The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-08-12
MY TWO PEARLS.
by JULIA 9. n, DoRR.

n palace and reStallrant CDR, thfouB"
to Chicago"
"Secti9n ?" eaid the conductor, with
n rising infection. "Onght to have tel,
cpraphed, sir. Only ono berth left, ana
that's a mere accident. Here il is-N0.
0. Gentleman who engaged it missed
connection nj Syracuse Il
CONCENTRATING myself on my good
fortune. / speedily crcpt into No
q. n lower berth, and fell fast asleep.
When I opened my eyes the gray dawn
Of an October morning the October OF
1SGs-was stealing in through the cur
tanned window.
/ lay rome minutes in n half dream,
listening to the multitudinons noises OF
tho trim, with scarcely Il thought OF
where / was. Then, as the light grew
stronger, Iraised myself upon my elbow
and looked about me, only to fa1 back
a moment after with Il start OF surprise
that was almost dismav.
Right before my eyes hung n white,
Bhnpely hand, with n dark seal ring upon
the third inger. 1t took me a minute or
two TO collect my rcattered senses
enough to discover that IL belonged to
the occupant Of the upper berth,
dropped carelcsBly from HIS quarters to
my own, in the heavy abandonment Of
sleep.
/ lay and looked at it-a white,
shapcly hand, as | have gaid-'a hand
unmarried or ungloriGed-choOs the
word for yourBeIf-by thoseams and cal
louBesof MAMMAL labor. The fingers were
long and tnporing, the nails oval and
well cared for. Tho wrist was not large,
but wcll-knit and Binewy and half
buried in the fine linen Of the shirt
sleeve / caught tho sparkle Of n dla-
mOnd,
The hand had q strange fascination
for me, half uncanny though it looked
in the weird, struggling light OF early
morning. / watched it, vaguely won
doripg what kind Of % face would assOrt
with it, till there was n stir overhead,
and it vanished. Then made my toilet
M / best might, and went out on the
platform for Il breath Of fresh air.
When, after the lapse Of half an honr,
/ leignrcly stole back to my place again,
all vestigeg OF the night were removed,
and n gentleman in II plain gray travelling
suit occupied one scat in tho cOmpart-
mont allotted to me. He hold a newspa-
per in the hand. ] recognized it ut
once.
He lifted his eyes long enough to 20.
luto me with a courteous bow as / took
tho opposite seat, and then resumed his
reading. lopenedmy paper also; but
the attempt to ougross myself with it's
contents was d vain one-my eyes and
my thoughts continually wandered to
my Viz Il Wis.
Describe him Not m easy matter.
Neither is IL easy to account for the
fascination that he wore as an invisible
mantle. | might tell you that he was
tail and blight that his complexion
was clear and dark, that his black,
crisp locks curIed closely around n we'll
shaped head that his mustacho was II
light and graceful penciling on the
firm, thin lip; and that his imperial
was above roprOach. But, having told
You this, / should expect you to Bny
with n glance Of incfnble meaning that
you could find his counterpart in my
barbGr's shop on broadway or, il not
there, in your ~siDtcr's French dancing
master.
You think SO? Perhaps it is not
strange. You soc / cannot put into
words the individuality Of tho man
the certain indelinablo something Tint
ut once set him apart from the crowd,
and made him notable.
He dropped his paper presently, aud
turned TO me with some remark upon
current events made with II slight
foreign accent. Thus We foil into con
versation.
"Breakfast served whenever you
please, gentlemen" said the porter
passing through tho car.
My companion bowed, smiling.
"As We are to be second mates for a
day or two" he said, at il VOL We
should know each other. Shall / do
myself tho honor to present you with
my card ?"
"Hlppolyte L'Estrango, Strasbourg."
/ read from the little whito parallelo.
gram. SO ] had not been mistaken in
%supposing him n Frenchman. may as
well tell You here what he read from
the card | gave him III return edward
Ripon, New York"
We breakfasted together ut his re.
quest. / found my3 'chGnce acquaint-
auce' TO DO q most intelligent and
cultivated man, and n great traveller.
SO much OF tho world had he seen, 30
wide was his knowledge Of mon and
things, that to my comparative mex.
porience, it seemed little less than
marvellous. He was years older than
myself was Just twenty. three or at
least lie seemed 20. A Frenchman is
older than IN American OF the same
ago, always. But, allowing for all that,
M. LEstraDge was, doubtless, ten or
twelve years my senior. He was ut
onco ~reticent and communicative as TO
his plans and projects. 1 aoon discov-
cred that he was on his way to Snh
Francisco-ao much further off then
than now.
u "Bnt what n circuitous route |" /
exclaimed. "You aro going round
Robin Hoods barn"
"Robin Hoods barn 7" he repeated.
with Il half-laugh, bis eyes lighting as
no caught my mean. "But, my friend,
I had just come from Panama. | was
tired of the ship. the sea, the ~monotony,
30 1 10 this way"
"Overland the whole distance ?" ]
asked.
"Oh, mol Look here, l shall have
the honor to show you" and ho drew q
folded map from his breast pocket. 81
leave yon here AT Calumet'-noting tho
point with hib pencil-"you seo2 There
ltako the lighting train for Cairo /;
thence by express this way. pointing
TO Memphis and Jpckson-"down 10
New Orleaus. That il right ell 2"
"1es but you will have 10 90 IN
Vera Cruz. How about a steamer across
the gulf p ~
All there go round your Robin
Hoods barn |" he said, laughing. "seo,
i,go across TO Havana, and thence 10
Vera Cruz" -
MAul ILnn 90 49, ~