Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-10-17

said Josepha. Htraining her young
sister 20 her bosom with an unwonted {
tervor. that surprised hcr--"God knSws
how II breaks my heart TO leave you,
dear one. and all that | love. Yet |
must go-but not to be a queen. my
darling. shall never live 10 wear an
earthly crown Pray. dearest that
by patient endurance I may win
heavenly one" and she hid her fare
AMONG the golden ringlo,s OF lie little
archduchcss. who chung "a her weeping
sister. weeping also with childish vehc-
menec, though WHEREFORE she ncarcely
knew.
\ step was heard approaching. and
Joscpha. pushing away the child; START
cd up In terror.
"a must go, abe sald. wildiv. II
must go TO tho vault OF the Capu hlns--
my mother commands that visit cur
fathers tomb. All. let your inhc- ent
prayers arise for me. my Marie, Willie I
descend into that gloomy abode which
my very heart trcmhlcs TO cntor"
The attendants at TINT moment gp-
poared, and bore the strugglng cl'ild
from her arms she followed her with
q fond gaze. TN the door closed upon
her. then drawing the mantle which
they brought. closely around her. she
LETT the palace by private staircase,
aud set forth with Prince I<pruita,
her mothers faithful and nblo prime
minister, FOR her dreaded defamation,
The prince. with the kind tenderness
OF father, Htrovc to soothe and en-
courage hor-but alwAya tlmld and su-
perstitloua the mind Ct Joaulhh, owing
| 10 the peculiar circumstances Of her
situation, seemed now wholly To have
lost lta happy equilibrium. ana 70
nave become prey 10 nervous
4 terrors that blinded her TO the
niety OF tho act she was about
| to perform, and urruyed before her dis
/ eascd hpnEinutlon, the funereal gloom
/ OF the dismal vault and all the ghastly
ineisnin of death displayed In H.
AZ they drew near the Church OF
| the CApuchlns. whose dark towers rose
! frownlngly against the clear sky her
emotion increased. and when they
stopped before It's lofty portals. the
/ prince was Obliged To lift her IN his
/ arms and bear her into the vcstlbulc,
! There Father stephen met them, and
! while they stood waiting for the trom-
| bling princess to recover her composurc
a tall figure wrapped In u military
cloak. glidud past the group and dis
appeared In the body OF the church
Neither OF her companions regarded
the stranger na he passed. hut the
conscious Joscphn felt the blood mantle
on her pale check. Rs with an lnVolun-
tary start she turned her head TO fol-
low his rcoeding figure.
II was almost Immediately lost In the
obaourity OF the distant nislca: hut ms
she advanced toward the high altar.
she saw him again standing In the
shadow OF n high pillar, ms she passed.
she mot his eye bent earnestly upon
her, and through the folds OF his open
cloak the light of suspended lamp
revealed to h0r youthful and manly
form. wearing the uniform Of the i'm.
pcrinl guard and decorated with tho
many brilliant orders. among which
blnzcd conspicuous that OF Marie The
rosR.
Her' step faltered. and her limbs
almost refused their Office, when step
ping from the shade OF the pillar. the
young noble doffod his plumed hat
before her with lowly reverence. with
one turtivc glance OF mingled sorrow
and ontrcaty, she rccognlae1 his pres
cncc; then, by u painful effort, she
quicloned her speed, and none save
the faithful, attendant on whose arm
she leaned knew that the young Count
llalmnnou stood within the sanctuary
no one else had marked the look OF In.
tclllgonce which had been exchanged
between the youthful queen and hoI
, devoted, but dcspnlrlng lover.
Josopha paused II moment to ofrcr W
n prayer NJ the altar for guidance and
Z support, and then struggling Tor calm
ness, she arose and followed Father
1 stephen toward the concealed door
, leading To the vaults below She had
thought herself calm--but when gh,
heard the hey grating IN the mnHsy
ID lock- and found herself alone with ~,
a priest. actually descending the stops
% penetrating the funeral gloom OF thai
= subtrrranoan charncl-huuac-then she
seemed 10 lose the power Of Volltion
[ the pulses OF her heart stood sti
I with dread. ana her eyes, fixed ant
a dllntod with horror, hoheld ghnstll
shapes beekoning to her from the toni
( wrought upon by many cnusos
e her auperstitloua mind was now
Z wrought up 90 the very highest
1 point of endurance, and 40 fraught
with images NJ terror. that Il needed
;. but the most trhiug excitement 10 un
, sottlc reason, or snap aaundor tho very
!, cords Of life. In this state, the tromh
r ling princess reached the foot Of The
\ stairs, when the pricHt led her OF
a through tho silent vaults, muttorlni
. lncohercnt prayers. and holding up thu
Z silver lamp he carried, to ight them OF
} their way.
ItA feeble ray struggled with the sur
rounding gloom, I'LL passing onward I
Il was lost In the blaze OF the wax tapers
i which, ON the anniversary Of his death
e always burned In PROPULSION around tn
tomb OF the emperor, Joacphu saw tn
r. glare 81 Hight fall upon the en-
+, blnsoned eseuteheon OF her impcria
II house, and knew that she ntood beaid
i the splendid mausolonm Of her f0mil.
"a 'mauRoleum erected by the picty o
her mother, IN the carly days OF he
!, beauty and her glory.
II Surrounded by all that earth coulj
:. give Of power and happiness, Mari
: Thcreau forgot not even then 10 loo
q forward TO the period when the Joy
: and pomps OF earth must be resigned
and the grave claim tho porishln
- body from whence It's immortal In
!, mate had departed Beside he
a fnthera stately monument stood III
y humber one Of hor youthful alstei
y Joanna--sho who, like herself had bee
T. betrothed TO Ferdinand OF Nnples--bu
- who was early doomed TO make he
n bridal bed In the GOODNESS and silenc
n OF the grave.
- Ioscpha started on boholdlng the gnI
" land OF white roses which the hand o
y. affection had hung upon her sister
y cenotaph. still beautiful ana ur
y withcr1d.
,, 'Thoy havo waited TO crown me. toe
- for my bridal" was the distempere
u thought which murmured from her llp
= az she reached out hor hand to gras
I, the snowy wreath, but at her touch
~ crumblod into Fragments. and the an
. fortunate princess, viewing It's destrut
n ton as an omen OF the fate her dii
y oased mind had predicted for hersel
Dl uttered hystcric cry and sank faint
y Ing on the ground.
s Father Stephen haatGnod 20 her MD
le but 20 his terrified gaze her life seem