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ME WEEKLY CONSTITUTION. ATLANTA, C.U TUESDAY MAX- * 1838 MY WIFE'S DIAMOND. flj dMnti Ners. [Oop/HrM-* 1W D? B. 8. McClure 1 Ur triWi oaurtmrnt of preeloutttonreli not -gZr—ga). nod of diamond* »ho hu bat 8 Blnrlo ono, How the c»mo by tbit one, will l. ,i, ow b is tbo promt itory. I game jeon ago, while I waa atiil a bachelor, It Ml ia«7 path to befriend to a conelderablo •xtant an aged Hnngarlen Jew whom I ha 1 ■■earthHi la extreme porerty In a wretchop lenomcnt bonee In one of the moot unsavory fUattoCi of Now York. Mo was a wonderfolly handsome old mao, according to the Jewish gvpe, and wonderfhlly learned In those odeoere which the Babbine principally affect. If he naderstood little of the ncbnlor hypothc- tii, be eonld at least repeat the nntlre Paata- geoch from memory, and expound the myetl- onl slgnUcance of its separate hair linen and ■ooent marks with comprehensive ragneness. On Ute morning he sailed away-for part of mrserrlee bad been to procure him n ticket of Jcove from American soil. I drove down to She dock to bid him godspeed. Tours clung to bla eyelids, and he was voluble in protests. Slone, of gratitude. Interspersed with mutter. Inge In Hebrew. As tho vessel was Anally on the point of easting off. be exhibited eigne of a violent internal struggle, as though there waa something he very much wanted, and yet hesitated, to say or do. I resumed as encourag ing as aspect ai I could manage; but it availed nothing until the plank waa actually being manned by the sailors. Than my Israelite gulped downs prodigious sigh, and exclaimod tmojbw. rnnentrr. T hern lake it. It is all I have to give you.” TbniMng something into ay hands, he van Isbrd beneath the companion way. What he had thrust upon me proved, when luvi atigated, to lie a morsel of ebony about tho shape and dlmeusious of a hen's egg engraved with a multitude of mythic bcasts.lt was especi ally a very clever bit of workmanship and would have figured to excellent advantage In the cabinet of a bric-a-brac amateur. I as signed It to the pocket of my ovorouat and pro ceeded about my busiuma. When 1 reached home that evening and was oeated by un flreslde thinking over tho hate pen Inga of the day, the old lew's parting gift nounedito me; and pmduelng It It, I subject ed it to a mote careful scrutiny than the pre vious one had bran. Than, a deep soam ■round its longer ctrcumfWeooo prompted the nolJoei that perhaps it was not a mere solid piece or lamp of ebony after all, but might on the routrary be a bos or casket, le which raaa I waa anxloaato view tie contonts. Ho I wasted much time In Ineffectual efforts to pry it open. It resisted heroically; and I bad about determined to try no further, when, at tny finger nail accidentally pressed upon tho atonisch of a particularly sinister-looking grif fin, It yielded; and the egg dying aeundor down tha middle, at If by means of a bidden spring, its iutcrlor lay revealed. As singular an object as ever I liehsM grectrd my sight. It appetred to In- a perfectly modeled oriental Idol, not larger than the tip of your Indy’s thumb, with legs drawn up, to that the chin retted U|s.u the knees, it sat In Its ebony shrine liko ■ tu'.isn tn Ins 'hronc. Every feature wan eornjJrto. Its fun head was a mcab of sapient wtirklce; Itaeyeo peered flora their eoekets with a eopbl-ticated leer; and the corners of Its mtiuin weie twisted Into a complsiaant ■mirk. Tlerowss » grotesque attraction, an tincai.ny oh.rm shout the thing, that retaluod my gore fiom the moment It alighted. I don't know bow long I remained stupidly staring at It, iK-fuie 1 thou,lit of carrying the inspection /briber Into detail. AI any rate, hy-aed by I put forth my hand and picked It up. It was with increasing cu riosity that I puisued tho examination. Ho far as weisht and texture wore concern- mi,. I Judged that this extraordinary specimen was t.l' wood: yet on the other hand, tbs green ish lustinuf tie luilaue, sad tho sound It emit ted at 1 upped it, pointed to metal. Its heed was covered with a suit of what 1 would have wagered waa secular, Haney hair, in hua tho must