The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-06-10

watch-gu ard. A number of pearls CLEAN
I'd 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 / demurred, saying it was too cost
Are we not friends? p he cried, his lip
curling with superb scorn. "How talk
you then of cost?''
Two, then. to be mounted as sleeve-bRt-
tons: Still shook my head, and stili be
persisted. 90
Here. then. mon ami he said at last;
- If YOU will NOT have two, You Shall have
one - and. taldng my lIand, he placed
one large. pure, lusITous pearl on Tie
palm and closed my fingers over il. II
shall be mounted like tbs" drawing a de-
sign on the lid OF the box, "and You shaIi
wear it for sign. Then, you See, SHAH
have its mate set in the same manner. 1t
shall be for token between us and the
pearls shall bring us together again. All,
| know it, The pearls-they are charm
ed"
"Ah, NJ. L'Estrangei'' | answered, Il
can resist no longer. l will wear your
pearl, and it shall be at least souvenir OF
days never to be forgotten"
As he was replacing the box. a card pho
tograph fell to the floor. picked il up,
and was handing ii to him, when my eye
fell upon a face of such rare loveliness that
held the little picture as if spellbound-a
wOman's face, softly outlined. delicately
rounded; squire, calm forehead. crowned
with braided tresses darkIy Bright"
tender unsmiling lips, that wore a sweet
ness deeper and hOler than smiles; chin
and cheek that mi hit well have served as
models for a sculptor. There We're soft
laces resting about the throat and lace
shawl. thrown gracefully over the stately
head rested lightly on the shoulders, like
4 radiant cloud. But the eyes were the
glory of the picture; large, dark, spiritu-
al eyes, that look into yours with unfath-
ENABLE meanings in their liquid depths.
Ny self possession and my good man
ners returned to me at the same moment.
II beg your pardon, = said, deprecat.
ingIy. as / gave the picture TO Its owner;
% but it is so beautiful! IL is your wife ?"
"My wifeg' No." he said, with low,
wise smile, "but it is my Marguerite-my
pearlr'
There was no time for speech. We are
at Calumet. l. 'Esuanges threw his arm.
around me in his impulsive French
fashion, and kissed my cheek with warm
our short chapter of romance was ended.
But was there no second chapter? Ger
tainly. or should hardly have thought it
worth while to tell you this. l returned
to New York in a few weeks. and had my
pearl mounted precisely as l. Estrange had
directed, and wore it, at first with half
superstitious feeling that it was truly a
link between us, and would one day draw
Us together. Ii was, at all events, power
full in one way. 1t was, indeed, as he had
| said, sign, token. 1t kepJ fresh and
green in my memory what might elst
have gradually faded away. as one of the
MANY forgotten incidents of life that was
changeful and full of adventure.
But it was net his face only that it re-
called. / never wore it without seeing, as
| in a vision, the dark, sOul-lit eyes that had
looked up at me from the photograph, the
pure, calm brow, the tender wistful
mouth. of my friends q" Marguerite" Not
! his wife. but doubtless his betrothed
What other meaning could give to the
sudden light that illumine1 his face as he
exclaimed, in that last hurried moment,
cit is my Marguerite-my pearl?'
shall write you from San Francisco"
he had said. But day., weeks, and
months, heightened into years, and heard
token that those charmed days of travel
had been more than dream. | believed
that he was dead.
Last summer was in Paris. Early one
morning l went to the Madeleine, and,
| leaning against one of the tiuted columns
watched the worshippers as they came
and went. The sun shot yellow rays
through the grained windows in the roof /;
| the chanting of hidden choir sounded far
off and dream-li like; the sculptured Mag
DARN OF the high altar looked strangely
real in the weird, uncertain light; and the
whole atmosphere of the place was bewil-
dering.
As | stood near one of the great bronze
doors, lady yelled. and gathering the
folds of her mantle closely about her
throat, passed me with light step. The
! figure was exquisitely graceful, and |
watched her with a young mans idle
curiosity as she knelt at her prayers, won
dering if her face was worthy of her form.
As she rose, fresh breeze from an open
ing door blew back her veil, and caught
passing glimpse of her features.
All the blood in my veins rushed madly
to my heart. Surely it was the face of my
dreams-that face of my friends Mar
| guerite! Yet it seemed younger lace /;
perhaps less MadoHna-like than in the
| picture, haloed by cloud-like drapery.
You see l had not forgotten the slightest
popularity Of the photograph. l could
have sworn to the very pattern of the
lace.
Before | recovered my senses, she had
disappeared.
For three days had haunted the Made
| leine in vain. On the fourth | caught a
| eli n har n a
| coin in the hand of pallid child. But it
was fete-day, and the crowd swayed in
between US. After that | saw her no more.
went on to Switzerland, lingering for
month among its mountain passes !;
made a short run into Italy, and came
back. was lettering along Les Champs
Elvsees one evening in fit of hOmtsick-
ness 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 sunset
| light fell full and strong where l was
st nding, but it was twilight all about me.
changed my position hurriedly, and
| fastened on.
But in moment heard quick footsteps
! behind me, then run and shout. An
arm fell across my shoulder, hand clasp
ed mine, and a well-remembeTed voice
cried:
sit is you! l have found you! All,
mon ami : mon ami But it was the pearl,
even as | told you so in that wild Calu-
met" And Hippolyte L'Estrange poin.-
to the scarf-pin | wore that day. But
you are grown older, monsieur. You are
changed and was not thinking of you
at that moment. But the great pearl
shimmered in the sunlight, and it drew
my eyes TO the face above it. Said l not
that il was charmed?''
1t is needless to speak of the happiness
of that reunion, all the greater for the
mood in which it found me.
al shall not lose sight of you again"
said NJ. L Esrange. Y on will go LONE
with me tomorrow, to Strasbourg. Mar
guerite-you remember'-and he smiled
more brightly than Acknowledgements
will be glad to know my friend. Very Of
ten have talked of our days together"
Marguerite! Shall | confess that for
one moment shrank from coming pain,
a hidden danger? Then every instinct in
my manhood rose in quick rebellion. NV
I