The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-24
Icopy1lght, 1895. BY the Author.l

fCopyrlgnt, 1895. by the Author.1
/ gave Jane a locket on Christmas
day, 1896. TWAS Of gold. enriched with
adesign in diamonds. The jeweler gave
me his word that they were real dia-
monds, and ! gave mine to Jane. 1t
was obvious anyhow, for glass diamonds
are larger.
/ pointed out to Jane the advantage
of having diamonds so small that every
one would know they were genuine,
and she said with delicious fattery that
no one else could have thought of that.
The locket was shaped like a heart,
as that organ is figured in the jewelers.
physiology. 1t was very beautiful on
the outside, and it had my portrait on
the inside. So that, viewed throughout,
it averaged well, as lookets go.
Opposite my portrait were some words
engraved in the customary copy book
scri<5, SO appropriate to the majority Of
sentiments that are craven on trinkets.
That which I had chosen, however,
was not open to such criticism. I have
no liking for foreign phrases culled
from the back of the dictionary and
comprising all that either giver or re-
cipient knows Of that particular Ian
guage. So I contented myself with:
"Geraid to Jane. Christmas, 1896"
For some inscrutable reason the en-
graver cut the names very large and the
date very small, setting the latter to the
left and below. This style may have
been fashionable or artistic, but it pro-
nuced a singular effect of incomplete
ness, and I did not like it. However, it
suggested an idea to me.
In explanation Of it let me say that
Christmas day, 1896, was the first of
pur engagement. We did not know that
we loved each other till quite late in
the afternoon of the day before. Every
body else knew it.
My Office boy could have told you
that I was in love, and as for James
family-the WethereIls-from the head
of the house down to Jane's little fox
terrier with Beauty Wetherell" on his
collar, they were all fully aware of our
sentiments
Beauty didn't bark at me, and the
rest Of the family were obviously study
ing my good points in order to prepare
for the inevitable.
But ! was fairly shivering with fear
lest Jane did not love me, and when /
had told her what my heart would hold
no longer, she said with tears in her eyes
chat it came as a great surprise to her.
had a ring that had been my moth
er's, but as for the locket, I had just
time to buy it before the stores closed
on Dec. "a. and / bribed an engraver by
q great fee to work by night upon the
lettering.
The portrait was stripped from q pho
tograph she liked, and pasted in. So the
locket and our love were new on Christ
mas day. And 10Y for the idea thatI
have mentioned.
"Nhen you cease to love me, Jane"
said ], "fll ont that line with another
date. Thus we shall have the life of a
love, as mems lives are recorded on
their tombstones-.born. so and SO;
died such a year.
There will be no dates when I cease
to love you.D said she, for dates end
with time"
That should have satisfied any one.
yet ! was not willing to give up my
own idea. Few men are. even when
they're IN love, and q great deal of trou-
bic grows out Of it.
~Promise me" said I, that you
will keep the Ioeket always, and chat
yon will add the other date when love
is dene."
Under protest and with her hands
clasDed In mine SO tightly TINT II seemed