The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-10-17

tragic, of nothing unless they happen to
to comieal. Nature has endowed the
6alhe mind with an sdrolt apiness that
selzes with equal facility on the terrible
and the grotesque-A revolution or a
masquerade. This by way ofPrSfaee and
the story begins.
HeBd Caudone was YoaHg French al
ust Of distinguished promise. His neat
Ht,lc domieile aud bis pretty little wife
were situated in suburban Paris. One
early twilight ID the month Of November
Of a certain year, as be entered his home,
bis wife ran up 60 him, lwined hcr arms
about his neck. bestowed kiss Of ardent
affection upon bis responsive lips, and
Immediately exclaimed: O, dear Henri /
have had such surprisc--snch an odd
yisitor--this afternoon; man with such
an iuexplcabIe fancy that | have been
aching these two hours for your arrival
aud, (Destowing a playful cnG thereon),
your ears.
Aud now the ears have arrived, Irene,
my pet, | suppose your merry tongue
will rattle away as gllbly AZ d newly
wound up music box: aud once started,
shall not have au opportunity lo pnt
word IN, even edgewise until you have
run down completely aud ended with a
long final thr-i-i-i-i-l-up, after the man
ofmusic aud chatterboxes generally. But
for this odd man, with the inexplicable
fancy. He could not have taken a fancy
to you, for that would be neither odd nor
linexplieable Did he, utterly regardless
of the set Of his divine trousers, go up
on his knees aud beseech you TO fly with
him to some intensely rural retreat, there
10 subsist on moonshiue aud his adorable
moustache and was il his fancy that you
shonld be accompanied by such articles
of available value as this poor hoVel at'
forded? Or was he wandering Gypsy
lord, who predicted that you were to be
queen Of all proud France, instead of one
humble French heart2-aud did he, just
as he was about to surround Your august
brow with the imperial crown, suddenly
suspend 1t, and take an inexplicable fan
| cy to have his dirty palm first crossed
with a crown ofslyer? Or
There, there do cease your badinage,
said the pouting little woman, stamping
her small foot impatently. You will
never become wise by listening to your
own wisdom. .....-. I'D
Nor weary listening to yours, my char
ming sage, laughed the voluble Henri,
carcssing her soft brown hair. Proceed;
from this on am all ears.
+ Wen, let ali ears listen, At about two
o'clock this afternoon, as ] was sitting in
tent upon taking the finest possible stitch
around the border Of your finest cambria,
there came a sharp rap on the street door.
hastened to open it, and found myself
face 20 face with a man Of middle age,
who bowed politely, and inquired if he
was on the Rue de Chalons. On being
informed that he was, he thanked me af-
fably, and was turning to depart when
his glance chanccd to fall on this little
cornelan cross which was then az now,
lying on my bosom. He stopped short,
gazed fixedly at it, as though it possessed
some horrible fascination, turned deadly
pale and In hoarse whisper articulated:
Madame, you will pardon melt is no
ordinary curiosity that prompts the
quostion--but might | venture TO ask how
that trlnket, pointing trembling finger
at the cross, came into your possession
under what circumstances?
I Wen, queried Henri in a low, interes-
ted tone, aud what was my little wife's
reply? #fg- #ge waEF
Your little wife told him, sir, that it
was present from her husband and that
ii had been in her possession four years.
How or where YOU came by it she could
not inform him.
Then he departed, satisfedt
No, indeed.
No? what thenf
Then he inquired your name, age and
profession.
Did he? ! do not know whether
onght to feel complimented or insulted.
Did you tell him?
hesitated, aud then told him, I'd
wish you had hesitated and then not
told him, Something Of moment may
grow out Of his curiosity But it will
not matter Then he departed,
No. lie stood absorbed in troubled
thought d few minutes as though weigh
ing a deep problem, and then said he had
taken very strong and eccentric fancy
for the trinket, aud asked IL would for
a consideration consent to part with the
triuket a
What was your reply to that very bus
iness ike proposition:
That being your gin, ! should much
dislike 70 let i 60
( or course that must have terminated
the conversation
or course, but It aid not, though. II
became more pointed directly.
Woll--tcel am eager 30 learn the
deaoueneah said Henri II am not
much Dc Giultiu my surmises, something
viii shortly grow out Of this ahsir that
will interest q very vide circle give
me the cyar, parisular Whist f3lloB-
olg
H sd be was wealthy aud dli not
yslus money taal Ae had conceived 80
strong iait possess ihc cross that,
Wsii as tee nllgr might seem, be woaI