Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-09-05
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much despised instrument, the street
hand organ. There may be other in
stances in which, this instrument has
figured as the cause of much happi-
ness, but 1 do not myself know, nor
can l believe, that 1t ever produced any
such amount of happiness on any 9TH
er occasion.
About five years ago 1 was taking
my summer vacation at resort not
far from Newport. The fact was we
We're engaged, Margaret and l, and
we had reached that stage in the court
ship that we criticised each other
somewhat freely. On a certain even
ing on which dance was to be given
at the Casino l brought to her bunch
of flowers, the very best obtainable at
that time. 1t was quite difficult to get
flowers at this resort, it being some
distance from the city, and the diff
Guilty was heightened by the great de-
mand for flowers on an occasion such
as the dance in question. Probably,
too, l was guilty of forgetfulness in
not putting in my order for the flow
ers several days beforehand.
AT all events, the flowers that / did
obtain were not SO very pretty, and
Margaret's face indicated to me- when
/ presented them to her, that she was
not at all satisfied. In fact, there was
distinct snifiling air about her which
irritated me greatly. l remarked some
thing to the effect that some girls were
like republics, in that they were un-
grateful. She said something 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 point
ed and sharp, and during the hull which
followed some of them the air played
by the hotel orchestra distinctly i'm
pressed itself on my memory.
Although this air was one which was
supposed to be expressive of but tenn
porary parting, it really meant for
Margaret and me long and weary alb
sence from each other. | was unable
to dissociate the painful feelings which
this air brought up to me whenever l
afterward heard it, for at this meeting,
which had opened with gift of flow
ers on my part, we gave back to each
other the promises we had made /
received back the ring l had given
Margaret, and the various letters that
had passed between us we solemnly
agreed to destroy. The presents were
to be returned or retained as each
thought fit
However, there was one gold ring of
unique design which l had given Mar
garet 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 it was
given to her she had agreed to ever
keep it, even if we quarreled and part
ed. The next day l returned to my
occupation in the city and did not see
Margaret again.
About five years elapsed between the
happening of the event above chron-
icled and those that are now to be
narrated. l was passing down the
street in a quaint New England vii
lage which in the winter time seemed
to be entirely dead like the country
round it and which was only awaken
ed 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 upon as a novelty in the coun-
try towns, was playing some familiar
airs, to which | was paying no partic.
ular attention until | heard the air,
which turned out to be the funeral
dirge of my only love affair. | stopped
on the walk some distance away and
listened.
The air ceased, and the closed shutter
of a house directly in front of which
was the organ was opened and hand
which l still had time to see was that
of Il woman threw Il coin or two to the
player. The coin fell fiat near the play
er, but another object bounded off
some distance toward me. | stopped to
pick it up and found 1t was a ring
which had evidently come off Je la
dys hand who had thrown the coin. A
second glance at the ring, to my in
tense surprise, showed me that it was
the ring l had given Margaret five
years before. There were the initials
inside of it and the curious quaint
carving on the outside. Full of strange
thoughts, hopes, contending emotions,
l involuntarily turned to the house to
return the ring to the person to whom
it belonged. Just as reached the door
of the house it was opened by Marga-
ret, who had come to get her ring
again. A frightened look and hasty
pressure of her hand to her heart show
ed me how much she was surprised
and affected. l said nothing, for in
deed the emotions of both showed
plainly more than any words l could
use. l passed into the house, closed
the door, put the ring on her finger and
then asked, Did you mean to send it?"
A faint Yes was all could hear In
a moment / pressed her to my breast
and hungry with ayidity sought to