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

ten incidents OF life that was cnange-
full end full of adventure.
But it was not his face only that /
recalled. I never wore it without see
ing as IN vision the dark, soul-lit eyes
that had looked up at me from the pho
tograph, the pure, calm brow. the
tender, wlstful mouth of my friends
Marguerite" Not his wife, but
doubtless his bethrothed. What other
meaning could I give to the sudden
light that illumined his face as he ex-
claimed, in that last, hurried moment.
cit is my Marguerite, my pearl?"
81 shall write you from San Fran
CISCO he had said. But days, weeks
and months heightened into years, ard
I heard nothing. My pearl scarf-pin
was the only token that those charmed
days of travel had been more than a
dream. / believed that he was dead.
Last summer / was in Paris. Early
one morning / went to the Madeleine,
and, leaning against one of the huted
columns, watched the worshipers as
they came and went. The sun shot
yellow rays through the grained win
dows in the roof the chanting of
hidden choir sounded far off and dream
like; the sculptured Magdalen of the
|
weird, uncertain light; and the whole
atmosphere of the place was bewilder-
ing.
| AS I stood near one of the great
bronze doors, a lady, yelled, and gather
ing the folds of her mantle closely about
her throat, passed me with light step.
The figure was exquisitely graceful,
and / watched her with young mans
| oh NJ hon
ers, wondering if her face was worthy
of her form. AS she rose, fresh
| breeze from an opening door blew back
her veil, and caught passing glimpse
of her features.
madly to my heart. Surely it was the
face of my dreams-the face of my
friends Marguerite Yet it seemed
younger face perhaps less Madonna
| like than the picture, haloed by cloud
like drapery. You see l had not for
gotten the slightest popularity of the
photograph. I could have sworn to the
very pattern of the lace.
Before I recovered my senses she had
disappeared.
For three days 1 haunted the Made
leine in vain. On the fourth I caught
glimpse of her again, stopping to drop
coin in the hand of a pallid child.
But it was fete day, and the crowed
swayed in between us. After that l
saw her no more.
1 went on to Switzerland, lingering
for a month among its mountain
passes made short run into Italy,
and came back. was lettering along
Les Champs Elysees one evening in a
| fit of homeslckness, half inclined to
take the next steamer for Havre, and so
end this rowing life, when [ became
aware of being watched-watched by
dark figure under the shadow of the
opposite trees. The red sunlight fell
full and strong where I was standing, but
it was twilight all about me. changed
my position hurriedly and fastened on.
But in a moment heard quick foot
steps behind me, then a run and a
shout. An arm fell across my shoulder,
a hand clasped mine and a well-remem-
bered voice cried:
cit is you I have found you All,
mon ami 7! mon ami But it was the
pearl, even as told you so in that wild
Calumet" And Hippolyte L'Estrange
pointed to the scarf pin 1 wore that
day. "But you are grown older, mon
sieur, you are changed and l was not
thinking of you at that moment. But
the great pearl shimmered in the sun
light, and it drew my eyes to the face
above it"
Said I, "Not that it was charmed"
It is needless to speak of the happl-
ness of this reunion, all the greater for
the mood in which 1t found me.
81 shall not lose sight of you again"
said NJ. L'Estrange. "You will go home
with me to morrow to Strasbourg, Mar
guerite-you remember" he smiled
more brightly than before" Margue
rite will be glad to know my friend.
Very often have talked Of our days
together"
Marguerite Shall confess that for
one moment shrank as from a coming
pain, q hidden danger? Then every
instinct in my manhood rose in quick
rebellion. MY friends wife was vestal
to me even IN Thought sacred as if
shrined and guarded by inapproachable
distances. / would go with him.
Why had he not written to me P
Simply because he had lost my address
-"OnIy this and nothing more"
It would take too long to tell our de-
liehtful Journey, and pass on rapidly
to the hour when the towers of Stras-
bourg rose before us, and the lofty spire
of her cathedral pierced the clouds.
NV friends chateau was inside the
walls of the city, on rising ground.
See" he said, with sweep of his
hand, as the carriage rolled slowly along,
"this is not so grand, so fresh, as your
great New World yet it is fair pic
ture."
He might we'll say so. The seven
gated city lay at our feet the blue
Rhine wound along between stored
banks; the branching III glided through
the town, picturesque with its many
bridges in the far distance rose the
Voset mountains, and the Black Forest
of Germany.
And now we were at the chateau,
stately pile, ivy clad and moss grown,
vet bright, seemingly with an eternal
youth.
Marguerite, this is the friend of
whom you have so often heard me speak
Edward Rjpon," said LEstrange, as
/ entered the salon an hour after, and
fair, sweet, womanly face, the face of
the Madeleine, looked up from the bit
of embroidery over which it was bend
ing.
lis she like the picture-my Mar
guerite ?" asked my host but before L
could reply he went on "By that name
you first knew her, and by that name
YOU are to know her now. We are to
live in Arcadia for whole month and
as is fitting we are to be to each other
Marguerite and Edward and Hippolyte.
Have not the kind fates proved that we
are akin, as told you years ago? Why