■figjP '■ JTORY OF £y ; jjjjggjr CMBI-STMA3 GIFT i [CopyiiKlit, IS9B, by the Author.] I gave Jane a locket on Christmas day, 185)6. It was of gold, enriched vvitli a design in diamonds. The jeweler gave me his word that they wero real dia monds, and I gave mine to Jane. It was obvious anyhow, for glass diamonds are larger. I pointed out to Jane the advantage of having diamonds go small that every one would know they wore genuine, and sho said with delicious flattery that no one else could have thought of that The locket was shaped like a heart, as that organ is figured in the jeweler'* physiology It was very beautiful 011 the outside, and it had my portrait on the inside. So that, viewed throughout, it averaged well, as lockets go. Opposite my portrait were some words engraved in tho customary copy book script, so appropriate to the majority of sentiments that are graven 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 tho dictionary and comprising all that either giver or re cipient knows of that particular lan guage. So I contented myself with: "Gerald to Jaue. Christmas, 1896.' For some inscrutable reason the en graver cut tho names very large and the date very small, setting the latter to tho left and below This style may have been fashionable or artistic, but it pro duced a singular effect of incomplete ness, and I did not like it. However, it suggested an idea to nie. 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 tho day before. Every body else knew it My office boy could have told you that I was in love, and as for Jane's family—tho Wetherells—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 tho rest of the family were obviously study ing my good points in order to prepare for the inevitable. But I was fairly shivering with tear lest Jane did not love me, and when I had told her what my heart would hold no longer, she said with tears in her eyes that it came as a great surprise to her 1 had a ring that had been my moth er's, but as for tho locket, I had just time to buy it before tho stores closed on Dec. 2-1, and I bribed an engraver by 1 •a great fee to work by night upon the .lettering Tho portrait was stripped from a pho- 1 tograph she liked, and pasted in. So tho locket and our love were new on Christ mas day And now for the idea that I have mentioned. "When you cease to love me, Jane,'' •said I, "fill out that lino with another date. Thus we shall have tho life of a ilove, as men's lives are recorded on their tombstones—'born, so and so; •died soch a year.' '' "There will bo no dates when I cease to love you," said she, "for dates end ; with time." That should have satisfied any one, -yet I was not willing to give up my 3WB idea. Few men are, even when they're in love, and a great deal of trou ble grows oat of it. "Promise mo," said I, "that you will keep the locket always, and that I you will add the other date when love is done." Under protest and with her hands I clasped in mine so tightly that it seemed j nothing could ever part them, she prom- ' ised. What would either of us have said to ' any absurd creature who had dared to j prophesy that before another Christmas j should come wo would bo estranged? j Nothing that he'd have liked to bear, ! you may bo sure. Yet it happened. The cause? Heaven may know. You cannot learn it of me Perhaps 1 made a nuisance of myself by tug her too much ; it is a great niis- J remember that our first difference resulted from Jane's assertion that love did not mako me happy, and also that my attempt to prove that it did was productive of great unhappiness for both of us. What is the use of trying to prove anything to a woman? If I bad simply been happy, sho would have felt it, and that with her sex is much better than knowing. Still I don't seo how so small a mat ter as my happiness could have parted us or why wo supposed that such a part ing would help it I only know that one evening when I left her house I wasn't engaged any more, and New York wasn't New York any more, and tho moon in heaven was not tho moon My happiness—or whatever it may have been—had lasted a little less than a