The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-23
THE BEST JEWEL.

t-SQCe upon time IN the DeauB11u1 Aus
tunois there was a peasant woman who
wished to be richer than her neighbors
and to give the largest number of sous in
her district to the church on the Fete Dieu.
She talked about her wish to her little
child, too young to contradict or under
stand it, but when he drummed on the
side of his bread and milk basin, as sign
that it was empty and that he wanted
more, she accepted it a sign that he
agreed with her and would do anything in
his baby power to help her get the extra
sous.
His mother kissed him. "You shall go
with me, mon petit, - she cried. when
the serpent sees you, he will rub his eyes
and say: oh, there is a beautiful some
thing. Its hair is yel1ower than the gold
guard. Its skin is smoother than the pearls
l protect. It's eyes are bluer than the sap
phires I save. Its lips are rcdder than my
rubies.' Then I will scramble up all that
I can of the precious gems, while he stares
so hard at you, when, presto we shall be
coming home, too rich to walk, and the old
serpent beating himself with his own tail
because his treasure was stolen while he
gaped at little child.
On the day of the great fete the mother
and child were ready for their visit to the
cave, starting just as the sweet bells rang
out their Come to church. Come to
church for the service of the Fete Dieu.''
The baby laughed, and the mother whis-
pered in response, for no one must know
her splendid secret. ''Just wait, sweet
bells, We shall soon be there, to the service
of Fete Dieu, with something white and
something blue, something red and yellow,
too, for the service Of Fete Dieu.'
GOOD day, Marie said an old man to
her, leaning across his gate as she passed.
"What has a check as round and red as
your boys and q skin as shiny and
smooth?'
Marie was startled. She was thinking
only of the jewels in the cave.
IAN apple He laughed and held out
one polished like wax to the baby.
''Thanks, good Pierre. You are always the
one to jest kindly
And she dropped the apple into her
pocket and hastened on with the happy bsl-
by. Quite breathless, she reached the hill
at length, to find the stone rolled back
from the opening of the cave, showing in
side the heap of precious stones on which
the serpent lay coiled. Gold and gems lay
scattered on the floor, and plain wooden
table stood in the center. The serpent
raised its coiled head and stared at the
child with its emerald eyes as if fascinated
TiptOeing in, the mother put the child on
the ia BILE, pressed Pierre's apple into its
tiny hand and began a scramble for as
many jewels as were within her reach.
The serpent showed no resistance It still
gazed in rapture upon the little child, who
SGr6CCnGQ out the apple as II 1QV1C10R IL 10
come nearer.
Slowly uncoiling, the serpent crawled
toward the table, leaving unprotected its
bed of gold and gems. Marie, watching,
made three quick thrusts of her hand into
the precious heap. A handful of diamonds
she thrust into her pocket, a handful of
rubies into her dress, and the third of
pearls she was about to hide in her apron
when she saw the stone rolling to close to
the mouth of the cave and shut her in.
Forgetting everything but the dreadful
danger of being buried alive in the cave,
she pushed past the stone and escaped just
as it bumped into place, for the Fete Dieu
service was over.
Now only she remembered her dear lit
tie child shut in the cave with the terrible
serpent. Uttering sharp cry, she flung
the diamonds and rubies and pearls on tho
grass like hailstones, and wringing her
hands ran down the hill to the village be-
low.
Pierre was still at the gate when she
went past. $50 tell the priest, Marie,'' he
said, as if he knew all about her trouble.
''That I will, - she said rushing on, but
when the priest heard her story he shook
his head and looked very grave, as if moth
ing could be done.
The village people were all agog. A
thing so serious as this had never happen.
ed among them before, and it showed well
that one should be contented to let other
peoples caves and jewels alone.
Suddenly the priest made them sign
to stop their chattering- Come with me,
he said. ''We will go to the cave and pick
up every jewel that the child's mother has
scattered. -
The villagers could not but approve this
plan. They followed him up the hillside to
the cave, looking under every grass blade
and flower bed for the beautiful scattered
jewels, and soon, because their eyes were
SO bright and they were SO in earnest, they
picked up every scattered gem and bit of
gold, which they put in the priests hand.
Poor Marie, weeping bitterly, tried to
search also, but she looked through too
many tears to see clearly, and her hands
trembled so violently that had she found
a diamond she could not have picked it up.
For year, till the next Fete Dieu, the
priest kept the treasure. Then he gave it
to the baby's mother, telling her to take it
to the cave and when the stone rolled back
to go in and return it to the serpent. Very
early that Fete Dieu day, carrying the SER
pent's treasure in a silk bag, she climbed
toward the hill to the cave, sitting down
to rest till she heard the bells in the viii
1age below ring; Come to church Come
to church for the service of the Fete Dieu,'
when the stone slowly, slowly rolled from
the cave entrance. Peering in, she saw her
little child still sitting on the table and
playing with his apple. The serpent lay
co1led at the loot OF the table IL seemed
never to have gone back to it's bed of gold
and gems. Marie went in very softly.
First she put back the handful of dia-
monds, then rubies and lastly the pearls.
Next she turned toward her baby, and
catching it to her breast with a glad little
cry, ran out of the cave long before the
stone rolled back to close it or the service
of the Fete Dieu was over.
''Ah, them You have recovered the best
Jewel in the cave Marie have yOu?'' Pierre
called out as she ran EAST his gate with
the child in her arms. But Marie did not
pause to answer.-Exchange