The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-11-19
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY.
The Pearl Necklace.


One Of our ancestors, Count Malza-
hn, inhabited long ago the Castle Of Mil
itsch, in Silesia. He was married to
beautiful lady, and in due time became
che happy father of son and heir.
Shortly after the child's birth the moth
er had a strange dream, which made SO
deep an impression on her mind that she
could not refrain from relating it the next
day. She dreamed that little dwarf
had appeared at the bottom of her couch
and that be had begged her in the most
piteous tones to have her babys cradle
removed from the spot on which it stood,
as the rocking, he said, disturbed his wife
who was very i'll, and could not sleep for
the noise. The poor countess only got
laughed at for her foolish dream. The
next night, however. her guest reappeared
urging his request with still greater
earnestness; she therefore determined no
longer to Withstand his entreaties. and
the next day the baby had his cradle re-
moved to the other end of the room. The
ensuing night the little man visited her
again, thanking her profusely for her
kind acquiscenee in his wishes, and as
suring her that his wife was already fast
recovering in4 consequence.
The countess was we'll pleased when
che vision disappeared aud left her for
some time in peace; the relief however.
was not Of long duration, as few weeks
later her dreams we're again distu rbed
By the same appartion. This time the
dWarfmade strong objections tothenurse's
habit Of throwing away the water from
the ohild's bath through the ordinary
channel. He declared that every par
ticle of il pattered down, drop by drop
on his Wife's head, and if the countess
would not deign to order her servants to
throw away the child's bath on some
other spot, his wife must perish. The
countess got rather inpatient at this seq
ond appeal, and determined MOTIF be so
foolish as to attach any importance to a
dream; but the little man was not to be
put of; he appeared to herevery evening
and was SO importunate that she was fain
TO order the child's bath to be emptled
in another corner of the castle. No
sooner had this taken place than once
more the little man presented himself to
her, thanking her most gratefully.
"My wife is new quite restored, added
he; sall danger is past. Deign to &C.
cept this necklace; it ought never to 60
ont Of your family, and if kept it will
always foretell the death of the Countess
Malzahn, by one of its pearls turning
black by degrees, before the demise Of
each lady of this race"
When the young countess awoke what
was her surprise to perceive pearl neck
lace lying on the coverlid before herl
Some hundred years afterwards q very
rough Count Malzahn was proprietor Q
the Chateau of Militsch. He was grea
sportsman, and fond of heavy. potations
He often had a yild set of companions
about him, and thus scared away iron
his table his beautiful young wife. Vne
evening when those rough sportsmen na'
been drinking hard around ihe oakei
table, the conversation happened to tnrr
upon the mysterious necklace, which na'
acquired great celebrity from the fac
that whenever q Countess of MalzahI
died, one of the pearls really did turr
black. Some questions arose as to TIT
quality of tho-stones, it having been as
certained1 by jewellers that although
bear;ag a strong resemblance to pearls
TIE stones were of no earthly compost
tion, and so hard that it was impossible
30 break them. At a request of hi
gnests. the Count sent to his lady, beg
ging her to lend her necklace for theil
inspection. She did not like to part with
it, and made an excuse; whereupon hei
lord Waxed wroth, and ordered her to seni
him the .rinket, on pain of his serious
displeasure. The countess complied; the
necklace was brought, handed about, and
examined. and many were the bets made
as to its ;solidity. One declared..he could
split pearl with his sword. Wageri
we're laid for and against;-he struck th'
blow with dreadful violence, but th'
pearl remained unscathed. SUDDENLY 9
dreadful peal of thunder was heard; the
lightning struck upon the old towel
where they we're seated, burying the half,
drunken knights under the rush of fall
ing stones. Many we're drawn outmerelJ
wounded, the imprudent knight who ha(
tried his strength on unearthly thing
was struck dead. The pearl necklac,
was found, and has been ever since care
fully preserved, but they never have beef
able to rebuild the tower of Militsch. 1
is said that whatever part Of it is bull
during the day falls in during the night
50 that after many fruitless attempts t
overcome the spell, ithas been given u !
altogether. The old necklace still re
tains its strange power of marking th'
death Of each successive owner, by on