year We did not publish our estrangement Few persons outside her family knew J ! anything about it. i Christmas was drawing near, and a | doleful day it was likely to bo for me. ! The last three I had spent in tho Weth- | erells' homo, and tho change from that j ■ to a lonely bachelor apartment and a ! cheerless dinner at a club was enough | to make me wish that I had been a pa gan with no knowledge of this sacred festival. In any event, however, I should not have been at tho Wetherell house that year, for since tho early part of Novem ber Jane and I had been bound by a promise to tho Grays of Princeton, who were to give an old fashioned Christ mas party in their historic mansion. Of course we could not go under the new order of things. I had written a note of regret, with some mild false hood as my excuse, but I understood that Jane had told the truth in her own letter of declination to Mrs. Gray. At the last moment I was seized with a desire to go. Perhaps it was impossi ble for me to face tho prospect of spend ing tho day alone. Whatever may have been tho impulse, I wrote again to Mrs. Gray and begged to be allowed to change my mind. My friendship with them all was close enough to permit of such an un conventional act and to justify mo in expecting the cordial reply which I re ceived by the earliest possible mail. Thus it happened that I took a train from New York on Christmas forenoon with a heart so heavy that I don't see how the engine managed to haul it. I would not positively assert that this overweight was responsible for the dis aster of the day, but whether from that or some strictly mechanical cause the train on the little branch from the Junction to Princeton jumped tho track j about 800 yards from Princeton station and distributed itself crosswise upon the rails. No one was hurt, but there was con- j aiderable excitement. A woman who was sitting behind me clasped her large, ; warm arms around my neck and yelled into my ear that we should all bo killed, j and if her husband had not come to my I rescue I should never have breathed ! 1 again. This incident delayed me so much ■ that I was otio of the last to loavo tho ■ < train. Looking ahead from tho plat ' form of the car, I saw tho passengers j < walking the track in a long procession, ; 1 and among them, to my inexpressible I ' lurpriso, was Jane! | Sho was not more than twice a car'* < • ~ ~ ' M P : riPpMBII , \ ■ hII ■ *' *" *•" --:^. ■\b/MaZ If' ." a v i '"i i,i kS ' syiL ■r. 4 1 1 h y> N iL "PKOMISE ME THAT YOU WILL KEEP THE LOCKET ALWATB." /ength from me and was looking hark when my glance rented on her, hut she immediately turned away and began to walk with the others toward the sta Mon The sight of her filled my mind with confusion. Of course she could not be Journeying to Princeton ou that day with any other goal than the (irays' Christmas jiarty It. \va> equally ob vious that she would in*t have coins if ■ hi' had hud any idea runt 1 was to be pri -cut I : doubt Uy she bad I ■ n deceived Lv i - declination ot nr. itation, as 1 by b rs Such bi'iiiit lite i.i- my plain intv « i lieu 1 . t her !•. » 'iN T COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1898. »he aunoynnce of mnetiiiß me. Neither, lo be perfectly fruuk, could 1 ataixi Fiioli i colliniou myself The best course seemed to be to loitei uutil .Tune had ridden away in one of j the Grays' carriages that would surely be waiting at the station, and then to ] look up some conveyance that could take ) me back to Princton Junction. | I approached the station warily, for I i did not wish to be seen by any one who would report my presence to the Grays I 6aw one of their equipages moving , away filled with people, but could not | bo sure whether Jane was of the uum- I ber. | Inquiring of a baggage man, whom 1 j found in an obscure corner of the station platform, I learned that two coaches were already waiting for passengers who wished to ride over to the Junction I Ho pointed out an ancient and ponder i ous hack, and, after a word with the 1 driver, 1 climbed in. There was already one passenger, a lady who sat on the rear seat. I did not notice her particularly until we were face to face in the vehicle, and then 1 perceived that she was Jane. "You saw me, then!" I cried. "Yes," said she, "I saw you on tho train, and, thinking that it wotild bi embarrassing for you to meet mo at th« party, I decided togo back to New York. You must get right out and go tc the Grays'." "Certainly not," said I warmly. "Dc you suppose that I will spoil jour day by driving you back to New York in this way? I am not such a brute. I will return, but you must go to tho party. 