The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-11-05
The Cornelian Cross.

.Ihe UOrnellan UrOSS.
Henri Cardone was a young
French artist of distinguished prom
ise. His neat little donicile ane
his pretty little wife were situated
in suburban Paris. One early twi
light in the mouth of November o:
certain year, as he entered hi:
home, his wife ran unto him, twinee
her plump, arms. around his neck
bestowing a full-blown kiss upor
his responsive lips, and immediate
| ly exclaimed "Oh, dear Henri !.
had such a surprise, such an ode
visitor, this afternoon man witf
such an inexplicable fancy that J
have been waiting these two hours
for your arrival, and (bestowing e
playful cut .thereupon) your ears.2
"And the ears havearriVed, Irene
mypet, I suppose yourmerry tongue
will rattle away. as mcrrily as :
newly wound up music-box; and
once started, I shall not have an cp
portnpity to put a word in edgewise
until you. havefrun aewn complete
lly. But for this old'man, with the
:inexplicable fapcy." Did'he, utter
| " REGARDLESS of the divine set Of
his trousers, 60 down upon his
knees and ybeseech yoatSfy with
him to some intensely rural retreat:
there to s1bsist upon amoonshineE
and his adorable moustache? And
was. it, his incxplicable9 fancyLthat
You should be accompanied by such
little articles of available value as
this poor hovel might afford =? S0r,
was he wandering gypsy lord, who
predicted that YOU were to be the
queen of all proud France, instead
of one humble French, heart? And
did he, just Sas I'll about to sur
round your august brow with the
imperial acrowp;> suddenly suspend
lit and take an 'ihexplicable fancy to
have his dirty palm first crossed d
with a crown Of silver? Or" "
"There, there? do ceaseyem.bad!
mage said the pouting little wo-
man, stamping her small foot impa-
tiently, "You will never become
wise listening to your own wisdom" "
Nor weary listening to yours,
my charming sage,H laughed the
voluble Henri, caressing her soft,
brown hair fondly; 'proceed-from
this on I am all ears"
"Well, let all ears listen. At
about three o'clock this afternoon,
as I was sitting intent upon taking
the finest possible stitches in the
border of you finest combric, there
came a sharp rap at the door, [
FASTENED, opened it, and found my
self face to face with a man of mid
die age, who bowed politely and
inquired if he were on the Rue de
Chalons. On being informed that
he was, he thanked me very afably,
and was turning to depart, when
his glance chanced to fall on this
little cornelian cross, which then, as
now, was lying on my bosom. He
stopped short, gazed fxedly at it,
as though it possessed some terrible
fascination, turned first deadly pale,
then livid purple, and in a hoarse
whisper articulated, Madame, you
will pardon me: forit is no ordina-
ry curiosity that prompts the ques-
ton, but might I venture to ask
how that trinket,' pointing a tremb-
ling finger at the cross, came into
your possession = under W hat cir
cumstances D." ?',:'..,.e.- .,, ,,'..i.,,, -
"W cll," queried Henri, in a low.
interested tone,'"what was my lit.
tie wife's reply?" ?"". .'''
"iYour little wife told him, sir
that twas a present from her hus'
band, and that it had been in hel
possession about four years. How
or where you come by it, she. eoule
not inform him. nf : j .'''r'i -
+ "Then he departed satistied?" a
D EsNo,. indeed."' =" j. }.
"Then he inquired your name
age, and profession"
| l"Did he III dolnot know whethe
L u ought to feel colnpIimehted or in
suited: Did YOU tell him?'
- hesitated, and told him.
.1 81 wish Dyeu had mot hesitated
and then not told him. " SomethinI
Of moment may grow out Of thi
curiosity. But it will not matter
Then he departed % r~a. =. = =
4 '"No; he stood absorbed in trout
lied thought a" few minutes, q
! though weighing a deep problem
land then said he had taken YER
strong and eccentric. fancy for til
:, trinket, and asked if I would for
4 consideration part with it,"
! "What was your reply to tina
very business like proposition 2"
"That, being your gift, / shoul
much dislike to let it CO." +
"Of course, that must have te
minated the conversation
"Of course, but it did no