Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-09-04
WILHELMENA.

upon the banks of the Rhine jeweler
named Rudolph Won Elsenheim.
No common worker in gold and gems
was he You might rather speak of him
ms an artist in jewels. He looked upon
diamond as a connoisseur might upon
rare picture. He basked in its beauty; he
gazei at it by sunlight and by lamplight;
he brought forth its charms by the richest
setting. and did for ii what few could do
by the exercise of taste and fancy. No
wonder that his patrons were the richest
and most noble of the land, aud that he
became almost as wealthy az they. lie
might have married the faircst of all the
frauleins of the rich old town.
But he was more impenetrnble than his
own diamonds. lie was courteous to all,
hut his jewels had all Mis- love lie saw no
beauty in womans lip to equal that OF tho
ruby-no lustcr in her eye TO match that
OF the sapphire. There are two arrows that
fate seems To have ia store for every man.
One brings him love, the other death. But
Rudolph seemed to have steeled his heart
against the first. He fanced that he had
escaped unwounded. He reckoned with
out his host Where he least expected TO
receive the shaft Of Cupid the little god lay
in ambush for him.
One bright day Rudolph set forth upon a
those days, and travelling was q very sol
emn operation, aud very slow one. IL
the distance were long there must be stop
pages upon the road at sunset, aud depart
tires at the dawn Of day; good wishes
from the host and prayers from the hostess
that neither robber nor evil spirit might in
terceDt the traveller on his way through the
lonely forest,
Consequently, the jewelcr after long
and toilsome Journey, was glad to find
himself at the door of a time worn hosiery
lying at the mountain foot, and to read
upon ohe great swinging sign board the
pouncement that here good cheer was of
fered to both man and beast, and that
there were good beds for those who wished
tosieep. The host came forth TO welcome
him, and while his supper was in course of
preparation, the stranger stood upon the
broad porch and looked out upon the road
which wound down the mountain, upon
the dark pine forest which bortered the
western horizon and the limpid stream,
clear "a crystal, that bounded from
rock to rock until ct last It leaped from
one OF them, n fairy waterfall, pure and
silyery as though it yelled Undiue.
Along the center OF this stream a figure
moyed-a girl in peasant costume bearing
pitcher upon her head.
Her dimpled, blue vcired feet were thrust
into wooden shoes; her long braids of hair,
haX"u in the shadow, golren in the sunset
Avlns, hung below her waist. Her fes-
trres had the sculptured beauty Of an an
tiQne statue, and as she tripqed alon2 she
Hung. in the sweetest voice that ever WON
al owned. a love song Of the peasant folk.
r u1lrA Won Elaerhein had cazed I'M
moved upon many proud CITY hcQuty, ijlS
l. g"lu this simple mouutain village Cupid
h"r,l his shalt il his heart. Henceiorth
-. beautiful Wilheimena' was ensariued
therein, living gem more precious to him
thau the choicest jewels of Golconda's
ui1cs.
What mattered It, he asked himself, that
%" @irl was but peasant, haudmaiden
OF the poor inuY She had beau;y that made
her worthy of IA throne II rhc was mn
learned she was pure-tar purcr than most
TITLED DANES His wooing was brief and
successful, and be bore her back with him
decked in rare velvets and rich Ncos,
wrapped in furs fit for al empress. with
sllken shoes upon the blue veihed feet that
had worn wooden sabots and followed tie
kline to pasture.
For year even his jewels were forgotten
In this new treasure. and u happier pair Of
married lovers never lived.
Alasl a leopard cannot change its spots.
When year had passed and another was
following the old spell began to creep once
more over the jewelers. soul. He loved
Wilhelmena still, but lie left her side more
frequently, and sat long hours absorbed in
contemplation of some new jewel.
Wilhelmena never reproached him with
this change, but what She saw saddeued
her greatly. With his return TO his old
4nle = l,a To-, ftl
mania with Rudolph
1t grieved him to part with jewel now,
snd when one was relnquishcd he sought
eagerly for another to supply IT'S pl.ce Hs
gloated over them. talked Of them strange
ly-told impossible tales of them. Mon be.
gan to whisper that Rudolph Won Elscn-
helm WAS going mad, and once poor Vii
helmenR saw something very strange in
her husbands laboratory, some, ming OF
which she never spoke to any onc--a dark
form with fiery eyes and horns upon its
head standing at the jewelers. elbow Ter
ritied, she Ned TO the church hard BIZ and
thcre prayed long and ardently, and for
awhile after that Rudolph seemed himself
again and cAreS-ed her as he had used TO
DO; but the Better mood soon Vanished.
1t was n this time tuaL Jawe. Of great
value, diamond Of wonderful size and
bttlt y, Was ne theme Oh conversation Az
erywhare p.nces contested for its pos
session. dealers were mad over il. Ru-
dOipu, richer than even those who knew
him best had guessed, became It's proud
poseessor. His joy knew no bounds. But
Wllheludnas heart grew sick with terror
when she saw once more NJ his shoulder
that black and hideous being she had oaNa
seen before. He himself saw nothing, but
turning and seeing sadness on the brow Of
Wilhelnena, touch Of the old tenderness
made him wish 10 share his Joy with her.
ana he arose and, claspiug her waist with
his arm, drew her toward the window and
out upon the Ht, Balcony that lay be
meath it End exten, The blue waters
OF the Rhine.
Feast your eyes upon t. mord, my
angel, he said Il; ia axponr iewcis What
you are among women LOOK, you do not
yet comprehend its eplendor OF the compi-
ment pay you in likeniug it to You"
He placed the diamond on her palm "a
he spoke, and the young wife, hutlerad and
happy, bent over 1t, seeking for words that
ffri Il -, ~ lot