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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1900)
tllfe COtJfcifcR. THE NECKLACE. Martha Pierce. Once only in my life have I possessed a bit of absolute beauty, fl .wless and soul-satisfying. Mine at least, when the gold necklace lay in my handstand it seemed mine. It was of small beads, exquisitely chased and strung on a thin wire, flexible as silken thiead, but strong, past the possibiPty of breaking: like one of those fine, steel chains they used to make in Florence long ago. Looking frail, to be snapped with one's fingers, but strong as the will of the Medici. At first I did not know about its strength. But after wards, we tested it, George and I. It could not be broken. Tnere was a lit tle clasp of jade, curiously carved in mystic character. Its tiny case of irory, was a marvel too. Ac egg shell inlaid with gold with a band about the middle to conceal the opening, and a tiny key, attached to the small lock, by a cobweb chain. Ah, what having and holding of a mere gaud ever gave me such joy! Or for that matter such terror? And the terror came near to choking the joy. Yet, at first I could not, myself, believe, and half agreed with father when he growled from be hind his newspaper: "Uropb! Too much evening party and late supper." The first night it happened was the night of Mollie Harkless' f incy dress ball. I had gone as a lady of ye olden time in a gown of greenjade with my string of beads wound round my throat, and yellow hair fl ting free from my coronet, a band of gold Bet with emer alds. I copied my costume from an old picture which George had in his den, amongst all the other rubbish he has imported. Sir Somebody or other's no tion of a lady of the castle. There was a fearful crash, the rooms were warm, and J got home in the small hoars, quite worn out but happy, because well, I waa quite the belle 'of the evening, though it does not' seem nice in me to say it. And then there was another reason, but never mind that, I undress ed sleepily and crept into bed. In the first hour of sleep 1 was in the midst of the whirl again,thern alone in the conser vatory, standing in the shadow, waiting with beating heart, until someone came up behind me and put two strong hands on my shoulders. Tnen a fiend's grip on my throat I struggled wildly, tried to scream. I was being throttled. Bed seas swam before my eyes, thunder roared in my ears. Then suddenly, re lease; a flood of light; mother's voice. .... "WhatailB you, child? I happened to be wakeful and heard you. Such a queer, strangled sen-am. . . . And I find you struggling and tearing at your throat. Your hair was wrapped around it, I think. What's here? Your precious necklace on your pillow! Child, you are actually idolatrous." Shivering, but not with cold, I took the thing and locked it in its egg shell, and that in the drawer. I remembered dimly, that I bad left it a glittering heap, on the dressing table an hour before. And at breakfast in the same day when father said: "Nightmare," I silently half acquiesced. But when the night came I knew. And I kept the malicious one closely locked away. Once again, once only in my vanity and that while the broad day shone, I had it out and wore it. I had just The Lady was silent. At last: ."Will "From the window in the tower I saw you not deliver to me my lover's gift, him place hie bowmen on the walls, go without a reply?" here and there about the castle yard, "No,' I said unhesitatingly. "Tell cautiously strengthening the defences, me the tale, and why you would take Then, casque in hand, the sunlight from me my costliest possession. If beating on his bared bead, he harangu- was near to death. When George you speak fair and your reason is good, ed his trusty knights. How they rushed in, he found me on the floor I will yield it." shouted. They loved him to a man. There was a moment's delay. Then But Urquehait, (called the hard-heart- the sweet, low articulation began and ran'on to the end like a silver stream. "I was a king's daughter, and counted the.fairest in a land of fair women. I was to wed with the crown-prince of an come in when mother called me, and. for that one time forgetful, I left the case and drawer unlocked. Long im munity creates a feeling of security. I retired without further thought of the thing which I guarded. That time I black in the face. Happening to be coming in late, passing my room on his way to his own, he heard me fall. Again the bands glittering in the light, flung, as if by accident, on the floor. Then I told George all I knew, ed) loved him most and best. Then the storm rolled up from the west, and the Black Wolf crept up the cliff, his pack at his heels, not waiting