The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-03-27
THE AGATE CROSS.

leave the family starred, dlm-blue
heaven. Watts of delicious fragrance
float along the garden paths from the
dewy heliotrope clusters and the vague
jungles of mignUnette. Low above the
ragged line of distant forest hangs the
Young golden crescent.
The lovers stand at the garden gate.
The woman's face is fresh and fair you
can see indistinctly the lustrous rich
ness of her hazel eyes as the soft moon
light strikes them. The man is hand
some, too i tall, well-shaped, with a
face of delicate, slightly oval contour
It is Elsie Warmers voice that breaks
the stiffness:
"And so, Paul, you really mean that
you will never forget me ?"
"How is that possible, Elsie ?" He
holds her hands between both his own,
whilst murmuring the words; and now
he stoops to kiss her white forehead,
glittering purely in the moonlight.
"But New Orleans is such q great,
thickly- populated place." the girl says,
giving a little mirthless laugh. "Per-
haps-who knows-you may see some
one there whom you could love bet
ter"
Hush, darling !" and he stops her
mouth very lovingly with his uplifted
hand. 81 won't let you talk so ridicu
lousy. l am going to New Orleans, it
is true; but shall write you from there
every other day, at least, during the six
months of my absence and you should
not feel sorry that / am to be away.
Remember that have some pride about
taking a rich mans daughter without 3
penny of my own to save me from be-
ing what people can term an out-and-
out fortune hunter. Your father has
obtained for me (kind man that he isl a
of the most valuable character
In a few months 1 am to return and
marry you meanwhile I am to reap
all the advantages possible from your
fathers benevolence. Surely there is
nothing in this prospect to make you
feel at all gloomy"
Elsie signs, though almost inaudibly.
I" know it, Paul. suppose am hor-
ribly foolish. But do you know that a
sort of strange sadness comes over
me whenever / think at all of the fu-
ture"
Nonsense" He kissed her again
not on the forehead this time. Then
he fumbles for a moment or two at his
watch-chain, presently saying:
"Here, Elsie, is little cross that I
want you to take and keep. Always
wear it whist am away and when
ever the least shadow of doubt in my
perfect consistency, darling, visits your
soul, look at it and say to yourself
" Paul loves me-"
She answered him with short, low,
passionate cry, eagerly receiving the
souvenir he offers. GO shall, Paul. L
is a sweet idea, and I am so glad you
thought of it.
A little while afterward Elsie Warner
walks up through the vague-lit garden
towards the han3sOme-fronted house
that looms beyond, telling herself as
she does so that she is a dissatisfied
borrower of trouble, and does not de-
serve to have half so devoted a lover as
dear Paul"
Meanwhile " dear Paul " strolIs home
ward through the placid June dusk.
What are his thoughts as he does so?
Far different are they from Elsie's. He
is telling himself that fate has cast his
lines in rather pleasant places that he
hIs the only child of a very rich and
prosperous parent to love him to dis
traction that one day, when old Jo-
seph Warner dies Gan event which must
be looked forward to as not particularly
distant) he will occupy a most enViable
position as that gentleman's son-in-
law briefly, that he is in luck.
And whilst thinking these thoughts
lie whistles nonchalantly, and figura-
lively pats himself on his own shout
der, as much as to say, "Paul Balistear,
you are a clever fellow, and deuccd for
tunate." But does lie remember the
agate cross? Does he remember the
sweet, appealing eyes that dwelt so ten
derby upon him not long ago? Re
remembers neither.
"Tom is so awkward, pouts Maud
Enninger, with something between a
smile and frown. 81 like him, of
course that is, I used to like him.
Now, things are different"
Different, Maud echoes her moth
err. "I sincerely hope nor. Thomas
Erskine believes himself to be your fu-
ture husband"
"Let him believe what he chooses"
snaps Maud, rosily beautiful in her an
ger. 81 am not responsible for the
pranks which his imagination chooses
to play. He joined me in tie avenue
Y yesterday" she goes on with tossed
head. 81 was so vexed. A moment
later l met Mr.. Balistear. OF course
Paul couldn't walk with me, poor dear
fellow, whilst Thomas Erskine was at
my side. He did look so annoyed and
so handsome into the bargain"
Mrs. Eunipger signs family. 81
wish your father was living, Maud. 1t
will be a pity indeed if no one can pre-
vent you from subjecting Thomas and
the whole EFskine family (whom we
have known for years and years. to such
a sad disappointment"
"A great pity, mamma. No doubt the
whole Erskine family, as you compre-
hensively say, will never forgive me for
having deprived their esteemed relative
of my money"
Maud You know that is shameful
SANDER. / wish you had never seen
this Paul Balistear," adds Mrs. Ennin-
ger, gravely. i" 1t is far more probable
that he is merely anxious to marry you
on account of your money than that"
But Maud, the self-willed, petted
heiress, int rrupts her mother quite
furiously, Just here. Is she not of age
and her own mistress Shall she be
perpetually dictated to as long as her
life lasts +? ct cetera, to an almost infin-
lite degree. Finally, exit our impetu-
Gus, spoiled Maud, with eyes a-glitter
and cheeks afame.
That night Paul Balistear calls. His
visit is the ultimate stamping and seal
ing, so to speak, of Maud's resolution.
Tom Erskine is very nice, but Paul is
UNNECESSARILY nicer. Tom has good,
honest eyes, that are blue and pleasant,
and nothing more. Paul has dreamy,
languoress eyes. Spanish in their black
ness and their lustre. Toms nose Is an
uncontradictable pug. Paul's nose is
thin-nostriled, delicate, classic. Toms
voice is a sound. Paui's is music-a
divine harmony. In many other Ways,
the infatuated girl tells herself, the two
men bear sharpest contrast to one an
other. No; Tom is certainly not en-
durable by the side of Paul