Semi-weekly herald., 1912-01-29


once blazed ip the forehead OF the
great Buddha. In the Temple of Delhi
1t was revered by thousands. hundreds
OF thousands. by millions. as the most
sacred work of the god; for tradition
says II was the mndisputed property
OF Buddha himself when he walked
the earth in his latest incarnation"
Mrs, Missioner's lips were parted.
Her eyes were fixed upon the OrieA-
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, sacrilegious wretch-on
whose head be all tho 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 apostats
thief No trace OF him was found
The Mahsra1ah of that kingdom. lax
though he had been in certain OBJ.
servances OF the faith. was too true a
son OF the Temple TO let the careless
priests go unpublished. BY his order
they We're seized. hundred OF them
and thrown into prison. royal de-
cree was promulgated, the effect OF
which Is that none of those unhappy
captives is to see the light OF day un
I'll the diamond is returned to its place
in Buddha's forehead The templs
was draped in the mourning coIors OF
the east. and those colors still deck
It's lonely walls No true believers
foot may be seen within its portal,
while the 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 fol-
the restoration of his own"
Mrs. Missioner was thrilled by the
narrative. She was somewhat at q
loss. however. to account for the depth
of the Swami's interest In the 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 And and restore the diamondi
And to return these other stons.. ia
me-"
You will need no further explana.
tion, madam" said the scholar, with
utmost courtesy. when tell you that
the priests who lie in that Eastern
prison are my brethren"
But how IL 1t you are not among
them?"
by a special dispensation OF mercy
on the part of the Maharajah," he an.
swered. when five years, as you
count them. had flown and still the
diamond was missing-when all tho
other servants of the kingdom had
searched India, the rest OF the Orient.
relented far enough to direct that
the Imprisoned priests choose ono Of
their number to girdle the earth In
quest Of the stone. |. being the young.
est Of the priesthood, was selected for
the task. For the priests themselves,
though prisoners OF woe, are more
concerned to have the stain wiped out
than to return to the world from
which they have been exiled They
oh ha Ln& -
might have as long a time as nature
permitted to carry out the quest"
The Swami paused an instant, and
then continued:
80 you see that not only do q 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. are
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 the
Maharajah's kingdom. Can you won
der that l 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
fre.
What is II, then. you wish7" she
asked what can I do for your IL
1t a question OF rsward?"
Not in that sense" said the Swami
quickly. Il want no recompense for
returning to you that which belongs
to you. Those stones are yours. Il
would be as wicked for me to keep
them. according to the light Of my
faith. as in the moral intelligence Of
yours. But do want a reward In q
way. I ask your permission to return
to my native land. and l request that
you cause all further efforts to re-
cover the big diamond to end at once. Z"
How can ! do that7" inquired the
widow.
The matter Ii now In the hands Of
the police. You can say truthfuily
TO the police" the Swami replied,
that your diamonds have been re-
turned to you: that you are satisfied
with tho explanation OF their disap-
pearance that accompanied their
restoration. and that you wish all
further activity on the part Of the