The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-12-02

ne spoke. anu Tue young VIE. ultlcr6N
and happy, bent over il, seeking for
words that might please him in which 70
utter her praise But at that instant she
once more espied the demons face thrust
between her husbands and her own, and
the terror overpowered her every other
thought. Her hand was raised to repel
the bideous being, and the diamond dar-
ted from her palm and buri itself in
the deep water beneath the balcony.
With cry that was neither scream
nor a groan, Rudolph lifted his hand and
struck his wife upon the bosom
Clumsy COW girl r. he cried. Coarse
peasant whom found among the noun
tairs Fool that I was to trust jewel of
such price in your hands As great fool
as was before that to ask You to share
nv life Gone-gone wonder ofthe
world has gone forever - And he cast
himself down upon the floor and wept in
bitterness of soul for the loss Of his pre-
cious diamond.
Meanwhile, Wilhelmina, broken heart
ed and in a wOful bodily pain, erept out
Of his sight. That night she grew very
III, and the dawn Of day saw her lying
dead upon her pillow, and upon her boz
som little babe that had walled but
once before it followed her.
As be looked upon her all Rudolph's
grief for the loss Of his diamond became
as though it had never been. His grief
was all for Wilhelmina now. His re-
morse 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 4 changed
man, moody and miserable man who
never smiled or spoke 10 any one when
be 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 he
pleased the great folk as well as ever and
charged him more for his taste and judg-
ment and knowledge Of jewels. But there
were beggars who were better clad than
be. Year by year he lived this life, IN
I'll his hair grew white and his skin
shriveled, and his limbs became lean,
and in his ewes grew great horror, for
since his wife's death he himself bad
seen the hideous demon at his shoulder
anG guessed what pane he bore. But as
for the Jewels he purchased robbers
might have sought for them in vain, for
at the anniversary of Wilhelmina's death
he sought her grave at midnight, and
there, with means and tears, buried
above her coffin the jewels he had
amassed tina. year then prayed TO God
for pardon, and took his lonely way
home.
At last the return Of the sad anuiversa-
~ found Rudolph very old. He felt that
death was near, and ali his plans we're
laid. That morning he sold to one who
had long desired to be its possessor his
mansion and his great estate, ali the
adornments of his house, all the rich raj
ment which be long before had ceased to
wear, and invested the proceeds in gems
which he placed in a little bag in his boz
som
For the last time before strangers
should possess It be went through his
mansion, bidding adieu 10 the rooms one
by one, and then in his laboratory 70 all
the familiar tools of his worshipped art,
then out upon the balcony for one mo-
ment Here it was that be had in his
srath heaped up remorse for all his life
life-perhaps for all eternity.
He looked sadly down into the dark,
blue water ia helpless misery, until sud-
denly he saw siaht that made his heart
stand still-the figure Of water spirit
white and transparent as pearl, arising
from the wave, and as he gazed on her
she lifted her hand and held something
towarl him. He knew it on the instant
Il was the diamond that had dropped
from Wilhelmina's palm long years be-
f..re. 1t lay in his palm again, and the
vision vanished. He clutched the gem
so strangely restored to him in bis with
cred hand, and leaning on his staff, tot
tered forth. The road to the Gods acre
vas short, but his strength barely suffic-
ed him to reach it. Night lad fallen ere
he did SO, and the stars shone in the sky,
as, kneeling beside Wilhelminas grave,
he buried one by one the jewels he had
brought with him, and last ofall the:dia-
mond 50 strangely restored to him. And
then, as he replaced the turf, his tears
poured forth-the hard and bitter tears
Of an old man.
" Ny murdered Wilhelmina," he cried
aloud at last, have buried in thy grave
all those jewels which were thy rivals
whilst thou lived Th-t gem which lost
me my soul and thee, lies also on thy
coffin. Forgive me, martyred angel, for
give me as pray heaven may From
this moment, homeless and beggar, l
viii wander about the world till death
releases me. What expiation I could,
have made. Oh, for sign that there,
where thou dwellest, thou hast known
il"
As he ceased a great awe fell upon him
for from the grave beside which he knelt
arose a strange light, pure and clear as
that which gloEs at the heart of di&-
mond the rays spread in all directions,
making great halo above the sod, and
in its midst he saw Wilheimina standing
with her babe in her arms. About her
limbs fell strangely beautiful drapery
Of what seemed silver mist. and upon her
brow was a coronet Of gems, in the midst
Of which shcne great diamond like q
star