The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-04-29


remained in solitude in her apartment,
that no member of the family might
notice her agitation.
An hour before sunset Media was sum-
moned to her lady's presence, and re-
ceived an order to remain near her and
complete some embroidery, with which
she herself had been occupied.
Not daring to disobey, and hoping to
finish her task before the hour of ap-
pointment with her lover had arrived,
the young girl set down to her work with
unwonted alacrity. The room in which
they were was an upper chamber, and
formed the last of spacious suite, hav
ing no entrance but the one which pre-
ceded it, Not long after Media was seat
ed at her embroidery frame, the princess
arose and quilted the room, locked the
door of it, and leaving her attendant
close prisoner there, with no possibility
of egress until she herself should release
her, she proceeded to Medals chamber,
where she selected a suit of her clothes,
fastened to disguise herself in them, and,
throwing veil over her head, Quilted
the house, and directedhe steps towards
the trysting place.
1t was late in the autumn, the days
were shortening visibly, the evenings
were cold and gloomy, night closed in
Immediately after sunset, and there was
no moon to illuminate the dull, gray
sky. Thyra was the first to arrive at the
rendezvous; and, under the influence of
never-slumbering suspicion, she fancied,
when she found herself alone, that her
scheming had been discovered, and her
husband would defeat her plan of ven
gence by not appearing; but few
minutes sufficed to undeceive her. A
! quick, light step approached. What
eagerness was in that tread, and how in.
! dignantly did her heart throb as she
listened to it. The obscurity was SO
complete that she could not even dis
cern the outline of the person who drew
near; but the perfume of ambergris,
with which her husbands hair and gar
ments were always impregnated, foated
upon the air, andalow, counterfeited voice
breathed forth the words: Z" Hist Media;
are you here, love p directedher toward
him.
She stretched forth her hand, with
whispered eyes, and grasped some
thing which she recognized as the en-
broidered pattan worn by the princely
house of @. In the next moment the
arms of the impatient lover were thrown
around her, and she was drawn toward
him in q passionate embrace. Trans
ported to fury by the tender endear-
ment, which she knew was not intended
for herself, but for an unworthy rival,
and breathing only the deadliest ven
geance for her wrongs, the outraged
wife thrust her hand into her bosom,
drew from thence poignard, and, rails
ing it on high, plunged it into the faith
less heart that beat against her own.
The blow was dealt with such unerring
aim that the victim could only utter an
lndistinct sound, and, relaxing the grasp
with which he held her so closely en-
braced, fell heavily to the ground Thyra
drew her breath and listened moment:
a gurgling noise in the throat of the MUIR
dered man was all that she could dis
tinguish. Then followed death-like
Silence. Terror and remorse suddenly
overcame her for the deed, which, in
moment of frenzied excitement, she
had perpetrated, and turning hastily
from the fatal spot, she rushed toward
her home.
The first object that met her eye when
she entered the house was her husband
There he stood unharmed, surrounded
by his attendants, and in his riding
dress, just as he had alighted from his
horse, and a tranquil smile upon his
lips as he inquired whether the princess
was in her apartment.
You here!" she shrieked, running
up to him. 81 have not killed you,
then. Thank heaven, have not killed
you !" And she fell gasping at his
feet.
"The princess !" calculated her hus-
band, bewildered at the sight of her
disguise, and her violent emotion; and,
raising her from the ground. "What
means this frenzy, and why are you so
strangely disguised;"
But she answered him not. With her
distended eyes wildly fixed upon him,
she passed her hands repeatedly over his
bosom, and muttered to herself: "No
poniard. no wound and yet L struck
him there, and felt his hot blood gush
forth upon my hand. All ! see," she
continued, shuddering, "there it is !"
and, holding up her hand as she spoke,
the crimson drops that stained it attested
the truth of some fearful deed being
connected with her mysterious self-accu-
sation.
"Thyra, dearest love-" said the
Boyard, in soothing accents, something
has terrified you; but you are safe now
I am here to protect you. Tell me,
what is the meaning of this agitation
What is the meaning of this blood 2"
"You, Neda-the sycamore grove I"
she uttered in broken cries. "Were
you. not. there, now-iust now to meet
herr"
The prince shook his head in silent
CONSERVATION.
"Whom have l murdered then 2"
burst from the lips of the unhappy
woman, with a thrilling Shrek; and,
starting, she fed with the speed of a
maniac toward the fatal spot from which
she had recently returned.
The prince and his attendants quickly
followed her, some of them bearing
lighted torches, but such was the speed
which the frenzied state of her feelings
lent to her movements that they only
overlook her at the moment of her reach
ing the fountain. There she suddenly
stopped, as though rooted to the spot,
and, shuddering, pointed to the ground
The prince advanced hastily to her side.
His attendants followed, and, raising
their torches, discovered at the margin
of the fountain the body of a man ex-
tended on his back and weltering in his
blood. The CHASTITY face was turned up
ward, and as the glare of the torches
fell upon it an exclamation of horror fell
from the Inns of all nrasent and Thvra