Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-04-30

NAN WhOlt NllblttilNtE L
"Oh, moi Look here, ] shall have the
honor p show you" and he drew a
folded mp from his breast-pocket 81
leave You here at Calumet'-noting the
point witt his pencil" you see9 There
/ take thelightning train for Cairo; thence
by eXpresSthis way"-pointing to Memphis
and Jackson" down to New Orleans.
That is right, eh Y'
" Yes put you will have to go to Vera
Cruz. Hpw about steamer across the
gulf"
Ahl here 1 60 round your Robin
Hoods ban' he said, laughing. Sect
| go acros to Havana, and thence to Vera
Cruz"
And hen-?" my eye followed his
pencil.
" Then go by diligence to the City
Mexico, where / take the saddle for Man
camilla. There, if the good fates befriend
me, catch steamer ahead of the one that
left New York when / did. So l lose no
time; l see your great country; and | es.
cape the dull, monotonous sea, of which l
have had too much already"
The hours flew on silver wings. All
day long we floated on tide of talk,
sometimes sparkling with wit and humor
sometimes taking deeper tone as we
touched upon themes that gave TO each
brief, passing glimpses of the soul Of the
other. 1t seemed to me that there was
little worth knowing that my companion
did not know; little worth seeing that he
had not seen; little worth thinking that he
had lot thought.
Yet | learned little of his personal his
tory, save that he had spent much time in
49,, l. L.,
terests in the pearl fisheries at Lima, on
business connected with which he was 60
ing to San Francisco.
We had said nothing in any way relating
to the war, its causes or its results. But
suddenly my friend turned to me.
You have been in the army ?n he said
" Yes" answered. 81 served through
the war. But why do you think ?''
"Ah, you have something-the air mill
tdire. knew it from the first l, too, am
soldier, and 1 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 Orleans.
''We must not part as strangers" he
said, impulsively. My heart has gone
out to you--for we are akin! Somehow
somewhere-shall we not meet again ?"
and he clasped my hand warmly.
My reticent Northern nature stirred
within me.
Il trust so, l hope So" Responded
But the world is wide. 7 shall never for
get you, NJ. L'Estrange.'
Ali you are young" he said, with a
slow shake of the head, "you are young
and the young have short memories. But
stay! hold! I shall give you a sigma
token. So shall you keep me in your
heart
Taking from his pocket tiny box, he
watchguard. A number ofpearls cleaned
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
ly a gift.
Are we not friends?" he cried, his lip
curling with superb scorn. How talk
you then of COST"
Two, then, to be mounted as sleeve but
tons? Still shook my head, and still he
persisted.
Here, then, mon ami, #" he said, at last,
eff you shall 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. "It shall
be mounted like this drawing a design
on the lid of the box, land you shall wear
it for a sign. Then, you see, | shall have
its mate set in the same manner. 1t shall
be for token between us; and the pearls
shall bring us together again. All, l know
it! The pearls-they are charmedr
"Ah, NJ. L'Estranger' / answered. 81
can resist no longer. l will wear your
pearl; and it shall at least be a s0uDenir of
days never to be forgotten"
AS he was replacing the box card
photograph fell to the floor. picked il
up, and was handing it to him, when my
eye fell upon face of such rare loveliness
that he'd the little picture as if spell
bound-a woman's face, softly outlined,
delicately rounded; apure, calm forehead,
crowned with braided tresses darkly
bright" tender, unsmiling lips, that wore
a sweetness deeper and holier than smiles
chin and check that might well have
served as models for sculptor. There
were soft laces resting about the throat
and lace-sAawl, thrown gracefully over
the stately head, rested lightly on the
shoulders, like radiant cloud But the
eyes were the glory of the picture-large
dark, spiritual eyes, that look into yours
with unfathomable meanings in theil
liquid depths.
My selfpossession and my good man
ners returned to me at the same moment
l beg your pardon" / said, deprecat
ingly, as | gave the picture to its owner
but it is so beautiful Is ii your wifeY
My wife? No. he said, with a low
wise smile, "but it is my Marguerite
my PEARL ~
There was no time for further speech
| We were at Calumet. L'Estrange threw
| his arm around me in his impulsiv(
French fashion, and kissed my check will
a warm "God bless your' Another mo
ment and our short chapter OF romance
was ended
But was there no second chapter? Ger
tainly, or ] should hardly have thought i
worth while to tell you this. | returned
to New York in a few weeks, had my
pearl mounted precisely as L'Estrange haC
directed, and wore it, at first with half
superstitious feeling that it was truly {
link between us and you'd one day draw
us together 1t was, at all events, power
ful in one way. 1t was, indeed, as he haC
said a sign, token. 1t kept fresh anC
green in my memory what might else have
gradually faded away as one of the many
forgotten incidents of a life that wal
changeful and full of adventure.
But it was not his face only that it re
called. never wore it without seeing, a
in vision, the dark, soul-lit eyes that haC
looked up at me from the photograph, tn,
pure, calm brow, the tender, wistful moutl
of my friends Marguerite" Not hi
wife, but doubtless his betrothed. Wha
other meaning could give 20 the suddeI
! light that illumined his face as he ex
claimed, in that last, hurried moment
1T is my Marguerite-my pearlY"
81 shall write you from San Fran
CISCO" he had said. But days, week
and months heightened into years, and
heard nothing. My pearl scarf,pin wa
the only token that those charmed days o
travel had been more than a dream / b(