unmitigated red; hut on testing It, It proved to bo as substantial as the rest. A vol uminous garment rut I used the body, descend ing hi count line fo'ds in front, and wrought on the lock with tortu. us tntortwiuings of gold Ihioad; the very grain of tho cloth and the ttuSncaa of the embroidery having been Imi tated by tho conscientious ertlit. Ik-low the horn of the shirt protruded ten diminutive lose, fashioned with u realism that waa pain ful. Ugly escreocrnccs afflicted them, and they terminated in nntrimmud, ragged nails. A girdle of gold encircled the waist and was knotted at the hip. whence Us ends fell down- waitl looped together. ThU waa s serpent, holding hu tell in hit mouth. Not a scale sras omitted. Indeed, I had to fetch a maghlhr- ing glam to aparvelato Its completeness, tty manikin exhaled a queer perfume, half like sandal wood, and half like something else, put gent and penalrsting, that 1 had never smelled before and therefore cannot name; I will ask the trader to guess the legion o- strong* fancies with which this tiny monttrae d isc sculptor lty flUrd my brain. 1 thought of t who had dewgurd It In an epoch waicn par- haps antedated Christianity. 1 thought ortho history it might have witnessed, of the dynas ties It bad torn nourish and decay. I took Ibr granted that it waa very anol*nt. 1 thought of thr pray on it bad board, of tha destinies It bad swarrad—waa t‘ not a Mich; Mad it not there fora been sroishlppcd as a Mod; All the myitery and maple of the out seemed to he cod pressed Into t> It mloute compn-s. 1 worked myrrh into quite a state over It. It artrd upon my imagination as • spur. It aflr. ltd me as opium affects its devotees. My pub waaecrrlrralrd; tha arteries throbbed perceptibly In my temples. Tbsn gradually, as I hr Id It iu »y pslm, 1 htaan to ci\joy tho oatua-catrr'o privilege. Tbs wall, of my chambe r niellrd into thin air. The nineteenth Centura crumbled sw-y. t was in India, in the aauttrary uf the Brahmin-. The place waa lllumit a'rd by moonlight. Hooding through an aprticte to tba dome above our hradr. A rlrclrof wcoirn rb.intrd ft minor Vhythmio Uelisly. aaating their bodies with She accras. In the ,.nlrr of the circle stood ptieots clod In nacnifernt vr-tments. They Wvir performing some font astir rite over this Identical effigy of s cod. They pss^d It front one toanotbrr end tisrk again, aver keeping it within the range of the moon. The soag of the women gr-w usr sonorous, thetr motions non animated,- St the summit of its crescendo tho sang rtapprd short off, their motions eoasrd; there wss brratblese silence. Then si tbst Instant, vertically down from the maun Which had attained >ta smith, shot a spark sc global* of distill.d light, hurled Itself Tike an arrow in tho krossn of my Idet-I orates I sras startled. 1 half me* Rent my chair. Tha old Jew’s moment* slipped front my grasp sad railed open the Boor. Tbo vision oollspssd. I Ol up in Its rgx-shspsd prison. WhythUolr. inistaaca struck me as of importance I can t y; but the fact is I immeaJaMy dlmbad ou t of «■« s in my room again. I laughed at my expe rience, concludtd that I had boon dreaming, sad reasoned correspondingly that it was high time for mo to get to bed. Bat When J bad turned off tbo gau and was eemfuttsMy established among my pillow*. I remembered that 1 had forgotten to shut tho idol up in its cgj cumstonca struct asy; bat the feet —-—* - - - Ud and approached the table whereon I had left the idol lying. There indeed it still lay. Wbst. however, wss my surprise upon ran ark- tag that, like the brilliant in the Arabian Nights, it betrayed itself by its own lightf There indeed it lay, shedding a phosphorescent glare for a distance of several inchos round about it. Bony heathen god had htohaio! Of coon* the most natural explanation was tbo simplest. Doubtless the substance or which it was moulded did in truth contatu phtAphorus; and that explanation I onoe ac cepted. .So without more ado, as the breose from au open window waa playing with my • * " . . . .