The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-10-18

the hand which has rested on your
: face shall never touch anything else. /
. dedicate It TO you" And before she
could reply he made the signal of de-
parture TO the position and bowed
deeply; after which he re-entered tho
inn, and remained dreaming before the
fire until late hour of the night.
4
Eight days later the Princess Gelso-
nina was established in a little Sc
cluded village of Tyrol. A man on
horseback, who claimed to have come
from Berne by easy journeys, was in
quiring for her. Riding up TO The door
of the inn, he leaned from his saddle,
called for the innkeeper and asked
"Is the Princess Gelsomina Cordile-
one hereY
"She is."
"Is she in her room ?"
yes"
He dismounted, went upstairs, was
introduced, and drawing Il small case
of white wood from a game-bag which
he carried, presented it to the amazed
lady, saying:
This is from Lord Fergus Mac
Forfar."
Giving her no time to ask any par
| ticulars, he hastily descended the stairs,
leaped upon his horse, and set off at
gallop. The princess, greatly agitated
ordered her servant to open the box.
Having taken off the cover with many
| precautions, he informed her that it
contained a package. The princess
| Immediately dismissed him. AS soon
rs she found herself alone she feverish-
ly lifted from the case an object en-
veloped in white cambric. The cam
brio removed displayed an envelope of
violet satin, with the arms of the
princess and another person en-
broidered in silver upon it, Under the
folds of satin something hard and
angular was delineated. The lady
unfolded the satin, and a silver box
eXquisitely chased, shaped like an
Egyptian sarcophagus, appeared before
her eyes A tiny golden key hung
from one of its feet. The princess
took 1t off, inserted it in the lock, and
opened it.
Upon crimson velvet cushion bor-
dered with fringe of fine pearls, lay
human hand. The hand bore upon
the little finger ring, whose setting
was magnificent bezOar stone. The
princess gazed moment spell-bound,
then carefully reclosing the sarcopha-
gus, and concealing the key in her
bosom, she shrieked aloud. After which
she threw herself upon a couch, ar
ranged the folds of her dress, rang for
her maid, and tainted. That hand was
the right hand of Lord Fergus that
bezoar, was the ring of Lord Fergus
In two hours she left the village, and
was never seen there more.
We will not attempt to depict the
state of maddening love in which this
fantastic and surgical gift had plunged
the unfortunate Gelsomina Cordileone.
Never before did horror, astonishment,
gratitude and pity so blend in a wo-
mans heart. Many a man had offered
her his hand, but to have it amputated
and present it to her upon a velvet
cushion fringed with pearls, was indeed
4 novelty. In regarding herself in her
mirror, she could truly say that no other
woman in the world had ever been the
GDject of such alteration. And then,
as the hand was perfectly embalmed,
she must needs take it often from its
concealment to careSs it, fancying this
the best way to fulfill the wishes Of the
testator who had willed it to her.
Many months rolled away. The
princess, overcome more and more with
passionate regret, reproached herself
for every imaginable wrong. AT last
she became frantic. Every effort that
she made to find Lord Fergus was of
no avail; the detectives of Europe.
America and Australia could not dis
cover his retreat.
In the meantime what was the &C.
centric lord doing. lie had bribed all
6he attendants of the princess; Just as
soon as she arrived at a hotel he con-
Ilolled that house; and during all this
time he had watched her INCREASINGLY. 4
being concealed night and day in some
one OF her rooms. From such secret |
ohservatories he watched the progress
OF the malady which he had sown in
that poor heart, until one day, deeming /
the time at last propitious, he stole |
from his hiding place during his be- .
loVed's absence Upon her return the
lnnkceper announced to her with eX-
ceeding candor the arrival of an un-
known gentleman. She had pre-
sentiment as to his identity, as may be
imagined. Hurrying to her dressing
room, she arrayed herself in the deep
est mourning,after which she descended
Immediately TO the salon, opened the
door, and perceiying Lord Fergus, adj
yanced few steps toward him. He,
with great nonchalance, pointed with
his left hand to his right sleeve, which
hung fiat and empty at the end. The
princess opened her arms.
But when Lord Fergus sprang for
ward in a transport of joy easy to i'm