The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-09

Are your friends then 20 rsch-- she
asked.
Il do not know. what 10 being rich,
They bring up these things In great sacks
from the center 90 the earth, and when
they DO not bring enough they are pcn-
fshed''
At This ire queens face darkened Wis
sbiy. She drew her son assce. saying:
This maiden Ia none other than the
daughter % that terrible witch BAHIA CDa-
IA Take her hack again quickly whence
fortune TO mis- house.
Anything but that. mother" said the
young king. turning deafhfy pale Il love
this fair. innocent girl with all my soul.
with every drop OF blood In my veins. and
with every breath I draw, To live without
her were death. Were she Bahia coaja her-
self could not part from her."
The queen sighed heavily. Then she cr-
dered a chamber to be prepared for the
maiden beside her own. and IL was de-
cided that the wedding should take place
next day.
As the time drew near the queen wished
to deck her new daughter with her own
hands. but she had a stif battle TO fight
over the golden web. Alba would not have
II touch her head. Like frightened doe
she ned through the castle. threw herself
on the ground. hid beneath the rugs that
covered the dfvans, and with tears and
prayers entreated that abe might be
spared. Would not the queen cover her
with one OF her own beautiful silk webs
instead OF that terrible. terrible golds
But while she thus kneeIed and wepe
the queen beckoned to two OF her attend
ants. who held her hands while the gold
en- veil was fastened on her head They all
expected an oufburst OF anger and despair.
But Alba vas quite STILL Pale as death.
she bowed her lovely head beneath the
golden burden you are harder than my
mother" she said; '-she would not LEI
me wed any man. lest evil might oeiali
me: you have called down misfortune on
my head"
No one understood these words, and
Alba could not be brought TO explain their
meaning. which stu further increased the
feeling Of mistrusf against her. She
looked SO pale and sad that the people
no longer recognised the bright, Joyous
maiden of the day before. and not all the
loving words ana caresses of her young
husband were able 10 chase away the
clouds from her brow.
At court nothing else was spoken OF but
the countless treasures OF the young
queen. and many of the kings friends
urged him to get nearer sight OF them.
He did not trouble much about the treas
ures; ne only longed TO bring back the
cied that IL he were to bring her the things
she had been accustomed to she might be
bright and merry again; for she only
smiled sadly at the stones the others
called jewels. and could not believe that
they were of any value.
But when she heard that Porfirie
thought OF returning to the castle she was
terribly frightened. and begged and en-
treated him not to go. 1T would be your
death. and / shall never, never see you
morer'
Porfirie. however, would not be dis
suaded. The greater she depicted the dam
gers that awaited him. the more anxious
iy did he long to brave them all; and early
In the morning. while she was still
wrapped In slumber. he departed secret
ly. and. accompanied by few friends, he
rode up to Bahia Coaja's castle.
The old woman quickly spied him while
still at a distance.
"A curse be upon thee." she cried, for
having carried OF my child In order to
make her unhappy, There-there. Satisfy
thy greed. which drives thee back TO me,
thou miscreant. / never asked thee to
come. but since thou art here-there-take
what thou earnest fort"
With these words she showered down
jewels in endless quantity on the horse
men. But as the precious stones passed
through the air they were turned into
snow and ice, and swirIed down In such
clouds that the unfortunate men could not
protect themselves, and at last lost all
trace of their way.
Most of them fell down the steep prect-
pices. but the young king. fired with pas
sion and revenge. advanced close up to
the castle to try and reach the old bag.
Here, however. he became so completely
enveloped that he could not stir hand or
foot. and was soon entirely buried in the
snow.
Then Bahia Coaja gave a fendish laugh.
"Ha-ha, / have won the day. Now my
pretty bird will return here to look for
hinn-but she will have to stay with me,
j shall have my child back again: she
shall not remain in the wicked world, and
among the people whom / hate.'
And even as she spoke. Alba, faint and
weary, In her white velvet dress. now COW
cred with dust came up the mountain.
Where, where is henry husband?" she
cried. with lips blanched and trembling.
..Sor' exclaimed Baba Coaja. you ran
away from me for a stranger, and now
you return and ask not for me, but him?
wefi-he Is not here"
He is, he is, I traced his footsteps to
the very edge OF the snow! oh. mother,
where have you hidden him."
"Ha, har' laughed the witch, ''you are
right He never got any further than the
SNOW lie was SfhotneTtu DtHtdth your
Jewels"
With piercing scream Alba threw her.
self on the glistening ground. and began
wildly tearing away the snow with her
hands But all in vain; the massive white
covering which shrouded her beloved was
frozen too hard, Uttering wild. heart
broken cry. Mother. mother. you have
killed your chiid.' Alba fell down dead on
the cold. white ground.
Then Bahia Coata hurled forth n curse
so deep and loud that the mountain shook
to its very foundation. and the castle
crumbled TO the ground burying the witch
and her treasures beneath the ruins.
But on the spot where Alba had breathed
out her innocent young life. a fair white
flower. with soft white velvet leaves. bios
somed forth. known as Alba Regina. or
Edeiweiss. IL is only found on the edge
Of the everlasting snowneids, and is TO
this day the symbol OF all true love.
Some day. perhaps. the giistening snow
win again change into precious stones.
when fair and spotiess maiden freads
over its pure. cold surface. But mean
while the precious golden web spun by
Alba IS stiii eagerly searched for: each
bride. In turn. hoping she may the lucky
finder. They therefore do not fear the
golden threads. despite the unuttered I'm
precautions interviewer with them. for
each one trusts and believes that her
bridal veil may contain the skein which
viii bring luck and happiness as her por-
ticn.-English Illustrated Magazine.