The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-01

left in concealment for some reason OF
diplomacy. II any case, the value Of
Questionable; but | am an Italian, as
you see, and believed then, as now, in
nothing but omens. For a long while
no thought of touching these things,
scarce even of handling them-so strong
in human flesh is the grain Of early
superstition,- Game to me. I sat there
gazing at them and watching the light
of the topaz sparkling even above the
radiance Of the smaller diamonds-sat.
fae until r 1t was autg DARK ana tie
one of those flashes of thought which
often mean much to man, I had it in
my mind that both the diamonds and
the topaz above them would sit well
her in my fancy coquetting to me for
at the other thoughts, to call them
echoes Of childish schooling. to handle
the chalice and the ring Of jewels, and
bigger fool in Europe if I did not take
them. Need tell you that the reason
ing. convinced mes and quickly, as the
cold Of the mist grew more intense, l
took the baubles in my hand, still lack
ing the courage to secure the chalce
and the crucifx, and rose to leave the
Now, for the first time, I think, you
T are beginning to see the point Of my
story. The strangest part OF 1t yet re,
en upon ha aSe ea you as t1a1 rosa s mao
3 quit it, and that mists rose thick from
I the valley with the early night. You
t will, therefore, easily understand my
discontinue when, reflected, upon the
r light Of a lantern. In the next moment
q man, young but ragged, with a full III
J. bearded face, and the cape Of a priest
!, about his shoulders, stood swinging his us
o the tomb of the Jewels by our feet,
s know not why, but there was something
of such power and command writ upon
Il the monks face that I have never
g called him by any other name than the
:; n me cannot msa tel you. Terror, human
4 nv whole being seemed stricken with
Il an apprehension which tortured me and
- made my brain burn. God! the memo emo,
nv shakes me even now, and have seen
g him thrice since, and the fear is greater
IIe every time I look upon his. face.
70 "Thus I stood facing the man when
~ he opened his lips to curse me-. l. be-
:: = lieve now, and shall always beheve
a, a., that he is nothing but a mailman, whose
re re NV ears. If you search the world thru
- read the curse upon Barbarossa and al
h hl the volumes Of anathema, you will ney ,
nv find such a blasting accusation as tn
ny man spoke when he saw the monstranc!
x in my hand. So dreadful was it that
On reeled before him, and, losing all com
10 ~, mand, struck him down with my stic]
he and fed the place. The next day
It r quilted the valley Of San Bernardo, an
aHs paz, set by her father as a bracelet, an
~, the diamonds sparkled upon her finger
lno She covered me with kisses for tn
wn Gift. and in her embraces I forgot tn
he mailman of the hills, and my melanchol
20 passed.
r 81 1.-THE rest Of my story, you know
eai.I. Gras ball, and died ten minutes aftt
ta ;r she had entered the room. A year late
having fed from Italy, ia b4 fa Rerf
BuTv Hd at Marseilles. A man has man
t4 ne love affairs, but only one passion.
, 70 was not in love with her, but she W;
iea rich, and troubled herself to get sma
,nie, tering of art talk, which amused m
San One day she found ta m topaz b IN m
nee nee as you have heard; and I, poor as E
the ways, and now pursued by the damnll
lres curse, came to Paris, selling the top
~ on my way here to M. Georges Barr
'av, I did, I have lamented it the most sin
us I saw the exquisite creature who is
11y be his wife. And when, three days as
lals' ] discovered the mailman who h
r ga. cursed me at San Bernardo in the We
the determined TO save her tho the de
rad oos+ mo q confession and NV liberty. -
~. 49,
With He had ceased to speak, and h
ole drunk off the remainder Of his absint]
liltv while his amazing story, which COZ
the in no way believe, went whirling tn
cling my brain and yet gave to me no 81, sds
10 of think that he was the mailman, and
lone, cracked for sitting there and heari
Their. the extraordinary narration he had G.
8 on trived; but there was something IN
ss in manner which forbade any long, e
Ored tlnuance OF Cne assumption, anu Will
and had no leisure to bring critical scrut
- ~ imme diate. action.
,,oo1, "Come,'' said l., "presuming t
alled your picture is not highly colored,
,nnof is striking half-past y now. You XII
E +bo what women are. Mile. Bernier +
L o ono wear the bracelet in the face of ev!
isino thing l have said, and L am lncllnec
think < with vt y y9p that it is not wise
s amt "God forbid that she should,'
!e sat he, and with that we went out toget
rcb aa1 The weather at that. time was
r Snea and cheerless; bleak wind sv
10y. naSe around the corners of the streets,
olors 49, e H. r,on+ h,,;1d,,o 5000
. . nnS fickered with tapping tongues of
= o enu and yellow. But, once inside,
u 1,1,1 glow of light and color passed desc
c, ~, ton. Here, whirling shouting, dane
- evn leaping, the, maskers rioted, ali
: 1 l1o ~ drowning with their clamor the b
= ,1 noHo Of the band; the superb entrance
ppa aCn was ablaze with the flash of tav
C a. jewels and shining raiment; kings
v hsd queens, knights and -courtiers, cali
! tn la, and clowns, swarmed up the mas
MI, MI staircase, struggling, screaming, p
mchess ing, regardless of everything but
a"nbe madness of the scene within. 1t
~ 80 with the greatest difficulty tn:
abic cS reached Tussal IS box, and theie1
)" I'D I'D looking down upon the wild earn
,+t tnu seeing at the first but medley of !
sof+ and color, a reckless horde of dan
homes grisettes, shepherdesses, over "
'1 heads confetti hurtled, or the spi
d;zzv which the youths love. What with
rban + dust and the scream Of voices, and
rance chatter Of the thousand tongues,
=. ~; 81. the heroic efforts of the iddlers, it
-oid almost impossible to locate anyt
earth or any one; but the Italian, re;
With than I, pointed out to me at last
- was one we sought; and I observed he,
4 the ting in box quite close to us, v
yyn of she seemed to talk with all a s
yas or esprit to the young sculptor at her
;awels A fairer spectacle never was than
y, ~ t t Of this childish creature, qua
100 drnssed in a simD1e gown Of white