Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-02-11
M Jane Bunker
Copyright The Robbs-herrill Co


the throes of dissolution.
CONSERVATION reigned in the castle,
broken by the sobs of the fair Elfreda,
the shy glances of the bereaved broth
er-who would become the heir appar-
ent-and the wise silence of the old
| kinglet.
1t was not long before a decision
was reached satisfactory to all per-
sons-except Oscar, lying In his tent
| comforting himself with thoughts of
| the grief of his beautiful betrothed,
| whom he had never set eyes on for
the two young people, Fritz and FL
| freda, knowing that a marriage be-
tween the families was greatly to be
| desired, and warmed with a high sense
of duty to the fast-departing Oscar
and it may be, a natural shrinking on
the part of the lady from the embraces
Of a husband minus an upper lip,
nose and chin, and plus some sixty
various and sundry other wounds and
scars to 'boot--hastened the ceremony.
and were united by the castle priest in
| the bonds of holy matrimony before
! the sun rose.
Imagine the messengers feelings on
| arriving at the castle and finding Os-
car, instead of lying at peace in the
family chapel with solemn candles at
his head and his heels, making a fast
recovery by the aid of his devoted
mother in spite of his nose and his
chin and his lip!
Still, the news Of the unprecedented
marriage was a tonic all around-es-
pecially to the messenger. Oscar cut
off his head and hung it out of the win
dow to air and then promptly got we'll
in a way that gave him grim satisfac-
ton and his mother considerable I'M
easiness for her darling; and no soon
err was Oscar, able to sit his horse than
he directed his attention and his army
against her whom he was pleased to
call "faithless" and the brother whom
he designated as IAN unholy bandit"
Then did the fair lady call unto her
her own private scribe and she indited
a beautiful letter in her own hired
handwriting, and in it she told the
noble warrior that the mistake was
| hers-as she saw by his glOriOusiy
SCARED face-and she took all the
blame and offered herself and her
blood as a sacrifice in the appeasing of
| his righteous wrath. Then, she called
her most faithful maid-of-all-work and
said: "Lady-in-waitirg 2, deliver this
into thy keeping. Now fetch me my
golden goblet, lock the door and ask
no questions"
And with this attended to, Elfreda,
stationing the lady-of-all-work in the
proper attitude with the goblet in
readiness to catch her hearts blood,
plunged a dagger in her bosom and
died.
The faithful lady-in-waiting obedi-
emily caught the blood as it fell
seven great drops. But, Oh, miracle
when she looked into the golden goblet
what did she behold? Seven drops,
unmixed as when they fell from the
| gaping wound of her beloved mistress
seven glorious blood-red diamonds!
But she was strictly honest. The
letter and the diamonds, still in the
golden goblet, were conveyed to Oscar
at the appointed hour, and at sunset
! the two brothers united their tears
above the bier of the beautiful Ell
| freda.
Such was the legendary origin Of the
most wonderful diamonds in the world
"a collection created by miracle; and
! thenceforth, in keeping with their
mystic origin, they assumed peculiar
| role in the history of nations, binding
bargains and sealing treaties OF peace
| But now the later legends had en-
| dowed the stones with occult powers
which were impaired to their posses
| sors-the renewal of youth, wealth,
untold energy of mind and spirit.
A century after the stones were
| taken to Venice and cut and their real
| glory was revealed to the world; and
! at last they excited the envy of Bis
marck and came into the possession of
| the emperor, grandfather to the pres
ent William, thence to William the
present.
| To this legend Billy and had lis
| tened with unblinking interest. Mon
| sfeur told it in the sustained manner
| of one immured to secrets of state. 1t
/ was he who broke the spell of our
silence by asking me for a glass OF
water.
I carried the water TO him and
| turned away my eyes while he held the
glass with his two hands to his lips.
That's quite a yarn" observed
Billy, blowing out a cloud.
"'Yern g" questioned monsieur.
"Stcry--.ale-narr Billy ex-
planned. .'Une historic" ca which
monsieur frightened and declared:
ssC'est une veritable historic"
True when it happened" translated
Billy. "But what don't see is where
you come in on the diamoed deal"
"IT' said monsieur, giving me look
that asked: is there anything have
not beautifully explained"