1 never would have come here but that 1 heard you bad declined. " "So did I," said she, "but I changed my mind day before yesterday. Mothei wanted me to go. She thought it would be well for me to do so. " "Jane," said I, with a trembling voice, "has this folly of oars so hurt you that your mother is anxious and"— "Not in the least," she answered quickly "You entirely misunderstand me. *' "It has frequently been my misfor tune to do that," I replied. "But it'.' too late to speak of it now. Won't you pleaso forget that you saw me today and goto the party as you had in tended?" But. she wouldn't do anything of the sort, and wo sat there disputing as to which of us should bo the humuii sacri fice and which should goto tho party until three more passengers for the Junction arrived and cut off our discus sion. The subject involved too many inti mate details for ua to talk of it in the presence of strangers, and tho situation, which had been bad enough before, wa« rendered much worse by their advent. Jane and I had been unablo to arrivo at a decision before they came, and wo certainly couldn't do it afterward. Nei ther of us could leavo thecarriago with out. seeming to sacrifice tho other, and tho result was that we remained and wero trundled over to the Junction. We had to converse, because tho oth ers had heard us talking and subsequent •Hence would have seemed peculiar. As we could not speak of the one topic which interested us, we spoke of every thing that didn't. I wish I could re member all the stupid things we said. They would make a first rate modern society drama of the innocuous kind. The ride seemed so long that I was afraid the driver had lost his way, hut if he had he found it again, for we pulled up alongside the station at last \\ ) went into the writing room, and then;, in a comar. wo renewed our (lis CU.-MOU Itiii dto persuade .lane togo li;i< !: to Fiiiii .'tun, and she insisted that 1 should do ■ o We t eea ho intere- i d that we 1< t (i.'ontinueit <■» rae«l2. I JORDAN BROS, fes < j'l J| ! | ' P II [ ,J ra JjT Dealers in ) 111 11 staple and Fancy Groceries, Dry M IJ..l J .. Goods, Fresh, Salt and Smoked 1(1 jri Meats, Fruit in season, Tobacco, » Vi | Cigars, Confectionery and School j j j | Supplies. PI PI A complete line of Fall and ,y -Hj Winter Goods. I I c wou 'd be pleased to have l I jji you call and inspect our stock l J I i whether you purchase or not. h iftf j 12JI J | Goods delivered anywhere in I fjjpl T 1 ! town t free charge. JORDAN BROS.. ( 111 No. -13, W. Fifth St.. Emporium. , 1 cr:/:<.nm»a —■■ -r^tnT^—r-TfTEJ-m Traveler's <;uide. BUFFALO & SUSQUEHANNA R. R Time Table taking Effect June 6tli, 1898. "The (irand Scenic Route." r , / Y °\* X1&? \) ioo-io.vy ! ;. V • j SfW'fpJ \.¥ E N, K s Y L,\.V A It I /J ■ -'—K \ / . V \ C I / r ~" j | BuTalo and Susquehanna Railroad KEAI) UP. A. M.IP. M. P. M. P. M ir.K't'ngSmt.. 855 73s 12 • Austin SlO 708 . . 12 00 Costello, 7 00 11 53 .. .Wharton, 8 16 11 41 Cross Fork J'ct 6 00 10 56 ....Corbet t . 5 31 10 29 ; .. (iermania 520 10 18 j dp. Galeton P.M. 1 5 13 10 12 ar, " .... 710 12 55'10 00 I ... fiaines, ... 6 55 12 41 9 12 i ..Habinsville,.. 630 ... 12 17 906 ! . Westfield, ... 619 12 06 852 .. Knoxvllle... 605 11 50 830 Osceola 5 55 11 41 807 1 I .Elkland,.... 5 51; 11 36 7 58 Lv Addison a 15 11 05 7 15 P. M.I P. M. A. M. A. M | READ DOWN. A. M.jp. M. P. M.la. M. | I.\ K'tingSmt 12 40 7 50 9 10 Austin 6 40 1 05 8 201 9 50 Costello 6 47 1 12 ! ;. ... —Wharton 6 59 1 24 Cross Fork Jet. 7 44 2 Oil ! 1 ! ...!. Corbett 8 11 236 1 —Oermania... 