillingly listened.
The air ceased and the closed shutter Of
house, directly in front of which was
the organ, was opened and a hand, which
! still had time to see was that of WON.
an, threw coin or two to the player
The coin fell fiat near the player, but
another object bounded off some distance
toward me. l stopped to pick 1t up and
found 1t was a ring. which had evidently
come off the lady's hand who had thrown
the coin A second glance ut the ring to
my intense surprise, showed me that 1t
was the ring l had given Margaret five
years before There were the initials inside
of 1t and the curious quaint carving on
the outside Full of strange thoughts,
hopes. contending emotions, | involunta-
rily turned to the house to return the ring
to the person to whom 1t belonged. just
as reached the door of the house it was
opened by Margaret, who had come to get
her ring again A frightened look and
hasty pressure Of her hand to her heart
showed me how much she was surprised
and affected. l said nothing, for indeed
the emotions Of both showed plainly more
than any words could use. passed into
the house, closed the door put the ring on
her finger and then asked, did you mean
to send itP" a faint Yes" was all could
hear In n moment pressed her to my
breast and hungry with avidity sought to
satisfy the affection of heart which had
been for SO many years ,yearning for re-
turn. Later on, we We're married and are
willing to admit that we are happy, as
happy as can be We attribute the cause OF
this reconciliation Of ours to the providen
tial presence of the hand organ, and the
phrase "a romance OF hand organ" is one
of the prettiest that our hearts. if not our
Inns can frame -Exchanoe