Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-12-24
Gerald to Jane.
lCopyright. 1898. by the Author.

day, 1896. 1t was Of gold, enriched with
design in diamonds. The jeweler gave
me his word that they were real dia.
monds, and I gave mine to Jane. 1t
was obvious anyhow, for glass diamonds
are larger
pointed out to Jane the advantage
of having diamonds go 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 heart
as that organ is figured in the jeweler' g
physiology 1t was very beautiful on
the outside, and it had my portrait on
the inside So that, viewed throughout
it averaged we'll, as lockets go.
Opposite my portrait were some words
engraved in the customary copy book
script, so appropriate to the majority of
sentiments that are craven on trinkets
That which I had chosen, however,
was not open to such criticism. 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 contented myself with:
Gerald to Jane. Christmas, 1885,
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-
duced 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
our 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 was in love, and as for James
family-the Wetherells-from the head
of the house down to James little fol
terrier with Beauty WetherelI' on hi
collar they were all fully aware Of ou1
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 ehivering 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
that it came as great surprise to her.
had a ring that had been my moth
er's, but as for the locket, had just
time to buy it before the stores closed
on Deo. "a. and bribed an engraver by
great fee to work by night upon the
lettering
The portrait was stripped from pho
tograph she liked. and pasted in. So the
locket and our love were new ON Christ
mas day And now for the idea that
have mentioned.
when you cease to love me, Jane,
said l, ''till out that line with another
date. Thus we shall have the life of a
love, as mems lives are recorded on
their tombstones-'bo born, so and SO;
died such year.
''There will be no dates when cease
to love you, 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 great deal Of trou
BILE grows out Of it.
promise me-" said I, "that you
will keep the locket always, and that
you will add the other date when love
is done"
Under protest and with her hands
clasped in mine so tightly that it seemed
nothing could ever part them. she prom
ised
What would either Of us have said to
any absurd creature who had dared to
prophesy that before another Christmas
should come we would be estranged?
Nothing that he'd have liked to hear.
you may be sure.
Yet it happened. The cause? Heaven
may know. You cannot learn it of me-
Perhaps made nuisance of myself by
loving her too much; it is a great mis-
take.
remember that our first difference
resulted from James assertion that love
did not make me happy, and also that
my attempt to prove that it did was
productive of great unhappiness for both
of u.s. What is the use of trying to
prove anything to woman?
II l had simply been happy, she
would have felt it. and that with her
sex is much better than knowing.
Still DOM see how SO small mat
ter as my happiness could have parted
us or why we supposed that such part
ing would help it l only know that one
evening when left her house l WASH t
engaged any more. and New York
wasn't New York any more. and the
moon IN heaven was not the moon
My happiuess--or whatever u NAV
have been-had lasted hllis less Than
year.
We did not publish our enhancement