Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-27


says it was the undisputed property
Of Buddha himself when he walked
tho earth in his latest incarnation"
Mrs. Missioner's lips were parted.
Her eyes were fixed upon the Orien-
tails in the intensity Of her interest.
"One night" the sage went on.
when band of militant priests as
signed to guard the shrine Of Buddha
in the great Delhi temple relaxed its
vigilance, a sacrilegious wretch-on
whose head be all the curses of all
the centuries made his way into
the heart Of the sacred building, and
wrested the diamond from the brow
Of the god. That he was not blasted
In his tracks by the lightning Of divine
wrath proves that the mind OF the
god at that moment was shrouded in
meditation for the benefit Of his chill
dren. The stone was missed at dawn.
Within the hour, armed men were
securing the city for the apostato
thief. No trace of him was found.
The Maharajah Of that kingdom, lax
though he had been in certain OBJ
servances of the faith, was too true .
son Of the Temple to let the careless
priests 60 unpublished. BY his order
they were seized, hundred of them,
and thrown into prison. A royal de-
cree was promulgated, tho effect Of
which is that none Of those unhappy
captives is to see the light Of day un.
til the diamond is returned to its place
in Buddha's forehead. The temple
was draped in tho mourning colors Of
the east and those colors still deok
its lonely walls. No true believers
foot may be seen within its portals
while tho great stone is missing. The
brethren of the priesthood languish
in dungeons, hoping against hope that
Buddha may manifest his mercy by
causing the gem to be regained and
replaced upon his brow INTENDED.
unworshiped, the god sits upon his
throne within the shrine, waiting for
the restoration of his own"
Mrs. Missioner was thrilled by tho
narrative. She was somewhat at q
loss, however, to account for the depth
OF tho Swami's interest in tho recap
ture Of the great diamond. Until he
unfolded his story further. she did not
know how personal that Interest was.
How does this affect your" she
asked. "Why should you be at such
pains to find and restore the diamond?
And to return these other stones to
me?"
"You will need no further explains.
ton, madam" said tho scholar with
utmost courtesy, when tell you that
the priests who He In that Eastern
prison arc my brethren"
But how 10 it you are not among
them?"
by special dispensation Of mercy
on the part Of tho Maharajah," he an
swered. when five years, as you
count them, had flown and still the
diamond was missing-when all the
other servants Of the kingdom had
searched India. the rest Of the Orient.
and even Europe, for It, His Majesty
reiented far enough to direct that
tho imprisoned priests choose one OF
their number to girdle tho earth in
quest Of the stone. l, being the young.
est Of tho priesthood, was selected for
the task For tho priests themselves,
though prisoners OF woe. arc more
concerned to have the stain wiped out
than to return to the. werld from
which they have been exiled. They
chose the youngest that the searcher
might have as long a.stims % nature
permitted to carry out tho quest
The Swami paused an instant, and
then continued:
( $50 you see that not only do a hum
dred human lives hang upon the re-
turn of that single Jewel to the place
whence it was stolen, but that the
faith. the religion. the very hope of
eternity Of millions Of persons, arc
equally dependent upon It, Until the
gem CLEANS again in Buddha's brow,
no prayer for redemption can be
breathed with any hope Of response
in the most remote part of tho
Maharajah's kingdom. Can you won
der that would sell life itself to
achieve this task?"
Mrs. Missioner did not wonder. She
clasped between her hands the packet
containing the other stones of her
necklace, and gazed dreamily into the
Are
What is it. then, you wish?" she
asked. What can I do for you? Is
It q question Of . reward?"
mot in that sense" said tho Swami
quickly. II want no recompense for
returning to you that which belons4
to you. Those stones are yours. It
would be as wicked for me to keep
them. according to the light Of my
faith, as in the moral intelligence Of
yours. But I do want reward In q
way. ask your permission to return
to my native land. and request that
you cause all further Efforts to ~
eover tho big diamond to end At oacs.~
i Glow can do tAati" incurred tn
widow.
1.-The matter Is now IN the hands q
the police. You can say tfutAfuny
to the police" the Swami replied,
''that your diamonds have been ~
turned to you: that you arc satisflel
Win tho explanation Of their dlsap-
peAranoe that aecompanssd their
fsstoratioA and that you wish al
further actlvltv On the part Of The
authorities To- nnaaa