Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-02-09

Then, in the blue space above them,
sounded the well-known rhythm:
''Alasi alas! a-don- don-dell!
Why may not a maiden tell
A-don-don-dell, a-don-don-dell?
Why may not a maiden tell
When soft signs her bosom swell?
Alas! alas! a-don-don-dell!'
But by this time the voice OF the en-
chantress made them shudder dolor-
ously.
ITO work. cried Jehan roughly.
And both gave themselves up anew
to their labors, finishing their task
without again opening their lips to
each other during the day.
The time fixed by the Lord of Pome-
ROLES and the able for the casting of
the Rosemonde was come; at dawn the
molten metal was to be transformed.
All the preceding night the red fur
naces were kept aglow, sending up their
black clouds skyward.
Alone before the gulf Jehan and Ma
thias watched the smoking metal.
The moment approached when the
whitening stream would fill the nodded
pit prepared to receive it.
AT ddyDE lue IIunp0IS WOulQ
sound in the castle court, and before the
Lord of PomeroIles and his vassals, all
in festal attire, before the monks sing
ing canticles, and the able putting up
prayers to heaven, the food of mean
descent lava would be sent upon its
way and the Rosemonde would be
made.
Twenty thousand pounds weight of
metal seethed in the cauldron; and over
this volcano Matthias stopped, silently
watching the color of the copper and
tin under the action of the constantly
renewed fire of peat, turf and charcoal
Near him stood Jehan, who in turn
stopped to examine the liquid metal.
At that moment Matthias whistled an
air
Jehan turned upon him, his eyes fash
ing furiOusly.
1t was the air of Annette's refrain:
alas, alas! a-don- don-dellr'
All consciousness of reality left Je-
han at that instant, a veil passed be-
fore his eyes and hideous jealousy
gnawed at his heart so fiercly that,
Selling his companion with both hands
by the waist, he hurled him into the
crater at his feet.
Matthias had no time to defend him
self, nor even to comprehend the attack
that had suddenly been made upon him.
He could only cry: Help! Jehan+'
And he disappeared in the liquid met
al, and only blue flame, shooting up
from the heart of that terrible volcano,
showed where the body had at that mo-
ment been dissolved.
Some months later, hOnored and re-
warded for his successful casting of the
Rosemonde, Jehan married Annette.
the Lord of Pomerolles retaining him
at the castle as his forge-master. And
he was happy in his marriage, no sense
of remorse assailing his heart, filled
wholly and exclusively by his love.
Nobody had suspected the fate of
Matthias. His disappearance had re
manned inexplicable. Time passed.
and he was forgotten.
After some months had passed, with
great pomp and religious ceremony,
in the presence of the Lord Of POmer
Giles and the able, the Rosemonde was
hung in the belfry of the abbey.
Jehan, among the ceremonial assist
ants, regarded his work The cere-
monial bell shone with its Latin in
scription and it's Redeemer on the
cross. He now thought of Matthias.
All that had been his companion
slept there, imprisoned for eternity in
this cuirass of bronzei
But he shut his eyes, trying to forget,
and pressed his arms closely about the
form of Annette, who tenderly return
ed the embrace, for she had learned to
know all the love this man had for her,
and was beginning to love him as great
ly, in spite of his rough manners and
awkward movements.
Lost in the crowd of peasants assem-
bled about the abbey, Annette and
Jehan made their way down the hill
and into the shade of little wood near
the castle, seating themselves by the
side of lake. ON which doated large
number of white swans, the property
of Lord POmerolles.
And on that bright afternoon, when
the sun cast on the soft sward the
shadows of the scarcely trembling
leaves on a ground of gold, Jehan, his
head resting on Annette'S knees, went
to sleep, while she amused herself with
plucking the wild flowers within her
reach and humming her old song.
But suddenly, penetrating the low
est depths of the valley, came the
strangest, the most musical sound that
had ever stirred the air of that coun-
try side; the monastery sent forth the
first summons of the bell. Piously An
nette made the sign of the cross; but
Jehan Stated up with Bewildered
eyes, open mouth. and in his face a
look of inexpressible horror.
Carried on the sonorous air, he heard
the voice of Matthias mingled with that
of the metal, Help! Jehan"
Throughout the day, in sign of joy,
sounded the bell, and all day long the
the ears of Jehan with the supreme cry
of his companion, Help! Jehanr' 1t
seemed TO him now that Matthias was
there yonder calling to him.
Each day that followed was a day of
martyrdom for Jehan. The ringing
appeal OF Matthias made him spring