*- *^-,1 U p to replace it niglit-drcsM, I picked tho Idol up in its case. But I dropped It the Second after. A sharp quick tingle darted up my arm to my elbow, aa though I had touched an elestrio sponge. ru7r.led more than ever, 1 mustered my courage and picked it up again. Whatever its quasi-electric property had becn.lt refused to manifest it a second time. The tinclo was not repeated. I got back into bed, with renewed material for wonder. At last I Rank into a restless sleep and was betet all night by a myriad weird oriental SlfCftKA. The next morning of course the first thing I did was to pinch the Griffin's belly and re turns acquaintance with my fetich. Daylight made no appreciable difference In its appear ance. 1 could handle It, also, with entire Im punity. It seemed to have forfeited Its electric quality for good. Bofore starting for my office, J attached it by moans 1 of tho loop in its ser- pentJno bolt to my wstch-chsin, where it hang like a very presentable trinket. That day I chanced to encounter a friend at tbo restaurant where it was my custom to lunch. Do is an erudite gentleman, an inter preter In one of tbo courts. Almost as soon as we bad shaken hands, he exclaimed with a lively interest mantling bis physiognomy, “ why, wbst is that?" pointing to the new or nament dangling from my buttonhole. ‘•Ah,*' 1 asid, “1 am glad you have noticed U. I don't know precisely what U is. Perhaps you can enlighten ran." ,, , ‘•Let we see it,” he said, extending his hand. 1 took it off, and while ho was studying it through bln eye-rlaiwee, I told him substantial ly all that I have told the reader in the fore going pages. When 1 bad done, he dedafed that H waa certainly a very unique curio and an unhiistakabio antique. “What,” ho contin ued, “what ia this Inscription upon its hack?” “Jnirription?” I queried. “I did not know there wss an inscription. Where'/’' ‘‘Here,” ho anawerid, tracing with the point of a toothpick the line of gold which I had be lieved to )>o embroidery. “Tie is a devico or legend. 1 think it Is Sanskrit. It would bo worth tbo trouble of liuvlng it translated.” •'By all means,” 1 acquiesced. “It may con vey eomo information regarding its origin aud nature. Whom do l know who understands Bsi'skrlt?” 41 1 know a man who does—a lawyer whose office isn’t ten minutes distant from this spot. Buppoee you call upon him?” “CapiUl! Dear me, how lucky I was to run across you.” We hurried through our lunch and in due courto of timo after it were seated In the law yer’s office. My friend was an old aoquaioUnco of his, so that ho didn’t object to being later- \ ii wci!(tltiring business hours. “Ob, yes,” ho affirmed, “it (a a devico in San skrit, a v« no,” and tborcupon with tho assist- nnco of a dictionary be read ur tha translation. *'lt niakcH one squirm, does it not?” ho in quired. •'Won’t you write It down?” I asked. "Why, certainly,” he responded, sailing tho actiou to the word. Thia Is what he wrote: WIU my potency be and 1 thanked the lawyer cordially, and went away. Home days later I got aboard a Hixth avenue botae-csr at the Central Park terminus of tho route, with tho intention of paying a visit in l?th street. Kaconelng myself in a corner nesr the pisiform, t soon became absorbed by the sffsirs i wss bent upon. I don't know bow loug I had been seated thus when my revery was violently interrupt ed by a swift tingle up my arm. Unawares, my band hud been toying with the idol; and this was the result. "Ah,” I thought, “now the electrical condi tions hsve been restoicd. Let us see whether their esae Is aonarent.” J glanced down at my watch-chain. Thera hung the idol, as innocent as you please. I touched it again. In lieu of tho tingle, I ex perienced two fine darts of pain in my finger, as though it had been pricked with a pin. Then tho exceptional aymptomv ceased, and the Idol In my clasp .waa aa harmless as a dovo. I raised my eyes, conaldorably mystified. As they swept over tho space before them, they wereamated by something which banished all ether existences fathoms deep In the inane. A face, directly opposite me, a woman's face, beautiful beyond any words. A fsee that horned itself then and them Into the tissues of my life, disclosing uuconoelvedaUUodes of joy and