The Worthington advance., 1882-08-24

f.theD, IN inc perlOme0a tfe6Se8 where
they were buried, serious of passes ex-
quisitely delicate.| 1t was, in fact, the
decisive moment OF the operation, for
perfect correspondence between the full.
the base Of the brain, and the depletion
of the nervous ganglions Of tho zyg0mat-
ic arch, whose plethora Occasioned the
neuralgia in question. This finished, he
undertook the third and last part Of the
operation. by far the most beautiful OF
all. His face expressed an inspiration
truly august. AS his hands duttered
over the surface of this almost divine
face, he rescmbled an artist designing an
y angels hce. OF sculptor snQdali the
! head Of Agoddess. He, With beating
heart, and cheeks red with enthusiasm,
seemed like Pygmalion animating his
statue. At last, ia u transport of power
and triumph, placing the index finger
Of the princess, he said with the air Of a
conquerOr.
"You are cuved?''
The lady, lifting her magnificent eyes
to his face, and taking his hand, replied
in her melodio,,s voice:
1T is true. thank you."
And rising, she went to the stairway.
leaning upon the arm Of the lord lie
conducted her in perfect silence to her
carriage. The poStilliOn WAS already in
the saddle She stepped into the post
cl.,ise, offered her hand to Lord Fergus,
who kissed it respectfully, and said:
"Drive on"
"Princess," observed Lord Fergus,
"the hand that has rested on your faco
shall never touch anything else. I dcd-
icatc it to you." And before. she could
reply he made the signal Of departure to
the poatillion, and bowed deeply; after
which he re-entered the inn, and re-
manned dreaming before the fire until 4
late hour of the night.
Eight days later the Princess Gclsom-
ina was established in u little secluded
village Of fTyrol. \ man OH horseback,
who claimed to have come from Berne
BY easy journeys, was inquiring for her.
Riding up to the door Of the inn, he
leaned from his saddle, called for the
inn.keeper, and asked:
"ls the Princess Gelso,nina here?"
"She is"
rs she in her room?"
EYES,"
tie dlsmountcd, went up stairs, was
introduced, and drawing small case OF
white wood from q game-bag which
he carried, presented it to the amazed
lady, saying:
''This is from Lord Fergus Mac Fortar."
Giving her no time to ask any partic.
,l'ars, he hastily descended the stairs,
leaped upon his horse, and set oft a. a
gatiop. The princess, greatly agitated,
ordered her servant to open the box.
Having taken of the cover with many
precautions, he informed her
that 1t contained package
The princess Immediately dismissed him
As soon as she found herself alone she
feverishly lifted from the case IN object
enveloped in white c2mbric. The cam
bric removed displayed an envelope Of
! cess and another person embroilere in
silver upon it. Under the folds Of satin
something hard and angular was define
atcd. The lady unfolded the satin, and
q silver box cxQuisitely chased, shaped
like an Egyptian sarcophaeus, appeared
before her eyes. A tiny golden key
hung from one of its feet. The princess
took it OFT, inserted it in the lock, and
opened it.
Upon i crimson velvet cushion ,bor-
dcred with Il fringe OF fine pearls, lay u
human hand. The hand bore upon the
little finger i ring, whose setting was Il
| magnificent bezoar stone. The princess
Eazcd moment spcll-bound, then care
fully rcclesing the sarcopllagus, and
concealing the key i'll her bosom, she
shrieked aloud. After which she threw
herself upon a couch, arranged the
folds If 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 tho village, and was never seen
there more.
We will not attempt to depict the state
Of ma'ldening love in whicl, this Ent;s-
tic and surgical gilt had plunged the un-
fortunate Gclsonina Cordileonc. Never
| before did horror, astonishment, graft
| tude, and pity 50 blend in woma,l's
heart. Many a man had offered his
hand, but to have it amputated and pre-
! sent It to her upon Il velvet cushion
fringed with pearls, was indeed novel
ty. In regarding herself in her mirror,
she could truly say that no other wo-
man in the world had ever been the OBJ
| lect Of such alteration. And then, as the
hand was perfectly embalmcd, she must
needs take it often from its concealment
and caress it, fancying this the best way
to fulfil the wishes of the testator who
had Willed it to her.
Many months rolled away. The prin-
cess, overcome more and more with pas
sionate regret, reproached herself for
every imaginable wrong. She had mas
ses said for the repose of the hand of
Lord Fcrgls-praycrs that it might grow
again. At last she became frantic.
Every effort she made to find Lord Fer
gus was Of no avail; the detectives of
Europe, America, and Australia c0ul,l
not discover his retreat.
| In the meantime what was the ecccn
trio Lord doing? He had bribed all the
attendants of the princess; Just rs soon
as she arrived at a hotel he controlled
that house; and during all this time he
had watched her increasingly, being con
cealed night and day in some one Of her
rooms. From such secret observatories
he watched the progress of the malady
which he had sown in that poor heart,
until one day, deeming the time ut last
propltlous, he stole from his hiding
place during his beIoved's absence.
| Upon her return, the innkecper an
nouncel to her with exceeding candor
the arrival Of an unknown gentleman.
| She had presentiment rs to his ident-
ity, as may be imagined. Hurrying to
her drcsslnss-room, she arraycd herself
! IN the deepest mourning, after which
| she descended to the salon, opened the
door, and perceiving Lord Fergus, ad-
| vanced 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 transport of love easy to imagine.
she recoiled, and with cry of horror hid
her face in her hands.
er be able to-"
Then falling upon her knees before
the dismayed lord, she explained to him
with tears that her gratitude toward him
was boundless; that she had passed
days and nights thinking only Of him :;
was distracted for being the cause of his
multilation. Since that fatal day she
had suffered the torments of the lost:
she had kissed the hand q hundred
times a day; had thenty thousand
masses said for his repose; prayers in
every church and convent in the uni
verse that q new hand might grow. Sho
owed Lord Fergus; adorod him; but
ols mutilatiOn inspired her with repuQ-