RULES OF THE RING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12590, 27 August 1901, Page 2

RULES OF THE RING.

(By W. PETIT RIDGE.) “Well,” said the youth, recklessly, “it’s no use’ putting it of! and off. May as -well buy it now as any other time. That is* to say,” he added, “unless you’d rather—” *• There’s just this about it,” agreed the young woman, with modesty. “They’re not like some things, cheaper one day than they are the other, It*s true there’s no ’urry, but— ” “Would you rather wo made it next week?” “Don’t study me, dear. Study yourself. If you’re at all short this week, why, certainly, I can wait till next. I shouldn’t like you to think afterwards that I’d nagged you. into buying it. I don’t pretend to be perfect,” the rosea in her black straw .hat trembled with_ pride. “And I don’t set out-to be a saint, but no one shall ever call me a nagger. At any rate, if they did ! should make them prove it. People, are not allowed nowadays to go about saying just what they like About other people, without, finding themselves pulled up, and jolly quick too, I can tell ’em.” “Who’s been saying anything against you?” Never you mind,” said the young woman, with an expression of quiet suffering. “ Don’t you trouble, dear, about my worries. I can bear ’em. Wo _ all ’avo something to put up with in this world. Let’s try not. to think about it. Jest because I’ve been seen walking once ox twice wi th a young gentleman that Tm not properly what-you-may-oall engaged to, of course,” roses trembling again _ here with compassion, “of course, certain people think they .can say what, they like about poor little me.” “ Loogerel” said the youug man, definitely. “We’re going to pat a stop to that once for all. Let’s me and you have another look at this winder.” The young, woman followed him with a highly proper air of reluctance from the kerb where they had been discussing the question, to a blazing display in the jeweller’s window. There, illuminated by lights hidden artfully in silver shells, the brooches and pins and rings lay with a regal air on blue, plush, resting-places. Other people, were gazing with a rapt air at the contents, of the window, and a small grubby girl in boots, but no socks, appeared to be unable to make up her mind between a tiara (very chaste), at £lB 18s, and a diamond bracelet (unheard-of bargain), at£l9l9s 6d. These things had no attraction, for the young couple; they went straight to. the end of. the window, “Well,” asks the young man, after a pause, “what do you think?” “Well,” replied the- lady, evasively, “whatdo you think?” “I want you to have the one you like.” ■ “You’ll think mo rather rude,”.she said' hesitatingly, with her .face half-hidden by her muff, “ but there comes lames when it’s necessary to speak plain. What I mean to say is, how much did you think of giving?” “How much do you think I ought to give.” “ Oh, reely,” cried the young woman with much alarm, “you must excuse me. I couldn’t possibly step across the line so far as all that, you know. You forget, surely, how I’ve been brought up. Reely 1” He had to show great contrition on this, praising his companion -for her admirable reticence and applauding her mother,. until it appeared likely that he would bring himself again under reproof for excess of compliment. Stopping in time, he suggested with deference that about eight-and-six would be as much as any man ■ought to throw away on what some might consider a mere bit of ornament, and not an, indispensable article of ornament. “How much?” “ Eight-and-six,” repeated the youth. • “ Eight-and-six a dozen?” she inquired, caustically. : “I don’t think there’s any call for you to be seetiricah” “I was only wondering,” remarked the young woman, casually, “how many you expected to get for the money. Though, p’raps you might be laying up a stock for the future so you wouldn’t have to put on your hat and go out shopping every time you got engaged!” • “You are, upon my word,” he complained, “ the most cynical girl I ever come across. You seem to revel in it, . somehow. You little imagine how I take your remarks to ’cart.” . “ Suppose,we put joking? a one side,” said, the young woman in_a more business-like way, “ and bring our minds to beqr on the question of these, rings. What I want you. to remember, dear, is that it’s me that’s got to wear it. When