anguish. Itoseribe her? Bhould I at tempt to do so, as she appeared to me, every, body would scoff and cry. incredible; save only those who have seen her with their own eyes: and to them my warmest description would seem pitifully cold aud inadequate. without my suspecting it. When this Amt fall dawned upon u my station and departed to atone i thk vkrkown bkavty in the stbrkt can. Kuffloeltthat 1 gated upon this woman’s face, and was chauged in doing so as completely aa at the llsster’a fiat the water was changed to wine. Bhe sat there calm and proud in her Imperial beauty, unconscious of the spell the was weaving around my heart. .Her eyes. S low iK'tteath their lashes, were fixed unou e talisman that hung faun my chain! Bo I gated upon her aa boldly as I chose without running the risk of giving her offence. But at lsst*she started and seemed to shake herself free from a brown stndy; looked out of the window to learn her whereabouts; aud signaled the conductor to stop the car. No doubt it was au ungeotiemsoly course to take, sod fiavoted of the Bowery, but forget ting my engagement in l?th street. 1 got out and followed her, maintaining a judicious dia ls bit so as to be unobserved. I followed her back up 6th avenue, hop ing that she would lead to her dwellingplace, and that, with a certainty of its location to wetk upon, 1 might in the future be enabled to find out who the waa Bhe disappointed me, however, by turning into one of the large •hops that aie »itnatcd on the thoroughfare in flop, near its Junction with 23d street. 1 _ wed her Into the shop only to lese her in the cloud of ladita that was dense about the coontera. To search for her there would have been as futile as to search for e needle In a stack of hey. Be 1 posted myself at the door by which we had entered, and stayed for an hour and mere like a sentinel, getting thoroughly chill- id through, end seanalif each fhoe that went }f, oblivious .of the fact that the shop had n i uct again. cording to Its already acquired trick, my I played with the idol on my watch- d. Bapidly, without * warning, an influ- dozrn different separate exits, eel of any one of which she might have passed at any moment „me,I quitted ... me for my de< linqoency in 17th street. But the countenance of the unknown beauty haunted me all day. I dragged perfunctorily through my accustomed routine of business and waa heartily glad whan the hour struck for me to go up town. In order to reach home with the. greatest possible dispatch, it was nee- car ary that 1 should travel by the 6th avenue line of hone can: and clinging to the strap in one of them, I fell, by a natural association of Ideas, into a condition of sentimental melan choly which waa, to say tha least) conspicuous ly at variance with the mundane character of the equipage. I swallowed a hasty dinner and mountel to my own apartments to be alone with my fair toimentrtas. I threw myself upon a sofa and wondered whether.I should ever set eyes upon her again, According hand guard, , cnee crept over me which I am to this day in competent to explain. Itwas as though a will not mine Mixed sud denly upon my memben, while I withdraw to a comer of my brain and* watched my own performances as if they were those of another person. It compollod me to risofrom the sura on which I lay and hurriedly to divest my- self of the clothes I had on, substituting for them my evening-dress. It compelled me to elaborate my toilet with infinite care, and to d<*ccnd the staircase past the threshold and out into the street. After a walk of some minutes I hailed a cab that waa jogging sleepily along, and muttering to the driver a few syllables whicn I could not distinguish, was rattled over the cobble-stones whither I could uot guess. By*and*by tho cab halted, the driver flung wide the door, and out 1 leapt. Before mo strotched a band of carpet up an ordinary stono stoop; aud above mo was ex tended such an awning aa it ia the fashion to rrect where festivities are in progress. I ran up the stoop and was admitted by a negro into an ordinary marble paved hallway. Tbo ne gro guided tuo lo the gentleman's dressing room; and having