The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-11-11


tation complies. and one day near a
statue Of liberty for which the conn
tess was The model. the king claSps
her In his arms and imprints the
kiss OF eternity" upon her lips. Later
az BAH he tells her that she Is
beautiful and that he loves her. and
she consoles herself with the thought
that the priest gave him to the
queen but nature gave him to her"
Al an opportune moment her broth.
er Bruno tells Irma that her actions
are the talk of the town and the best
way out of the matter is for her &c
get married. Colonel Won Bronnen. a
noble courtier. proposes to her but is
rejected, and the countess begins 10
realize that: ut is hell TO be con.
scious Of guilt and yet remain beside
a pure and happy creature"
In the meantime, Walpurga com.
pletes her term of service, and before
leaving for home calls upon Irma, vine
gives her a bag of gold won at the
gaming table the night before.
In the little village in the High.
lands, every one at first patronized
Walpurga and Hansai, but receiving
no favors at their hands, the people
show that human nature is the same
there as at court, for they circulate
all sorts of scandalous tales concern.
ing them, but when the happy couple
good wishes of all their old friends
go with them to their new abode. Al
this juncture, some one at court writes
TO Irma's father, Informing him that
she is "the kings mistress" and at the
news he is fatally stricken, but before
he passes away he presses his hand
TO his daughters brow and she inter.
prets the act as setting there the mark
of Cain and wears bandage over II
forever after.
1rma is now in a terrible state OF
mind and when the king writes to her:
" alone can kiss away the shadows
that cloud your brow'' it only in.
creases her desperation and she re
SolfeS upon SUICIDE.
She writes thus to the queen: 80
expiate my crime in DEATH" And t.
the king: Eve are treading the wrong
path. You belong not to yourself alone
but to your people. Death is my ex
piation for sin. Life must be yours
God knows we did not mean to d.
wrong"
On the way to end her life, tn,
had been ruined by her brother, Bru
no. This woman browns herself il
the lake and Irma stumbles on, bruiset
and bewildered, and is found by Wal
purga and Hansai on their journey t,
their newly purchased freehold. Con
cealing her identity from all but Wal
purga, she accompanies the party t
their mountain home.
Report of the countess death 500
spreads abroad and search is mad
for her body, but no trace of it
found, yet tablet is erected by tn
lake bearing this inscription: Her
persisted Irma, Countess of Wildenort
in the twenty-frst year of her life
Traveller, pray for and honor her men
ory."
Back at court, the king upon re
ceiving Irma's letter is deeply repent
ant and saddened by the reflectio
that "there is no greatness withou
morality" He goes to the queen
room to ask her forgiveness, but sh
is full of bitterness and feigns to
asleep and later she vents her spit
and vituperation upon him.
The king thinks that DR.. Gunther
lSsponsible for this, and the physical
is discharged and goes back to live i
his old home in the Highlands.
For three years Irma lives with Wa
purga, supposedly dead, but really e2
plating her sins and so growing i
sweetness and purity, that all who Ell
ter her presence look upon her as a
angel and are lifted and inspired.
At length on day when the kin
and queen and the court are at neal
by village. Irma fatally i'll, sends fo
DR.. Gunther, who hastens to her sid
and placing his hand upon her fore
head pronounces this benediction: II
your fathers name l bless you an
with this l kiss away your burdens
You are Free"
Walpurga hastens to the queen VIII
is now stricken with elf-condemnatio
for her hateful spirit and her unjus
pride in her own virtue. She realize
that Irma's penance is one throug
which she herself ought to pass an
when she reaches the shepherds hi
there is mutual forgiveness.
The king has been hunting in til
vicinity. Since receiving Irma's lie
ter, he has lived manly life, and
penitence has sought to promote til
welfare of all his people. Word
conveyed 10 him of what is takir
place, and he rides with all haste, bl
arrives on the scene only to find tht
the countess has passed away; bl
his heart leaps with joy when tt
queen turns to him with the cry: "Fo
give me, Kurt. You have expiate
You-alone. She-alone." Her maize
ty takes out an amulet, which she ht
worn next to her heart. 1t Is the b.
, trOthal ring the king had given HI