The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-21

the power and tho means to return to
England, wed your ladylovc and live in
peace and luxury for the balance of
your days. See!'
"She was seated upon the soft sod
beneath the high leafed palms, through
which the moonlight streamcd. In her
lap she unfolded parcel, and as sho
opened it bcheld the most magnificent
amethysts had ever seen. They were,
l should say, a thousand in number.
both largo and small.
See' she repeated. THESE ara
yours, pasha, if you will but give mo
the papers you have to deliver to tho
pasha of Meldon-the papers outlining
your campaign. You can say YOU lost
them. They will not precipitatc any
dangers to your forces, and want them.
These gems represent the dover of a
princess. Give me those papers, and
the jewels are yours!'
cannot attempt a description of
the sweet caresses she bestowed upon
me, of the ease with which she initiated
tho woman dearer to me than all else in
life, nor of tho hurried, reckless review
l made of my chances of rise in tho
army of the sultan, of my long life of
drudgory in battles harness, with tho
small income it afforded But these
thoughts all went through my mind like
n flash, and beside myself with fascina-
ton and with the erring ambition to ac-
Quire riches l delivered into her lew
eled hand tho papers was to convey to
Meldon Pasha and received in exchange
the bag of amethysts.
A moment later the Arabian charger
dashed onto tho plain, and she was gone.
No sooner was she out of sight than
l realized my blunder and repented it
sorely, but | clutched the bag of pre-
clous stones and hurried bacl. to my tent.
placed them under my pillow and lay
sleeping upon them until morning.
when it was light, L arose and Sc
cured the flap of my tent so tho sentry
could not peer in, and eagerly opened
the bag Of amethysts- price of my
honor
Imagine my CONSERVATION! They
were as white as glass and as lusterless!
Quickly l called my body servant,
who CHANGED to be Moor, and show
ing him tho bag of gems watched for
his chocolate face to distort with amaze
ment. But he looked at the pebbles
and then ut me.
Well. pasha? he said solemnly.
Well, replied, are they not gor-
geous?' For l believed my sight had
failed me or that | had become color
blind.
Where did the pasha get these?'
he inquired, looking as indifferent as a
man could.
Never mind. What are they
WORTH L asked, almost holding my
breath in expectancy.
Nothing was his laconic reply.
Nothing! exclaimed, rising to
chastise him.
Nothing, pasha. They are jcbbels,
as we call them, and are collected by
our children to use as play money. In
tho night under Il light they take on the
color and brilliancy of the amethyst.
can take you over miles of road in Nor
Deco where they are so abundant that
in the night you would believe yourself
riding over path of precious gems.
Somebody has fooled tho great pasha,
he concluded, with grin
Fooled! In 80 minutes | had nv
ourtridcrs in pursuit of woman on Il
white Arabian. In an hour had all
my troops moving. BY night had an
engagement with the Moors, routed
them and took my fair enchantrcss
prisoner. My papers secured, pushed
on and relieved Moldon Pasha. That
is the story of my gems
And what became of tho pretty wo-
man, gencral?" asked Verna.
She was killed by sword thrust
while trying to escape
And what's the moral, general?"
asked another
Yield not to persuasive temptation
and judge of all things by daylight
And as the ladies sighed over the cpl
sode one toycd with the decorations on
the scarlet coat, ono dalicd with the
empty sleeve, another lighted ciga-
retto for the aged pasha and all listened
to the plaintive song of tho gondolicrs,
as the mellow mOon-thc maker Of gems
from jcbbels--rose higher and higher
into tho studded belfry of tho night. -
Exchange.
His First Letter.