Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-28

the balcony.
With cry that was neither scream nor
groan, Rudolph lifted his hand and struck
his wife upon the bosom.
Clumsy COW girlr' he cried; coarse
peasant whom I found among the noun
tains Fool that was to trust a jewel of
such price in your handsl As great a fool
as was before that to ask you to share my
life ne-gone-gone-the wonder OF
the world has gone foreverp' and he cast
himself down upon the floor and wept in
bitterness of soul forthe loss Of his precious
diamond
Meanwhile, Wilhelmena, broken hearted
and in woeful bodily pain, crept out of
his sight. That night she grew very i'll,
and the dawn Of day saw her lying dead
upon her pillow, and upon her bosom
little babe that had walled but once before
it followed her.
As he looked upon her all Rudolph's
grief for the loss OF his diamond became as
though 1t had never been. His grief was
all for Wilhelmena now His remorse
was terrible He knew himself to be the
murderer Of the wife who had loved him
and whom he now once more loved as in
the days when first he met her.
From that day Rudolph was a changed
man, moody and miserable--a man who
could avoid it--madder than ever. men
said, for still he sought for jewels which
seemed to disappear as fast as he became
their possessor.
He was greedy for patronage, and pleased
the great folk as well as ever and charged
them more for his taste and Judgment and
knowledge Of jewels. But there were beg
CARS who were better clad than he Year
by year he lived this life, until his hair
grew white and his skin shriyeled and his
limbs lean, and In his eyes grew great
horror, for since his wife's death he him
self had seen the hideous demon at his
shoulder and guessed what name he bore.
But as for the jewels he purchased robbers
might have sought for them in vain, for at
every anniversary Of Wilhelmena's death
he sought her grave at midnight, and
there, with means and tears, buried above
her coffin the jewels he had amassed that
year; then prayed to God for pardon, and
took his lonely way home.
At last the return Of the sad anniversary
found Rudolph very old. He felt that
death was near, and all his plans were
laid. That morning he sold to one who
had long desired to be its possessor his
mansion and his great estate, all the adorn-
ments Of his house, all the rich raiment
and invested the proceeds in gems which
he placed in a little bag in his bosom.
For the last time before strangers should
possess it he went through his mansion,
bidding adieu to the rooms one by one, and
then in his laboratory to all the familiar
tools of his worshiped art, then out upon
the balcony for one moment. Here il was
that he had in his wrath heaped up re-
morse for all his life-perhaps for all eter-
nifty. He looked down into the blue water
in helpless misery until suddenly he saw
sight that made his heart stand still-the
figure of a water spirit, white and trans
parent as pearl, arising from the waves,
and as he gazed upon her she lifted her
hand and held something toward him. He
knew it on the instant 1t was the dia
mond that had dropped from Wilhel-
mena's hand long years before. 1t lay in
his palm again and the vision vanished.
He clntehed the gem so strangely restored
to him in his withered hand, and leaning
on his staff tottered forth. The road to the
Gods acre was short, but his strength
barely sufiiced him to reach it, Night had
fallen ere he did so, and the moon was
high and the stars shone in the sky, as,
| llneeling beside Wilhelmena's grave, he
buried one by one the jewels he had
mond so strangely restored to him. Then,
as he replaced the turf, his tears poured
forth-the hard and bitter tears of an old
man.
MY murdered Wilhelmena," he cried
aloud at last, II have buried in thy grave
all those Jewels which were thy rivals
whilst thou lived. That gem which lost
me my soul and thee lies also on thy coffin.
Forgive me, martyred angel, forgive me as
| pray that heaven may From this mo
ment, homeless and beggar, will wander
about the world till death releases me
What expiration could, have made Oh
for sign that there, where thou dwellest
thou has known itW
AS he ceased great awe fell upon him
for from the grave beside which he knel
arose a strange light pure and clear as tina
which glows at the heart Of a diamond, tn
, rays spread ia all directions, making
great halo above the sod, and in its mids
be saw Wilhelmena standing with her bab
, IN her arms. About her limbs fell
! strangely beautiful drapery Of what seeme
silver mist, and upon her brow was a core
( nal Of gems, in the midst of which shone
4 great diamond like a star.
\ "WilhelmenaW he cried. "Wilhelmenal
Then she bent toward him and took hi
\ weary head upon her bosom and pressed
4 kiss upon his brow-the heavenly kiss (
e forgiveness.
At dawn some peasants found RUDOLF
n Elsenheim at the foot Of his wife's grav
Z He lay there dead But on his face was
look Of peace that they had never see
/. there in his life.--Mary Kyle Dallas in Fir
4 side Companion.