The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-08-20

leave you mere at Calumet -notlDS td'
point with his pencil-'tyou see? Their,
take the lighting train for Cairo
thence by express this way pointing
to Memphis and Jackson-"down t.
New Orleans. That is right eh ?"
Eyes but you will have to go tt
Vera Cruz. How about a steamer across
the gulf ?"
"Ahi there I go round your Robin
Hoods barn p he said, laughing. "See
I go across to Havana, and thence t.
Vera Cruz"
"And them" my eyes followed hi
pencil.
"Then I go by diligence to the city
of Mexico, where I take the saddle fol
Manzanilla. There, if the good fates
befriend me, catch steamer ahead o.
the one that left New York when I did
So, 1 lose no time; see your great
country; and escape the dull, monoto
nous sea, of which have had too much
already"
The hours flew Oh silver wings. AL
day long We foated on a tide of talk,
sometimes sparkling with wit and
hUmor sometimes taking a deeper
tone as we touched upon themes that
gave to each brief, passing glimpses OF
the soul of the other. It seemed to me
that there was little worth knowing that
my companion did not know; little
worth seeing that he did not see; little
worth thinking that he had not thought.
| Yet l learned little of his personal
history, save that he had spent much
time in South America; and that he had
large interests in the pearl fisheries at
Lima, on business connected with which
he was going to San Francisco.
We had said nothing in any way re-
lating to the war, its causes or its re-
suits. But suddenly my friend turned
| to me.
"You have been in the army?" ne
said.
eyes," I answered. 81 served
through the war. But why do you
think so?
"Ah, you have something--the air
militaire. I knew it from the first. I,
too, am soldier, and [ did not need
that you should give the countersign. "
Another night passed, and hour after
hour of the second day. We were
forty miles from Calumet. A deep
silence fell upon Us two, who in these
days of chance companionship had
grown so strangely near each other.
Soon our paths would diverge, never, in
all probability, to cross again. In vain
NJ. L'Estrange urged me to prolong
my journey, at least as far as New Or
| leans.
eve must not part as strangers, he
said, impulsively. "My heart has gone
out to you-for we are akin Some
w-somewhere-shall We not meet
again ?" and he elasped my hand
My reticent northern natufe stirred
within me.
81 trust so, hope So" responded.
"But the world is wide. shall never
forget you, M. L'Estrange.
"Ah you are young" he said, with
slow shake of the head, "you are
young, and the young have short memo
ries. But stay hold shall give you
a sigma token. So shall you keep one
| in your heart.
Taking from his pocket tiny box, he
unlocked it with key attached to his
watch guard. A number of pearls
cleaned and shimmered in the sunlight
He selected four of remarkable size and
purity.
you shall wear these for my sake, "
he said, placing them in my hand.
But I demurred, saying it was too
costly gift.
care we not friends?" he cried, his
lip curling with superb scorn. "How
talk you then of cost?"
"Two, then, to be mounted as sleeve
buttons?" Still shook my head, and
still he persisted.
"Here, then, mon ami" he said at
last, If you will not have two, you
shall have one ;" and, taking my hand,
he placed one large, pure, lustrous
pearl on the palm, and closed my
fingers over it. cit shall be mounted
like this" drawing a design on the lid
of the box, "and you shall wear it for
sign. Then, you see, shall have its
mate set in the same manner. 1t shall
be for a token between us and the
pearls shall bring us together again.
All, 1 know it ! The pearls-they are
charmed !"
"Ah, M. L'Estrange /" answered,
81 can resist no longer. l will wear
souvenir of days never to be forgotten. 4"
AS he was replacing the box a card
photograph fell to the floor. 1 picked
it up, and was handing it to him, when
my eye fell upon a face of such rare
loneliness that held the little picture
as if spellbound-a woman's face, softly
outlined, delicatly rounded; a pure,
calm forehead, crowned with "braided
tresses darkly bright )" tender, unsmil-
ing lips, that wore sweetness deeper
and holier than smiles a chin and
cheek that might well have served as
models for a sculptor. There were soft
laces resting about the throat and a
lace shawl, thrown gracefully over the
stately head, rested lightly on the
shoulders like a radiant cloud. But
the eyes were the glory of the picture ;
large, dark, spiritual ewes, that looked
into yours with unfathOmable meanings
in their liquid depths.
My self-possession and my good man.
ners returned to me at the same mo-
ment.
81 beg your pardon" said depre-
catingly, as I gave the picture to Its
owner "but it is so beautiful ! 1t Is
your wife?"
"My wife? No." he said, with g
low, wise smile, "but it is my Mar
guerite-my pearl !"
There was no time for further speech.
We we're at Calumet. LEstrange
threw his arm around me in his i'm
pulsive French fashion and kissed my
cheek with warm "God bless you -
Another moment and our short chapter
of romance was ended.
But was there no second chapter
Certainly, or I should hardly have
thought it worth while to tell you this.
| returned to New York in few weeks,
had my pearl mounted precisely as