The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-03-29

gold, he felt, was, after all, there-at that
horizon whose belt actually shone in the
golden air like gold. All the vast plain o.
rivers and mountains and cities and field.
became as nothing before the longing thai
came over him to follow in her flight the
apparition of Iris. But no wings came tc
his misshapen shoulders, nor was the lain.
bow solid bridge for his ungainly feet
Nothing was left, then, but to cast himself
from his high place and to set out on foot
to the spot where lay the only treasure that
was not his own. The sheer downfall of a
thousand feet in front of him filled him
with no sort of fear. 1t was the broad
calm sea that lay beneath, from which rose
a distant echo of such songs as Lorelei
might sing, were her arms extended to
break and to invite his fall. But weight
held him back, in spite of his longing
The Empress of the Emeralds paralyzed
foot and hand, and numbed even heart and
eye. Gradually, as he waited, struggling
in vain for the power to cast himself down,
the sunshine grew less golden, and the un-
natural but familiar green light returned,
absorbing into itself, little by little, the
hues of the rainbow itself, which. before
long, grew well-nigh invisible. 1t seemed
as though the whole universe were taking
one all pervading hue; as though the EN-
erald, hitherto content with Transforming
J., Sc oh INT rola nf
light, were filling with itself all the earth,
all the sea, and all the sky. The effect was
overwhelmingly fascinating. He chung to
his talisman, even though he felt what
was almost hatred for its power; though
he knew that if he hurled it from him into
the sea he should understand and attain
his whole souls underlined and inexplicable
desire.
The rainbow had now passed away, and
earth, sky, and sea had fused themselves
into a mist of emerald twilight with which
he himself was saturated, body and soul.
He sank down on the floor in state of
drunken torpor, in which he was incapable
even of gaining his mattress. Still he
dreamed, but his dream was no longer a
vision. 1t was made up of fantastic, in
consequent, inconsistent images that de-
fed memory and defy Ineligible descrip-
ton. Only one idea did he recall to mind
when he awoke: it was that of the form,
wrapped in the mist of opal, that had for
an instant led him into open day, and had
thrown bridge across the world.
He woke before it was light, and, to his
terror, found that the talisman had drop
ped from his hand. In an agony of antici-
pated loss he lighted another candle-for
that by the light of which he had dreamed
was now burned out-aud sighed with re-
lief to find it lying on the floor beside him.
But he was terribly weary. So he returned
it to its casket, and tho casket to its hid
g-place. As he did so, the faint moon
light that entered the window was for
moment obscured by some object. of which
the shadow was thrown across the floor
He started in panic, and his trembling
ears seemed to catch the sounds of foot
steps hurrying from the back court.
But, faint and exhausted, he was incap-
able of feeling further excitement, even
that caused by fear. So he at last threw
himself upon his bed, and slept once more,
dreaming this time of meat and bread, and
gnawing his talons in his dreams out of
very hunger.
He was in fact, actually starving; and
yet he had but to say single word to be-
come millionaire.