for the night. God keep you ever free from such a thought, feared. For answer he caught adjoining kingdom, at my father's word, sight as my eyes beheld that day. Blood But on a day, it fell that the Black flowed in rivers, yet that ravening pack Knight, known far and wide, as the of wolves came on, seemingly unde- Rayen of Glenraven, rode to my father's miniehed, clinging and clambering court with his hundred knights at his where no man thought they could so back. 1, standing at the casement, saw much as gain a foothold, fighting like him as he rode beneath, the gallantest tigers, till at last, our yeoman far out- Nor numbered, went back and back; and all mem- at once, no one knew why or how, the IHE FR1NKLIH ICE I ? S, And Dairy 60. Manufacturers of the finest qual ity of plain and fancy Ice Cream XCBB, rroicu jruuuiugs, rrappe and Sherbets. Prompt delivery m and satisfaction guaranteed. 9 133SO. 1 2th St. PHONE 205. I rB;rMJrBQ up the necklace and made as if to snap it in pieces, but it ran through hie bands like water, and would not be broken. With a white face he flung it from him. "I will put it in the vault tomorrow," he said as I locked it away, "and as soon as possible, it shall be knight, ever held a lane? in rest. melied. Itisau evil thing, accursed, can a thousand years efface the and vengeful. Some powerful spirit of ory of his look, when he raised his eyes gate was down. . . . They gained eld days has found a way to make his and saw me at the window. All the the castle yard Our knights evil live after him." soul of the man in hie eyes. And my had barely time to win to the castle. But I loved the necklace, for its un- heart made answer. He gained my Abaron! I did not see him fling the matched beauty, though it wrought father's slow consent, in his own knight- gates wide open, but this much, 1 know; death. I knew George was full of the ly way, and there came a day when we bis was the traitor hand. I heard the mysteries and enchantments of the old were betrothed in the presence of king knights swarm through the cawtle East. He wsb ever ready to give ere- and court. Yon necklace, you wrapped Urquhart's great voice, commanding, deuce to the incredible. Yet, was he so carelessly about your throat, was my "Where then was be? The master? not right? What strange power this knight's betrothal gift. He had got it Lord Raven of Glenraven? My hus- froia some old, maimed, brown heathen, band? In vain my eyes had searched whom he had rescued from a fate worse for him this hour past. Then suddenly, than mere death, when on his journey looking out once more, to see what to. the Holy Sepulchre. He took it, to plans the foe prepared, I saw him, hold relieve the old man's weight of graft- ing six men at bay, with his broad tude, which bore him down, little dreaming when the wrinkled, brown idolater swore that it would do his will day bid thing possesses, Whence came the power? Did I do well to keep so evil a thin;? Yet, for it's very beauty's sake I could not destroy it I kept it in my room, locked and double-locked. II. George married in June, tbat little fire cas- gray mouse of a girl, Alice Rothweli, who waB so good to me at boarding henceforth, forever, that the school, and came to visit me afterwards, should ever come, when he should when I was gloriously done with schools or aty servant of his, to do evil. and happily begun with balls. Father, mother and I went down, of course, to the dear, gray-gabled, old parsonage, among the Berkshire hills and saw them married, and off for their houey- "Leaet of all that day, when he wound it around my throat, and swore: 'Our love shall be like this, the thread that sword, sweeping a ring of white about him, he backed toward the tie. . . . He was almost safe. . . . At that moment I heard Urquehart's shout, 'Are all within?' And the an swering 'Yea.' 'Then bar the door!' No! no! to bar the Masters door, when his foot was all but on the thresh-hold. . . . It must not be. . . . With holds and cannot be broken,' did he all my gathered strength I ran, head dream of its power to drag a moment's long down the stair, to call, to shriek to them 'Uhbar the door!' . . . One and they must hear. even above the tumult -and thunder. Oh, God, for wings. . . . Then, then when I most desired to live one mo- moon, ween it was u over, we were us iuuBu wutunn. tired to death, and came back to town "?en yeara a happy wife then, a day, moment more, to rest quietly for a few days, before we wh?n sitting in my bower, I heard the went to the shore. The first half of master's angry foot-fall, clanging in that first night, I Blept like one of the the corridor. I met him at the "door . Stven. When I awoke at midnight, it and when I saw his