New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-21

30 strange Thrill crep. through me. DOn't
smile-it truly did-and my fingers tingled
| as if some magnetic power passed from the
| old ring to me. I was curiously excited
| and rubbed away till the three diamonds
shone out. Next the dark stone appeared
| with its setting of red gold; and then, on
the plate behind, appeared two initials and
date. The letters were L. B., the date
| 1900. Now, was l not right in calling it a
genuine clnIue cent0 ring, and being proud
of III!
"Oid certainly. and delightfully."- roman
TIC SO you kept it. and left the old Jew N
! ignorance OF the treasure he had LOST"
! Yes, for l felt so intensely interested
in it, 30 charmingly wicked, that could
| not bear to tell my secret. | knew had
| paid enough for it, and would not trouble
myself about the Jew. At first l only
dared to put on my illgotten ring when
alone at night, and never touched it that
the same indescribable thrill did not tingle
| up my arm and fill me with strange fancies
| used to Sit In my room before the great,
dark mirror, which has hung there for
centuries perhaps (you know We lodged for
a time in an old place while in FiOrence)
and with this ring on my finger l could
| dream waking dreams so brilliant, wild,
| and wonderful that my own face frightened
me sometimes. 1t changed with my chang
ing thoughts. and could not control either,
but would lean there with visions Of splen-
dor, sin, love. romance and mystery troop.
| ing through my mind as viyidly as if had
been carried back three centuries and saw
Florence in the Borgias' day. Superstition
| runs in my blood, and just then everything
conspired to fit me for what happened"
Here Helena dropped her voice to on
ominous whisper, aid all could see of her
| face was pair of great dark eyes shiniDg
| in the shadow of the hood.
Il 1Nr@
| dressing table, where two pale candles
burned, looking alternately into my magic
mirror and the face of Caesar Borgla. You
know the fine photograph of the famous
portraits The one in the black velvet dress
! with the left sleeve Of the doublet slashed
| with white, the auburn hair, magnificent
black eyes, and handsome hand on the Jew
eled dagger. l fell in love with this pic.
ture, and used to fancy it talked to me-
| That night, after an unusually long seance,
as called it, fell asleep, with my mind
tull of weird fancies, and dreamt ittully.
| till the great clock striking twelve woke
| me. l was instantly conscious that some
one was near me, and looking up, saw a
| shadowy figure bending over me. l felt no
| fear, for my maid often comes to see if am
comfortable; so shut my eyes again with
out speaking. A cold touch came upon one
of my hands, and felt chilly fingers draw
of the ring which had forgotten to lock
up as usual. Then I was frightened and
thought of robbers, but did not speak or
move, having power only to look up at the
shrOuded face bending over me-
"If it was half SO lovely as the one see,
it must have been charming ghost" I
said, peering into the soft gloom of the hood
that enshrined my idol
But Helena knit her brows in a sudden
frown, laid the hand that wore the ring on
mine with an imperious grasp, and said
sternly:
Laugh, if you choose: but listen, and
then explain the mystery if you can! l
saw nothing in the dim starlight, but felt
that it was woman's face, and when the
figure glided away l sat up and watched it
with more curiosity than fear. Straight to
the toilet table it went and Lit the candles
with touch. Then in the mirror saw the
reflection of face wonderfully beautiful,
with lustrous Italian eyes, thin scarlet lips,
sweet yet cruel and golden hair that gilt
tered in the light. The dress was some
thing rich and strange, with jewels here
and there, aud head gear like that we see
in the old Florentine pictures. l saw all
this as plainly as l see that smokestack,
and though l felt the old thrill l was not
afraid, and knew it was no dream.
The phantom stood moment looking at
itself, as any pretty woman would, then
seemed to see the portrait of my handsome
Caesar, and smiled at 1t with an awful
smile that made my blood run cold fan
cied that the picture smiled back and the
white hand frightened its hold on the dag
ger with significant grip. but forgot him
the next instant, for the woman lifted nv
ring to the light and seemed to eXamins it.
Breathless with curiosity leaned forward
and saw the delicate fingers move the mid
die diamond in the ring till it came out,
then she peered into the tiny opening with
a sudden laugh that made me start and
tremble, it was SO full OF evil mirth. Glanc-
ing over her shoulder she held the ring
above goblet of water standing there
and shook out a few grains of dust that
turned the water purple for moment and
then it was as cOlorless as ever. This done,
she dropped the ring. laid her finger on her
lips as she glanced at Caesar, as if warning
him to keep silence, and, gliding down the |
long room, she vanished in the gloom"
Then you reused the house with |
shrek and tainted, of counsel" 1 said, as if |
still incredulOus, though really much i'm |
pressed by her manner.
"Then l did neither, but rose. looked at |
the doors and found them all fastened, ex- |
amined the ring and saw that the middle |
diamond was out, the stone hollow. and |
half full of gray dust. The water in the |
goblet was clear. and 1 longed to try if it |
was tasteless, but dared not, 80 left it and |
crept to bed again.
''In tine merning found that indeed it
was no dream; for, as l stood dressing nv
hair, my. little dog Brio sprang on the table,
Tapped the water in the goblet before l saw
what lie was doing. and moment after
dropped dead at my feet"
1.-The deuce he did' was all l could say
at this rather startling climax.
"Ah, you begin to believe me now! Yet
this 10 not the worst. Papa examined poor
Brio, knowing nothing OF MY vision, and
said at once, Some one has poisoned the I
little beast; but what the poison was he
could not discover, though heis wiser about
'uch things than many in his profession.
'ald nothing, but, as If indignant at the loss
If my pet. got him to have the water and
he dog carefully examined by the most
killful person in Florence, who pronounced
ne poison one of those used in old times
! fearful drug, so swift and subtle that no
IntidOte was ever known.
1.-The matter made SO much stir in our |
mall circle that dared not tell all knew
est should get into trouble. Besides. it |
LEASED me to feel that l possessed this
wonderful thing and could at any moment
lip painlessly out of life.'
Strange girl! Why think Of death when
ou have everything to make lite beautiful"
asked.
Not everything. l want quiet spirit,
atistied heart, and time does not teach me
ow to find them" she said sadly.
"Let me try" l began impetuously, think.
lg my turn had come now, and eager to |
ell my tender story. I
But Helena laid her soft hand on my lips,
nd said again:
Not yet; hear the sequel of the tale. and
len will LISTEN
l kissed the hand and held it close in both |
~ own, as if to sustain and comfort her:
'r the tragic look came over her again. and
er first words warned me that a sadder i
'ss than that Of little Brio was connected &
18th this ill omened ring.