I get ’ome to-night, and mother and my sisters come flocking, around, the first question they’ll ask will be, ‘What did it run him into?’” “ A ’ighly forward query on their part.” “That may be, that may be!" admitted the girl, patiently. “I’m not saying anything about that; all I want you to understand is that that’s just the very words they’ll use. And if I , was.,to say • ‘sight-. ■ and-six,’ ’ you cani imagine "what a, ’earty laugh they’d ’ave at my expense. Can’t you, now?” • “Strikes me,” he said, moodily, allowing his gaze to leave the eight-and-six collection and wander on to tie rings marked twelve-and-six, “ strikes me that the question of expense affects me more than anyone else. Hew does this lot knockyou?” “Opals are unlucky.” “ But these wouldn’t be real opals!” A gentlemanly attendant, who had been standing at the doorway took a. few steps, in their direction, and mentioned, respect-, fully, that they would find, a very large stock within at prices which,- he ventured., to say, would suit all tastes; the two; young people tepliod hurriedly that they., had no thought just then of buying, and. moved away to examine the placards of, the evening papers, returning a fow minutes later to resume their work of-in-spection, The gentlemanly attendant at, the doorway hummed a tune. “It’s chilly standing here,’ remarked the girl, “I don’t want to. go; and renew my cold, otherwise I shan’t be able to come out and meet you every other night. , “Suppose we both go in and have a look over the stock. .Perhaps .they ye S°t a bargain - hid away somewhere. “Gracious!" she exclaimed,- m-.a shocked voice, “whatever will y ou .B^,P” next. Surely—surely, you dent think in going in with you?” “Well, but ■" . _■ . . , “ D’you think I don’t know how to behave accordin’ to etiquette better than. that?” . „ , • j • “But if you don’t come m, be urged, “how else am I going to guarantee a fit?” The girl found, with some difficulty, a back pocket; discovered therer a stout little purse, and, giving the catch of bis a dexterous twist, took out a card a hole in it. , . • “That’s the size of my engageipent-nng finger,” she said,- quietly. “Ho!” he remarked. You ®eem to have cotne prepared.” . , “ One never knows what s going to happen in this world. Don the long, car -and, I say! get the best one you can Not so much for my sake, you know, hu because of other people. , The attendant at the doorway welcome*! the youth with an air of unexpectedness, and, lending an ear, conducted him msi . The girl watched the plush trays as they were taken out of the windows; peered between the hanging chains, .and tapped one foot impatiently when the cheapest set of rings disappeared for a suspiciously long time. People hurrying by brushed her, hub she kept her position, having discovered a point of view where she could see about one-half of the persuasive ramie of the attendant as ho lectured on the virDon’t ever play with dynamite, In case it should explode,. Beware of robbers late at night And .take the safest road. Don’t laugh at any little ill, But health at once secure, . Bad coughs and colds arise from chiU, Take Woods’ Great Peppermint

tues and minimised the defects of his goods. A girl of rather less -than her own age stopped and frivolously tipped her straw hat over her eyes. She readjusted it calmly, and, in answer to the interrupting girl’s inquiries, replied that she was not going homewards just yet; that she had an appointment with a friend; that she did not wish to detain the other if urgent business called; that it would at that moment give her no ecstasy to- be allowed to come and see the other girl buy threepennyworth of sweets. The other girl, with the remark, “You’ve grown precious ’auty of late,” went, , The youth came to the doorway and said, “You’ll ’ave to come in and decide, after allwhereupon the girl gave a little cough of deprecation and obeyed. Two minutes later they came out together. “ Don’t you go losing of it, ’ he said, wamingly. “Better be ’alf put your glove on.” “Thanks,” she said, affectionately, “I don’t feel-it cold at all. And I’m- sure I shall never be able to thank you enough for all your kindness. Ido think it’s good of you. I—l could almost kiss you.” . “Only almost?” he said, cheering at this vague prospect. “ Wait,” she said, “ till we hum out of the main road, dear.”