The Portland daily press., 1880-01-03
The Story of the Princes Jewel.


Among the presents given the Prince Has
fix at his birth was beautiful flashing jewel
shut up in box of silver filagree, made, it
was said, by an ancient magician, who had
so put it under spell that no key but it's
own would unlock it, all others flying out
again from the keyhole with great energy as
soon as inserted. On the box were inscribed
curious cuniform characters, which, being
translated, ignifed-"whosoeve openeth
me shall find his every wish flashed into full
filment from the cleaning facets of the
stone" But the key was not given with the
box, which refused to open to any articles,
even to the cunning Of the great Ben Bar
den himself.
The days of his youth passed quietly by
and over the prince, no one of them leaving
any more trace behind it than the sun-sha1-
ows passing daily over his garden left upon
the buds growing there: and yet, just as the
sun-shadows came at last and found a lovely
opened flower, SO one of these days came and
found the prince grown to manhood, and
full of hope and wonder and enthusiasm,
and, too, of curiosity about the box. AS he
gazed longingy upon it. and pondered over
its mysterious legend, he put his hand to his
brow in vexation and called himself misera-
BILE, because, seeing the box, he still could
not see the jewel. On the day of the ami
versary of his coming to manhood, after
walking in the garden of the palace with
downcast eyes brooding over the secret and
mystery of the wonderful box, he flung him.
self upon the ground under the slanting SUM-
beams that were showered down upon him
through the waving branches above. As he
reclned there these same slanting sunbeams
seemed to him to gradually converge and
blend with each other until they were finally
focused at one point of exceeding brilliancy.
Soon this point began to grow larger, and
still brighter, until all the surrounding light
seemed to have been absorbed into it, while
the greatest darkness was left around. Very
quickly he saw this golden center assuming
still another form, sciDtillating and spark
ling. until there suddenly appeared a small
golden figure of genie, shining and flash
lug like one big bright star in a black night
The prince was greatly amazed, and listened
if he could hear the genie speek to him. He
heard voice, like the metallic notes of a
silver bell, and it said tc him-"I, O Prince,
am the sun-spirit that watch over the facets,
of the jewel. Too long have they been hid
den from the light of day. Harken unit the
meaning of the legend. No key of bast metal
can open the casket Forty fathoms deep
lies its mysterious and only key in the bosom
of Ajax Ben Ormond, who, one thousand
years ago, by my aid constructed the casket
for the jewel, and whpse bones rest now in
the hollows of the Euxine Sea. But know,
o Prince, that, if the key is with its maker
yet may the casket open; for, by my spell,
whosoever standing with face full turned
toward the sunlight can cast a reflection
from his eye, upon the casllet, like unto the
light which is reflected from the Jewel, 10!
it shall open!' And as he spoke the little
golden genie vanished from the princes
sight, and left only the garden, and the
slanting sunbeams showering down upon
him through the leaves. And the prince was
filled with great wonder, and reused himself
and ran to the palace and caught up the box,
and returning stood facing the sun. And
the light of his eye was reflected upon the
box; but it opened not. Again, when a new
day was dawning the prince, holding the
casket, stood looking toward the East, and
the rising sun. But the casket did not Open
Thus for many days at many hours stood the
prince when the sun threw its rays upon
him; the box remained mute, unopened
mysterious, as at first And they who served
the prince, and his kinsmen laughed him to
scorn, saying-"This Vision! Was it not a
dream only?" When the prince told them
that he would leave the palace and follow
the courses of the sun, if perchance he might