Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-07-12

over emptiness and mystery, still
lay in her jewel-casket. There had
come many wooeFs, but none so
noble and true that she could call
him lord.
One evening, at a grand party
given by the Hon. Mr.. C., a Mr..
Russell, of New Orleans, was pre-
sented TO her. lie was very gallant,
very brilliant and cultivated, but
Marion perceived a keen vein Of
sarcasm running through il all Ike
a swords edge glittering amongst
folds of soft velvet. "He mistrusts
and scorns the whole world" tho't
she, ''and yet cynicism does not fit
that open, generous brow. 1t took
something very powerful to plant
unbelief and suspicion there, Pm
sure"
Marion made these mental COM
ments on her companion, meanwhile
meeting his remarks with a frank
ness of manner and depth of thought
to which he was not at all accus-
toned, especially from young ladies.
People are so afraid of committing
themselves" so afraid of revealing
their own hearts without stipula-
ting an equivalent of confidence in
return, that conversation in "socie-
tv'' becomes a glittering, polished
lie. Were it not for glance of eye,
and touch of hand, we should never
get at the truth about each other.
No wonder Jimmie Russell found
himself silenced now, and puzzled,
to find earnest words returned to
his mocking ones, and Marion, with
cut knowing il, became very much
interested in the scornful Southern
er. 1t surely was not strange that
they became better acquainted, or
that chance should often throw them
together, or that his formal calls at
her aunt's house became in time in
formal ones. 1t was simply the law
of fitness which works everywhere
in the world. Jimmie Russell need
ed that which Marion Lincoln had
to give.
One evening when he was at her
aunt's. Marion wore the locket.-
She had hidden it among the lace of
her dress, but the waist being cut q
little low at the neck, it sw ung loose
as she bent to pick up something
from the floor. The rubies flashed
them, and stopping suddenly in the
midst of an animated conversation,
turned very pale. Marion thought
he was going to faint, and, alarmed,
was about to ring for assistance
when he detained her hand, saying
st is not necessary. See, l am bet
ter now; but will You tell me how
you became possessor Of that lock
et?"
Marion looked in surprise at the
escaped ornament, and said simply ::
"Ceruainly. My brother took it
from the person of a dead Confeder-
ate solder after the battle of Gettys-
burg"
Mr.. Russell bowed his head, and
she heard him say in a smOthered
voice of agony,-"My poor, poor
Alphonse."
She knew now he held the key to
the mystery, but not for the world
would she have asked it. She could
not probe anothers wound to graft
fy her curiosity. Looking up calm
ly again, he handed Marion BOSOM
pin which ne had worn concealed.
1t corFesponded entirely to the lock-
ct, the same design of rubies, ex-
cept that in place of the opal, was
pearl of rare purity.
s'That dead soldier was my cousin,
Miss Lincoln, and loved more than
a brother could be. Until tonight
| had only guessed his fate. viii
Won tell me all your brother said of
him, and will give you the story,
yes, the tragedy of these lockets-
there were two"
eyes, Fred found two on the
soldier. l have wondered a great
deal about them. The fact of their
being both empty, without even a
lock of hair, seemed very strange.
l guessed at some sad story connect
cd with them, from a scrap Of paper
found in the soldiers hand. The
loekets were in an old case, and lay
on the ground beside him, as if he
had been looking at them Fred
was very much touched by his face.
1t was an idealiZation of beauty,
but too sad for expression anywhere
but on human face. l will show
you the paper and the case"
Marion went out, and returned
with q crumpled bit of paper upon
which was scrawled:
ftDEAR OLD JIMMIE 1t is as
said. The Yanks couldn't kill me.
Pve stood all day in the front rank,
and lodged to catch the bullets, but
twas no use. Now, at last, l am
dying, but not of any wound. Those
accursed jewels are here, empty and
glittering as life has been. Not OF
any wound, did l say? Dear Jim
Inie, it's deeper than any bullet
| could pierce, and that's why they
all missed me. It's night-and dark
-ALPH-."
The last could hardly be read, and
it ended in trail of blood.
@It's true, he was not wounded, .
Marion said. "Fred found no trace
of the slightest scratch, except
where he opened vein of blood tt
write with"
Something of the old hard lool
came into RusselPs face, but Wen
out in sadness, and he said with ;
sob: cit was too gentle heart t.
be turned to bitterness" TheI
turning to Marion, he resumed: ''
win tell you now. These locket
were heir-looms in my uncle's fami
lily, and were handed down the mall
line of descent to the oldest son
though | knew little of them til
they came into Alphonse's posses
sion. There had been terrible
arrangements and great unhappi
ness in the family, and grandmothe
| lLaSalle, who was partly derangeC
by trouble, used to tell AlphOns
| and stories full of her own super
| stitious imaginings about these oli
jewels.
',He was a rare soul, delicate as
sensitive plant, and almost perfec
in every grace and beauty. Grand
mothers stories seemed to SIM
deep in his memory and to hold
strange influence over him. Whel
quite young he met a fascinating
devil of woman who charmed hin
till he knew no life without her
and then, tired of her sport, threw
him off. He had followed the oil,
custom of his family in regard t
the lockets, giving her one of then
with his portrait and keeping tn
other with hers himself. This wa
done in place of giving the ordinar
engagement ring.
"Of course she gave the locke
back to him. 1t had been a faVorit
fancy of his that the pearls in tn
midst of the rubies signified tn
restful peace which crowns perfeC
love, and after the passion ended 5
terribly-fOr it was worse tina
death to him-he would have tn
pearls removed and opals set in thei
places. 'Opals are malignant an
: deceitful,' he said. So your locket
have the opals. This pin belonge
to the same set of jewelry, but wa
, unconnected with the story, so tn
: pearls remain as originally. Th
four pearls taken from the locket