faoe, I.ment longer, the accursed necklace tight- was with a delicious sense of satisfac knew that life was done. . . . Some enedon my throat, tightened and clutch- tjbn that morning was not yet come, snake had stnng him None ed like a hand of iron. I tried to scream, and this delightful sleep was to recom- other than that black browed, hook- fought wildly, beat the air, choked, mence. Then- I was suddenly wide nosed, tnin lipped, turbanned.. Abaron, gasped, saw blood, blood everywhere, awake; there was a Btrong white shaft called the Wizard, who, dog that he wasi plunged headlong down and knew no of moonlight across the room; standing hung on my husband's bounty; lingered more." in the full radiance at the foot of my n his train, and dared at last to .whisper "And Lord Raven?" bed.was a tall.floely formed woman. She to me, one evening, when my Lord' was "Was cut down on the thresh-hold might have been the Milo Venus herself called away, while we three were at by the Black Wolf, and died there. except that she wiSiuT possession of a talk, such words, that I, unable to bear But not before his good sword did its fine pair of arms, clasped around be- mnre, struck him full in his evil face, work and ran the robber through. tween shoulder and elbow with heavy one blow that called the black blood out Afterwards our brave knights made a gold bands. For the rest, there was the to hear my answer. He swore revenge, sally, and cleared the courtyard of the then, and took it afterwards. . . cowardly pack. Their blood was but "How could my dear Lord come to be curdled milk after their leader went convinced of such things as be rained down. Trusty Urquehart! He held upon me in his anger? Mary knows, 1 was all innocent. . . . What could I portrait I had tried to copy, the jade green dree?, the coronet, the floating, yellow hair, the deep eye?, and beaut , such beauty as caused' kings to go forth to battle. Yet, withal, I saw she was as light and immaterial as a floating reply? But when he turned cloud. But that which shone from her eyes, was reality Soul, steadfast, in corruptible. When she spoke, her low voice, soft as the moon light, stirred the ear, scarcely more than the breeze blow ing across th stringB of a harp. "I am the Lady of Glenraven and I am come for my lover's gift. This thousand years I have sought it but it waa hid in the bouse of an enemy and kept from my eager hands. From father to son. the charge descended for me, I found voice, tore the and saved the castle for the young heir, away at my father's court when the to leave blow fell. God was good to our son necklace and left him Urquehart. This thous- from my throat, and cried out to him to and years has Raven of Glenraven lain remember, how his words had been, in purgatory. This thousand years that love should be as strong aa this yet his line of descent is not broken. Give me my lover's gift, 1 will take it to him, and he shall revoke the curse of Heaven's gate. Then the bauble shall return to the hou6e of Glenraven, and two souls be at peace. This thousand inseparable cord How furi ouBly he turned upon me! Mother of God! I shudder yet .... after a thousand years." "A curse," he cried, "a curse upon you and your bauble. May it strangle years I have forsworn Heaven that the you in the hour in which you most dt- curse might be lifted, and we two may sire to live. You and all women who enter together." a thousand years, but Abaron, the last possess it after you. xe are liars all. Silence fjU in the room. I rose and of his evil line, is a glutton for gold, Then sternly. -This night the Black gave her the tiny egg shell, with its wherefore he broke his vow, and took Wolf attacks the castle. Pray for the precious contents. the necklace from its hiding place and defeat and death of thu Raven and his "If this can give you peace, Oh, un Bold it. It came to you, and brought knights, if you dare face God, and quiet Spirit, be at rest!-' I cried, evil upon you as it brought evil upon pray at all. Truth there.at least, though I was alone; the silver moonlight had the daughters of the house of Abaron. lies to me, and all the world." and he given way to golden sunlight. I yawn Give it to me that good may come, the was gone. ed, and drowsily recalled my strange .... . i . ict L...a ui. : iii Mf-:i.:MM j m i.s i . curse iau, ana my sou i and sne eoui or j. u.u u uu uc . UK tUD urem. j.uiutung u prove it out a shrieking stone all down the corridor. Then the long silence, of -the empty room beat in upon me. ... . him who laid the curse, be at peace." "Who laid the corse, and wherefore,!' I aaid, and watted, . phantasy, I unlocked the drawer in which I kept my hideous, beautiful treaaure. It waa gone! -M "' J -1 "X