St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-11-22


She spoke in quick, low tone, her
hands now clasped in eager explana-
ton, now pressed tight against her
breast or stretched out in helpless
appeal.
''Tis a long story. viii the king
hear?"
Speak on he said again.
"When Geber lay dying, as they
thought, my lord, he grieved sore
and was fiercely angered, too, that
there was no man-child to bear his
name-only girl. That night his
wife Rizpah bore two more, and they
feared to tell him lest he curse them
all. They were frail; one died that
night, and they knew the other could
| not live. Then one came who told that
| poor Phenecian woman, who dwelt
in the town below, had borne two
babes that night, one of them a boy.
Daniel, the brother, himself went to
the woman to buy the boy, but she re-
| fused, and then he said he would but
borrow him and would leave that as
| pledge which he valued more than
all the world. And he gave her the
Great Ruby which he always wore.
He took the child; then, lest some
thing might occur, he knew not what,
| yet feared, he took them both. But
Geber did not die; he lived, and they
dared not return the babes lest swift
punishment fall. The mother-my
mother-died of grief, they said, but
others say twas not that. Then they
searched for the jewel, but it was not
to be found, and they dared not noise
the loss abroad. The boy, my brother,
died when but lad, for he was never
strong, but I have lived, and twas
not long ago that 1 learned all this.
Naahma, my nurse, told me all when
she was dying-how she had cared
for my mother through all her sick
ness, thinking to cure her in spite
Of all her grief. But she awoke from
sleep one night to find her dead. She
then took the jewel from it's hiding
place, and later, by good fortune,
was made a nurse in the house OF
Geber. Before she died she gave the
jewel to me, and I wore it always
here beneath my robe. One night,
as I sang before Geber, the little
packet slipped from the folds of my
robe, and he saw it. He asked that
he might wear it, and I cared not
jewels mean naught to me; but he
had promised that I might have it
when I wished, and when he would
not give it to mel stole it."
''And thou wished to give it to
some one?" questioned the king gent
~.
"Aye, my lord" she answered, not
understanding the drift of the kings
question. "Geber had promised me in
marriage to Abner, who is old and
very rich, they say, but did not wish
to go to him, though I knew Geber
must be obeyed. So I wrote to him
and asked him if he knew that I was
blind, for he had only seen me once,
and would he not let me be free,
Then he wrote that he had not known
and would say no more if I would
give him the jewel which he knew
belonged to me, for Geber had told
him so when he wished to buy it from
him.
"But how came it with David, son
of Abner?" asked the king.
cit fell from my robe as l leaned
over the balustrade,' she faltered
land he-picked it up"
The king leaned forward, searching
the young face.
"And the broken jar just above
where he was found?"
81 broke it, my lord. I turned
swiftly and forgot twas there" she
answered quickly. +
Still the king bent forward.
'sThere was earth upon his feet
and garments, and the bank was torn
and broken, showing where he had
fallen from the rocks to the road
beneath thy window. How cam'st
that?" he asked, sternly.
The girl gave little cry and put
out her hands as if to ward off q
danger.
"Must tell it alp" she asked with
sob.
Elbow can I judge the matter if
do not know the truth, daughter?" he
asked, then turned toward the pris'
oner. His head was hidden against
the wall and his tightly clenched
hands had caused the great muscles
to stand out, the cords making deeE
cuts. His shoulders heaved, but nc
sound was heard save the soft, I'M
steady voice of the girl.
She had raised her head proudly
and stood with her hands tightly
clasped.
eve loved one another, my lord
and there was no way that we might
meet and speak. I dared not trust
note to any servant in the house
and each night he would pass on the
road at the foot of the hill. Then
would drop a little packet to him
from the balustrade above and he
would send an answer when he could
in some way. But last night was
late, and some one came just as
reached the place, so l threw the
packet down, and did not know until
this morning that in my haste ]
had thrown the jewel down. When
they told me that David was taken
with the jewel in his robe l put my
hand into my bosom and found what
I had done. They said twas clearly
proved that he had stolen it, for his
garments were soiled where he had
slipped and fallen. Perhaps it fell
upon the hillside and he climbed tc
get it; 1 do not know. But he was