The Jasper news., 1920-01-08
i, Jane Bunker
oopyrlai.s m nsAhs-ltsErin O.

matte DOTueE war WIN pVWOAAee
duchy the size of Nantucket, so there
was naught for 1t but to dispatch the
handsome younger brother, Fritz, to
plight his brothers troth by proxy.
The dates we're set. and all seemed
moving along Its appointed course,
when post-haste comes a trusty mes |
senger and delivers himself Of the
tale he has ridden all day to bring
that Oscar has been smltten through
the helmet, thereby losing nose, an
upper lip and a chin; and was now In
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 q 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 El-
freda, knowing that a marriage be-
tween the families was greatly to be
desired, and warmed with high sense
Of duty to the fast-departing Oscar
and Il may be, natural shrinking on
the part OF the lady from the embraces
of husband minus an upper lip.
nose and a chin, and plus some sixty
various and sundry other wounds and
| 80 kao nnd n
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 fast
recovery by the aid Of his devoted
mother In spite Of his nose and his
chin and his lipl
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 well
in a way that gave him grim satisfac-
ton and his mother considerable un-
easlness for her darling; and no soon
er 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 rs ian unholy bandit"
Then did the fair lady call unto her
her own private scribe and she indited
beautiful letter in her own hired
handwriting. and In II she told the
noble warrior that the mistake waf
hers-as she saw by his gloriously
Scared face-aud she took all tht
? blame and offered herself and hei
blood as sacrifice in the ap2easing Of
1 his righteous wrath. Then she called
, her most faithful maid-of-all-work ant
, said: "Lady-in-waiting. deliver thii
: into thy keeping. Now fetch me m!
3 golden goblet, lock the door and asl
5 no questions"
a And with this attended to, Elfreda
a Stationlng the lady-of-all.work In tn,
r proper attitude with the goblet II
q readiness to catch her hearts blood
" plunged a dagger In her bosom ant
/, died.
The faithful lady-in-walting Obedl
: emily caught the blood as II fell
Q seven great drops. But, oh. miracle
!: when she looked into the golden goble
4 what did she beholdf Seven dropi
e unmixed as when they fell from tn
IS gaping wound OF her beloved mlstres
e seven glorious blood-red diamonds
But she was strictly honest. Th
r letter and the diamonds. still In tn
N golden goblet. were conveyed TO Osca
W at the appointed hour, and at sunst
III the two brothers united their teal
n above the bier of the beautiful q
v freda.
x Such was the legendary origin Of II
10 most wonderful diamonds In the worl
-- "a collection created by miracle; an
IS thenceforth, In keeping with the
lr mystic origin, they assumed a peculii
n role In the history Of nations, blndlr
a. bargains and sealing treaties Of peac
" But now the later legends had e
rs dowed the stones with occult powe
II which were impaired to their posse
to sors-the renewal OF youth. wealt
Is untold energy OF mind and spirit.
fir A century after the stones we
a taken to Venice and cut and their re
err glory was revealed to the world; al
rh at las. they excited the envy Of b
mssct and came into the possession