The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-04-05
THE EMERALD gING.

lhrew herself Upo1 TIE crimson cush-
ions oftbe divine IN the eUbraSgTe Of
large window Alarm aud s1xiety
~ere depicted OF her features. aud
( she constantly ci4sPed and uGelasped
her small hands. sRd nervously arose
snG looked cut into tie street. and
thea rested herself es Il awaiting
-ame painful intelligence. Is ws-
the fan young Natalie Rsde,ski, the
beauty Of the Russian court, upon
which nature sni fortune had show
cred every gifi, and for whom even
The stern features o. the Emperor
Nicholas would relax into something
Ike Z smile IS lie looked upon her
beauty and grace
Hastily the Go9r opened; AID Z
young man advanced towards her
Il am 70 Did yea farewell, Natalie, "
be said. IN 4 voice br0kea by EMO
ton
-Ob. Alexis, what Is IL cried the
yoang gil
i have ospie2-eQ the Emperor,
a.d be has ordered nv arrest"
The emperor viii pardon vOs-I
xill go 20 him" said she. He viii
uv. refuse me lie hzs Elwsys been
80 kind 10 ne
"Alasl nv Natalie He viii re-
fuse you this The emperor believes
ze concerned n a conspiracy, snd De
never forgives- an innocent, but
be will Dot belieTe ne; but II / an
seut 10 Siberis"-
TO Siberia. OF. Alexis il cannot
bet must not bei'
For G moment neither spoke. At
leogth, with powerful etfert .; SELF
control, the young man said: Ma
tale, let ne place this ring upon your
finger. and promise ne that you will
wear it always IN memory Of what.
M love has been to you. The en-
perOr viii force you 20 marry. / do
not wish the thought of NE 70 make
you always wreichea"
He placed upon her sBse. ring
IN which was g single emerald of
grest brillianey-
DO not take i Of, nor resd the
inscription. TIL you hesr cerrsinly
that / have been baBisbeG," /" be sad
A shivsr OF horror ran through her
frame. but she went on, firmly: Then
read il; vii comfort you Wow |
must 60. The emperor allowed ne
this interview. and The guards are
awaiting me-
He clssped her eoavalsively 10 bis
hresst. kissed her brow and lips. aud
LAYING her gently upcn the disau.
passed oai In the street the guards
awaited him
TIE words Of her lover did DO: de-
ter Natalie from attempting 10 save
hin She sent q petition to The en-
peror. inplOTing 80 inierTieu; tut il
was denied Der. She wayla'd The
empress
ny poor child, :, said the empress,
kindly / would gladly take you t.
the emperor, even al the risk Of in
earring bis displeasure; but ii Is too
ls;e. Alexis Po;enkia has been sen,
70 Siberia for life"
Natalie heard her lot.
Lift Ter up" said the empress,
she has tainted"
Be; Natalie had 10; tsinted. SloE-
i, bot resoluteiy, she rose. and usk-
ing Z gesture OF respectful submis-
sion to the empress, begged leave TO
retire
When Natalie reached her owa
apartment, she drew IRON her 6ager
the ring ths! Alexis bad placed u2on
il. and read the inscription carved
upon the inside il French: Death Is
the only eons0ler, il said We shall
nee; il hearea,T
Taere is no place more dreary,
more terrible, eyen in ilsgiaa-
tioa, than the mlues 0. Siberia
Among the condemned in 3 large
quicksilver mine in the very heart OF
the country, thousands Of vers:s
from S. Petersburg stopped 8, his
daily toll form whose tall and no
bic proportions eTen bis coarse babii
scarcely shrouded His delicate
frame, unused 20 labor. snd exposed
10 The rigor Of an Arctic climate.
soon yielded 70 the unhealthiness Of
his occupation; and be was fast sink
iag under bis trials. Yes, death
would come. gentle dea,h-and bis
heart ieaped with momentary joy.
The struggle was no, long. 4 few
days Of Confinement, TO 8 hard pallet,
few nights Of suffering, and The fat,
which even an imperial decree could
not stop, went forth The victim
Was released
Three Doaths After this, the grand
chamberlain Of RGssia presented him
self before Nile Rsdesski, aud sum
moned ber to the presence Of The en-
peror
Wien Conducted TO the palace. bis
majesty dismissed TIE gentleman in
sairing and signed Ter 70 approach
His stern features were contracted