Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-28
PRINCE NAPOLHOS,S TALIsMAS.
hiS'ors OF the HeiIqusry that the ZuIus
Left Beside his Body.

'ff'' s'b htDlf DnfkHKG. - w ttn
man the seal used 10 wear attached to
my watch, and winch comes from nv
mothcri let him carefully preserve
everything that comes 10 me from the
Emperor, my uncle; and let him be con
Vinced That my heart and my soul rn-
main with him" The telegram FROM
Cape own which announced the findino
oi the late cxPrinco Imperial contains
these words: "The ptincc's BODY was
found stripped Of all clothing. bui had
not suffered any mutilation. and the re
liquary which he wore suspended by n
chain from his neck, together with his
watch and rings, which was found living
near the spot where he fcll.m
The talisman which the late En-
peror so solcmnly cnioincd 10 his son 10
wear, which he did wear. and which re-
turned TO his mother from that wild
scene beside the Tombakala, is almost
certainly the once famous charm Of the
Charlcmagnc. 1t has more interesting
story than any gem in Europe, if not in
the world. In the course Of studies for
other purposes | have recently come
upon legendary traces Of this object.
La plus belle reliquc dc l'Europc. " IA
n French antiquarian described il in the
last generation, was by one myth said TO
have been contriycd by one oi the Magi
belonging 10 the court Of IIarOun-al-
Raschid, who came from the east to pay
homage to the great emperor Of the west
along with certain ambassadors. Tie
wife Of CharlcmnHc, Fastrnda. asked
the Magi for talisnian which would
always cause her husband 10 be fascin
ated by its wcarcr. and this charm was
framed nj her instance. But another
fable nscribcd 10 it the following origin /:
While ChaTlcmagnc had his seat at
Ium Loeb. near Zurich. administering
exact justice 10 Nil, hc had column
liked at his gates with bell and rope.
IL was open 10 any one demanding JUS
ticc 10 sound this bell; and when the
emperor heard it, even though al his
meals, he would instantly answer the
summons. On one occasion this bell
was repeatedly rung without any per-
son being found near IL. At length an
enormous serpent was found twincd
around the rope. The emperor hearing
this Immediately went forth: the ser
pent inclined respectfully before him.
and then moved slowly of. Charlie
magnc followed ii to the river. where
hc saw monstrous toni sitting upon the
nest and cgts OF the serpent Resolved
10 administer justice 10 all creatures.
the emperor ordered the toad TO be
burned
4 few days after this serpent crcpt
into the judgment hail. bowed low 10
the emperor. crcpt upon the table. and
having dropped precious stone . q
golden goblet, gidcd quietly away The
emperor. impressed by this marvel. built
on the spot where the scrpcni's nest
had been a church called Was~or-
kclsh.' He gave the precious stone 10
hi. beloved spouse. Fastrada. The stone
so drew toward her tho emperor's love
that be- could hardlysufIcr her out Of his
sight. In the hour Of her death the ON.
press. drcading lest another should sue
coed her in the affections Of the emperor.
placed the gem beneath her tongue. and
j, was buried with her. Charlcmaguc
could not separate himself from the
body. and for eighteen years carried II
about with him. At length his confcs-
sor, by some black art. discover 81 the
stone and It's virtues after which Char.
lcmagnc allowed the body Ia b. in.
tcrTcd. and transferred his affection to
the confcssor, who became his prime
minister. archbishop Of Mainz. and
chancellor of the empire. But then.
either in "a moment Of repentance or
anger. this individual threw the stone
into lake near lngeihum. Then the
affection Of Charlcmagnc was diverted
from his former favoritc 10 the lake. and
he built beside il n palace. for whose
decoration his other imperial residences
were made bare. But when Charlcmagne
came 10 die his -throcs were long and
violent; and tho archbishop. knowing
the cause, had tho lake dragged for the
gem he had thrown into IL. The tails
man having been restored 90 the person
of tho monarch. he died peacefully (SID.
The tomb OF Charlemagne. at Aix-la-
Chapel.c. was opened by Otto III. in
gJ1, and it Is said that the wonderful
gem was found suspended from his neck.
However that may be. the gem had
been for long time the most valued re-
lie in AK Ia -Chapcllc when IL was pre-
senied by that city 10 Napoleon I. Il
was at moment when lac seemed to
many. prc-eminently to himself. an ava
tar Of Charlcmagne. Napoleon presented
II 20 his favorite IIortonse. ci-fcuani
Queen Of Holland. At her death. in
ls37. it passed TO her son. Napoleon III
II shared his imprisonment nj liam and
accompanied him through ali his vicissi-
iudes
In the course OF It's long history the
pftlous STONE tlAS undergone eNoiNtlnns.
The nut-like stone constituting it, basis
is surrounded by antique filigrec of fine
gold. and Is set with various gems.
There are several relics about It.
1t is open to speculation how far the
young cx-prince was Influenced by this
talisman. That which his father wor
at his watch chain the son wore sus-
pended upon bis breast. as Catholics
wear the most sacred reliquaries in
whose protective virtues they believe.
The strange mystical addresses 10 the
Deity found among this youths papers
reveal a degree of superstition about
himself which amounts TO q psychology
cal phenomenon. At the scat OF war, In
Africa, he displayeda n rcck lessness which
has led some TO believe that his desire to
do something 10 get himself talked
about (words reported from him by his
intimate friend Nj. Amiguos) amounted
30 insanity, while others believe that he
sought death. But IL is possible that n
natural rashness of disposition, and the
tradition that Napoleon must begin