Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-02-28
THE CORNELIAN CROSS.

little domicile and his pretty little wife
were situated in suburban Paris. One
early twilight In the month of November
of certain year, us he entered his home.
lis wife ran unto him, twined her plump
arms around his neck, bestowing a full
blown Kiss upon his responsive lips, and
Immediately exclaimed, "Oh, dear Hentii
I had such a surprise, such an odd visitor.
this aiturDOon-a man with such an ipex.
picab'c fancy that | have been waiting
these two hours for your arrival, and (be.
slowing a playful cut thereupon) your
ears
"Aud now the ears have arrived, Tr.ne.
my pet, / suppose your merry tong,re viii
rattle away as merrily as a newly wound
mp music.hCx; and once started. shall
not have an opportunity to pp. a word in
edgewte until you have run down com.
Tetcy. But for this odd man, with The
'inexlllcabc fancy" DID he, utterly re.
gardl,ss OF the diyiRe set of his trousers.
20 down upon his k.iees and beseech of
you To ny win MIN to tome intensely
rural retreat, tIere to subsist upon moon
shine and D = adorable mOustache aud
was IL rs inoxplicable fancy that you
shou". he ACCOMPANIED by such little
all tles of value as this poor hovel might
'dor1 Or, was he wandering gypsy
lord, Who predicted that you were to be
the queen of all proud France, instead Of
enc humble French heart And did he.
Just as he WAS about 10 surround yonr
august brow with the imperial crown, sud-
deuy suspend 1t and take an inexplicabe
fancy to have his dirty palm first crossed
with crown Of silver Or"
"Thete, there do cease your badln.
age" said tho pOuting little woman,
stamping her small foot impattentlv y
You will never become wise listening 10
your owR wisdom"
"Nor weary listening to yours. nv
charming sage" laughed the volubie
lltnrl caTesslrg her soft brown hair
iondlyi 'p'oceed-from this on am all
We'll, let all ears listen. At about
th.ec O'Clock this afternoon, as was sit
ing intent urOn taking the finest possible
Stitches in the border of your finest cam
hrc, there came a sharp rap at the door.
haslcued, opened it, and found myself
lace 20 face with man Of MIDDLE age.
%ho bowed politely and inquired IL he
we're on The Rue de Chnions. On being
Informed that hc was, he thanked me
very ahablN and was turning TO depart,
when HIS glance CHANGED TO fall on thi !
little curnelian cross. which then, as now.
vas lying on my bosom, lie stopped
short, razed tlxedly at II, as though il
possessed some terrible fascination
turned first deadly pale, then livld purple,
aud in hoarse whisper articulated,
MADAME, you will pardon me, for II is nc
ordinary curiosity that prompts the Ques.
sion, but might venture to ask how thai
lrlnkel, pointing a trembling fuger al
me cross, came into your possession-
under what circumstances i'n
WELL" quered Henri, in low inter
ested Lone, what was my little wlie'l
"Your little wife told him, sir. that #
vas a present. from her husband, and thai
u had been in her possession about f0ui
wears. How or wheru YOU came by fl eb,
;oud not inform him"
Then he departed satisfied Z"
N"No, indeed"
Then he irqpired your name, age
tne profession -
"Dd he | do not know whether
4hght u tecl complimeuted or lnsulted
Did you tell him -
- hes.taled, ard told him.
- Wish You hadnOt hesitated, and thel
not told him. Something of moment ma,
grow out o. this curiosity. But II viii
not matter. Then he departed 4"
%'Noi he stood absorbed in trouble,
ih9usht a few minutes, as though weigh
ing deep problem, and then said he bat
,Hheh very strong and eccentric fame
lot the trlnke', ard asked if would TO
consideration part with it,"
what wes your reply to that very bus
m,ss-like proposition -
A. MAJ, being your gift, | should mucl
'lsh"e 10 let it CO."
"Oi course that must have terminate
lhe conyersaiion2'
"Of course, hut il did not, though. l
became more pointed than ever"
"Wel !, well / am eager to learn tn
den0uruent," said Henri. "If | al
net at fault in my surmises, somethin
will shortly grow out Of this affair tina
Will Interest very vide circle. Give m
the rXaet particulars. What followed 2
lie said he was wealthy and did nc
value money and that he had conceive
80 strong dcste 10 possess the eros
that Wild us the oier might seem, b
H."
"Fiye hundred, parbieui The trinket
not worth five francs" said Henri, G,
citedly, The man is either lunatic, {
what ] more strongly suspect him {
being"
"Aud what is it possible for you I
more strongly suspect him of belrg I
asked Irene.
"A kpaye In spite of the tempiatio
ol 5UO fiancs, ! ste that yOa etlll bet
your cross. would have thought Il
sum sufficient to buy up all the crosses
Paris and all the women bearing then
How did you resist 2"
"lt did not know that your slurs G
women aud their crosses was said mo-
IN humnr than In earnest, would n,
give you another word of information
told the man that the offer was vel
tempting, but that ! could not possib
accept II without first consulting you.
That was noble reply, my darling,
sald Henri, drawing his wife close to b
SIDE, bestowing IN her an eloquent CLAN,
aud several passionate kisses. "Her
ailer shall consider you cheap at 500
francs What said old Crnsus to vol
priceless answerin
"At first he appeared much dlscou
MED. After little while he said he W,
going into the country to remain OF
week and that he should return th
way, ald If | in the meantime gain,
your consent, or concluded to part wi
ine cross without It, he would make 90,
MS oller. And then he bade me a relu
tanl adieu, went to a postchaise that WI
waiting IN the road got in and drove {
rapidly towards ChalOns."
FINALLY We have the finale of a
hfsi. remarked Henri.
les,' responded the musing Iren
toying witt the object of so much diecu
sion, which was in reality of but lit
intrinsic value, and in no way Temarkabl
excepting from peculiarly of design.
was oi clear, bloOd-re cOrnellan, t
upright pillar being carved to represent
uehceudlng arrow, and the cross piece
very hne wrought Imitation of wings.
what attraction this bit of Thin
winch, aside from being your gift, loi
upon as Worthlcss, can possess, to rend
so exceedingly precious In the eye
man, cannot cot lecture" continued t
puzzled Irene.
think can furnish you with a cl
10 lhe foundation of this extraordlna
interest, remarked Henri. "What W
MS general appcaraucel That of coarl
ill-bred person ~
"Far from that. He was quite tall, n
over teshy, well dressed, aud refined
bearing and language. Ills countenau
uetokened much illness at some cal
tiOn 2" N''''i
should your cross.enamored frIe
eall again, and / should much doubt
ne ever does" said Henri, 81 am the p
son with whom he must DEAL"