8 22 2 47 11 Lv. jGaieton,. Uaincs 8 52 3 08 .Sabinsville.... 921 333 ' . Westfield 9 33 3 43 . K noxville.. 9 47 3 56 Osceola 958 4 06 Elkland 10 031 11 Ar Addison lO 31 l 13 A. M. P. M. ... Head up. Head down. I*. M. I'. M. A. M.J A. M. I'. M. ... 5 10 10 00 Ar. Gaieton Lv 0 30 1 05 ... i 51 941 —Walton ♦; it i 24 t27 9 171 -Newfiekl Jet.. 713 150 ... 109 8 591 West Bingham,. 730 206 .... 368 848 .... Genesee.. •. 741 218 I 40 10 io ar. .Gaieton.. lv 8 25 2 00i 1 4 20 9 58 Gaines 8 43 1 2 26 ' 350 088 lv Ansonia .ai 15 00 • STATIONS. A.M. .... P. M. A. M. ar dp A. M. P. >1 .... 100 630 tip Cross Fork ar 12 00 7 00l All trains run daily except Sunday. CONNE TIONS. At Keating Summit with W. N. Y. Si P. It. 11. tor all points north and south. At A nsonia with Fall lirook R. R. for all points north and south. At Newlield Junction with C. & P. A. H. R. west for Coudersport, east for Ulysses and points on Cowanesque Valley branch of Fall Brook R.R. At Genesee for points on the New York & Pennsylvania R. R. At Addison with Erie R. R., for points east and west. At Wellsville with Krie R. R. for points east and west. II.C. I'NDERHILL,Gen'I Pass.Apt.Buffalo, N.Y C.W. GOODYEAR, Gen'l Man'ur. Buffalo. W. W. ATWOOl), Supt. Addison. N. Y. W, C. Park, Supt. Austin. Pa. TIME TABLE No. 23. COUDERSPORT & PORT ALLEGANY R. R. Takine effect June 15th. 1898. EASTWARD. 10 t 6 2 STATIONS. P. M. P. M. A. M. P. M. Port Allegany Lv. 3 15 7 18 12 10 Coleman, *3 23 00 »12 15 Burtville, *3 30 7 29 12 22 Roulette 3 40 7 36 12 30 Knowlton's, *3 45 00 *l2 SS Mina *3 59 7 46 12 40 Olmsted 4 05 *7 50 *l2 44 Hammonds, 00 00 *l2 49 Coudersnort 112 Ar ' 420 757 12 53 uouuerspuri. Lv g , 5 , North Coudersport, 00 *1 05 Frlnk's *6 29 *1 14 ColesburK, *6 36 121 Seven I!ri Men's, Women's F* - ' T , M ~ „ M rj" (MflM'f, " Sheetings •ui Tr-iri l " ' Jt£l ■ Med Cointortubles, J , ' £. «»«!«!«!! j 1 'fa * 112 " : . -V & v Offerings for CASH Only. * ' ¥ w Q, Ladies, set, white wool vests and pants, usually sold at n & SI.OO, for 60 cents. ' * Ladies' set, white wool vests and pants, usually sold at V $1.25, for 75 cents. ' &■ W Ladies' set, white wool vests and pants, usually sold at y $1.50, for 90 cents. ,JJ U Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at ,0, 65c, for 45 cents. ' yf Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at ;, 75c, for 50 cents. ' •#! Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at &■ # 85c, for 60 cents. ' W tt Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at %' $1.15, for 70 cents. ' 'L Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at M 50c, for 35 cents. ' w Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at Q p 45c, for 30 cents. ' 3r~ Infants' pants and vests usually sold at 45c, for 30c. 1 j* & These are short sleeves. * ' , Ladies' white Merino vests, sold at 65c for 45 cents. These'are all perfect goods. Come earlv. v I D. E. OLMSTED, J y" Near Odd Fellows Hall, East Fourth St. K C. B. HOWARD & CO. j| T: ; —'.lyH=s Our line ol Groceries is complete. ° ur aim is to purchase nothing but the (fj «J|- best a,ul kee P onr stock fresh. Come and || T f/\ examine our goods. ijjf fjrl» Our shoes are from the W 1 !| best manufactures in the rjgjUj 1 bey comprise U^PJ v I all the latest styles and (%' ! [iijf |t colors in footweaf. L ,l M n 1, mm,, u fis ,S " ° nr lines 01 linens and •. qjfc'o,- f§ : . DOMDTICS. domestics are carefully H elected from large stocks I Ifg uld are the best goods for " j IMjl W' sESj the money obtainable. If in need ot such J|| ijpj) - • goods give|its a tria. ili ° ur uotio " department rWOTIOV\ 8 Hg| is made up of only reliable S\ -C jM CSSSIJrtjfiRREg tgoods at medium prices. A |@i Examine and let us name voti prices. m ! I -x i i Ci< Our stock of Fall and fi.ij M [OU/./ r Winter Clothing has ar- ttjgTSS ffl / "ved. In it you will find ■- *, - / v*ok- ' t\ 1 all ie latest cloths. Call lljl and examine before line is EWe have shirts and lots of them at ffl all prices. Let us show them to you and jw name our prices. M. |P If you want to save money, give us a call. |f' We defy competition. All goods guaran- w IC. B. HOWARD CO.