New Orleans Republican., 1877-01-21
THE HEARTBREAK CAMEO.
BY lizzie W. cHAMPNEY.

BY LIZZIE W. CHANPNEY.
ut is a cameo to break ones heartl" said
Mrs. Dalibs, as she tOyed with the superb
jewel. "The cutting is unmistskably Flor
entine, and yet you have placed it among
your Indian curiosities. / do not under
stand it at ALL"
Mrs. Dalliba was 8 connoisseur in gems
she had travelled from one extremity of
Europe to the other; had studied the crown
jewels of nearly every civilized nation,
haunted museums, and was such q fire.
quent visitor at the jewelers. of the Palais
Royal, that many of them had come to re-
gard her as an individual who might harbor
burglarious intentions. She was q very
harmless specialist, however, who, though
she loved these stars of the underworld bet
tar than any human being, could never have
been tempted to make one of them unfairly
her own, and she seldom purchased, for she
never coveted one unless it was some
thing quite extraordinary, beyond the
reach of even her considerable fortune.
Meanwhile few of the larger iewelry
houses had in their employ lapidaries more
skilled than Mrs. Dalliba. She pursued
her studies for the mere love OF the science,
deyoting year in Italy to mosaics, canoes,
and intagliOs. Aud yet the Creveceur
cameo had puzzled wiser heads than Mrs.
Dalliba's, adept though she was. It Was
out from solid heart-shaped gem, q layer
of pure white, shading down through ex-
quisite gradatiOns into deep green, and rep
resented Aphrodite rising from the sea; the
white form rose gracefully, with arms ex-
tended, scattering the drops of spray from
her hands and her wind-blown hair; the
fOamy waves were beautifully cut with
their intense hollows and snowy crests;
it was evidently the work of a Guilt
waited as well as 9 natural artist; it was
not surprising that Mrs. DallibR should
ak - 4 koa
OHt of Italy.
But Professor Stonehenge was right too;
il was stone of the chalcedOnic family,
resembling eardonyX, except in color;
others, similar to it both in q natural
state and wrought into arrowheads, had
been found along the shores of Lake Su-
perior. This seemed to have been brought
away from its associates by some wander
ing tribe, for it had been discovered in
Central Illinois. The nearest point at
which other relies belonging to the same
period had been found was the site of Fort
Crevee@ur, near Starved Rock, Illinois
After ell, the stone enly differed from the
Rrrow-heads Of Lake Superior in its beauti-
ful carving and unprecedented size-and,
Rh, yesl there was another difference,
the mystery of its discovery. No other
skeleton among all the buried braves
unearthed by scientific research at
Creveeeur had been found with gem for
3 heart-a gem that glittered not on the
breaIt, but within q chest hOOped with hu-
man bone Mrs. Dalriba had just remarked
that she had never felt so strong 9 deeire to
possess and wear any jewel as now; but
when Professor Stonehenge told how the
uneanny thing ratified within the white
ribs of the skeleton in which it was found,
she allowed the gem to clip from her hand,
while something of its own pale green
fsickered in the disgusted expression which
- -.
mouth. The cameo was q mystery which
had batiied geUiOgists, antiquarians and
sculptOrs alike, for Father Francois Xavier
had gone down to his grave with his secret
and his cameo hidden In his heart. he had
kept both well for two centuries, and when
the heart erumbled In dust it took its secret
with it, leaving only the cameo to bewilder
conjecture.
It's story was, after all, simple one.
On the southern shore Of Michillimack-
fnae, in the romantic days Of the first ex-
plOrati0n of the great lakes by the COur-
Eeurs de BOis and pioneer priests, had set
tied good Pefe Ignaee, q devoted Jesuit
missionary. The old man was revered and
loved by the Indians among whom be
dWelt. His labors bloasomed in q little
village, called from his patron saint the mis-
sion of st. Ignaee, that displayed its cluster
of white huts and WigWams like the petals
Of q wster-lily on the margin Of the lake.
Just back Of the village was q round knoll
which served Is q landmark on the lake,
for the shore near st. Ignace was remark
ably level On the summit Of this mound.
the good father had reared q great white
cross, and ct its foot the superstitious In.
dians often laid votive offerings of strongly
incOngruOus character. Here he had lived
and taught for many years, succeeding in
1nstEuctiDg his little flock in the French
tongue, and in &C least an outward
Of ha NaehOlfn
Even the rude trappers, who came
to trade et regular intervals, re-
Vered him, and lived like good Christians
while at the mission, so as NOT to counter
aet his teaching by their lawIess example.
Here Pere lgnace was growing old, and
even this grasshopper Of spiritual charge
was becoming g burden. His superior, ct
Montreal, understood this and sent him an
assistant.
Very unlike Father Ienatius was Pere
Francois Xavier, q man with All the fire
and enthusiasm Of youth ia his blood
Just the one for daring. hazardous enter
plises; just the one 70 undergo all the pri-
Vati0n and toll Of planting 3 mission; to
undertake plans requiring supeFhumau ef-
forts, and 70 carry them through sucoess-
fully By main force Of viii. A better assist
ant f0E Father Ignatiua could not have
bean found. II was force, will and
intellect In the service Of love and
Mo4Aud4oi only tuoto Was doubt II
1ho servant might not usurp Che place
of Che master, and the aWay of love be
zpl matarialiy advanced by ia new ally.
Anaeed If the truth had been known, even
the Hinhnp Of Monfroal had felt that Father
Al1A1is AaVier was too ambitious q eharao-
4qE ~ Eeslfe safely in too close proKimity 20
1lNaalii ene enegosaIng employmont st
ai1sa4ce for him, rather than the expressed
so1gitado for Natho9 Iguatiua. pnomptad
t1ia appointment The results 81 the fol
Ao~4AE year Alp1Uved the arrangement.
The mission resolved 4 rev aeoaasion Of
Allgj ils interests were pushed forward ener-
qoilo1|ly.
H4iheE Francis Xatlar devoted hisasslf 10
~ aaqulsiii0n Of the gazioas Indian dia-
411Iz. and % e1euf1ioaa 9EaonN t1s neEahbor.
t1e Tribes. Converts vera made Ia seton
hahl4 numtars, and they brought liberal
Ells a ne little church from IA1Il alm1I8
ur0n* Father leuaios hrd never
4ltgs Il Nlffar with the tEePrfr4 and
sIa4.F.. n1l he colleague didf i1EHe ehufat
~aE 444s| s.o erected and tA1 niasion
lI4F ls1 t741s..l a. iure1la1ea AHsT in
~" I4IffI14 Ns'4 4aFIeF hGd discovered
1sz s1 zaI|lt HInf tul ttl 1I1sote1r,
W fA ~ HNdo no aIIeMr9 aG
H1 H4 trf11 81 lft
lii1 deed end .raatF with ahs
tN|el EE4 1s1NIa iIi had r|el.1t e end ~.
AAIz4 A aaf Is UruiA sn1a say b
very FII1zN N4a b. t00.sE|z| Ef|reeIf .
|1 NE| 4tE Wn If4".H| I 4A.# Mltr. 3