repaired tho damage wrought upon my appearance by tho commotion of the drive, I Joined the stream of guests that flow ed into tho parlor. The parlor was entirely unfamiliar to me, I could havo sworn that I had never been ra ce ived there beforo. It was brightly lightod, hot, redolent with the scout of flowow. uu* mfortably crowded, and noisy with tho bus* of conversation and the clatter of lauxhtor. I made my obeisance to the hostess, who was a totafytrauger to me, and proceeded to oirculato among the pcoplo. I thought I recognized a face hero and there, but I wss by no means snre, aud dill not ven ture to address a mothor's Ron. I felt d:i/.^d ami giddy, I had no coi ‘ 1 should have gone away. I stalked forlornly to and fro, and specu lated upon what the denouement of this ad. venture was likely to be. >, Abruptly, a hush fell over the assemblage. Indies and gentlemen settled themselves la their chairs and abandoned talk, aa If to listen to a speech or to music. Somebody whispered to somebody olw, “Miss Berths, the daughter or tho house, Is about to play. Let ns go into tho other room.” - 1 pushed thtough the throng into the back parlor. There was a man seated at a piano. Out of sight some one was audibly tuning n violin. The pianist struck a few preliminary chords. The violinist emerged from her con cealment. For an instant I believed that I should swoon. My heart bounded Into my thro it. The violinikt was no other than my regal beauty of tho street car. What fatality had thus brought na together? They played the “Krl Kina" so that ouo’a hair rose on cud; and afterward;# an im promptu by Chopin, the mighty, psasionato, plaintive melody of whieb penetrated tho In most marrow of my soul and set it quivering with a delight aa acute as pain, but better far than the music was the consummate grace of Miss Bertha's movements—now soft and woo ing, now swift and florae as she las hod the strings. I watched her with infatuated eyes until tho last sobbing note had expired into the air. Aa soon aa she had done, the stupid audience destroyed the Uautiful effect of her music by clapping their hands so loudly that you would have wished to stuff their ears with cotton. Uand-rlspping after music Is too boisterous— even for an applause It is incongruous* liko a dole of bitter medicine after an exquisite diu- ner. It effaces tho sweet impression that tho music should have left- The audience clapped their hands until the skin must have blistered; aud then they troop ed around my htroiue to proffer their congrat ulations. I appealed to a mo’.hcrly looking indy who was fanning herself at my tlbow, and saying that I hadn't tha honor of Miss Bhe eyed me quizzically, as much as to re tort, “Nor havo I tho honor of yours,” but her good natura triumphed aud she replied, '‘Cer tainly,—only, dear me, how awkward, I—I can't recall your name, Mr.?” “Mr. Morton," I said. “Oh yes, indeed, Mr. Morton. Well, come nlih me.” The lady introduced mo very prettily, and Bertha greeted me with as much grariousness as 1 was entitled to expect I sat down beside hr r and told hor as well 1 could something of how deeply 1 bad been affocted by her muste, but my heart thrilled so keenly at hor nasr presence that I had no trifliog hardship la speaking coherently. I am sure 1 bjushed, and I am afraid I stammered like a school bey. She responded languidly, as was natural, in one to whom compliments like mine were an old story; but in the midst of au indifferent sentence her eyes brightened up, and the ex claimed with vivacity. “Why, what hsve you there? 1 have seen that before," designating my idol. "Oh.this is a rather unique present I had giv en me the other day." I answered, detaching it from my chain. My arm tingled violontty as my fingers came in contact with it. "I im agine It to excecdklly ancient,and if a little su perstition were permtoeable I should imagine also that it was manufactured under the im mediate supervision of no less distinguished individual than bis satsuic majesty, fi cer tainly behaves very extraordinary ai times." "Where have I seen It before?" mused Ber tha. "It seems as though I had l»eeu familiar with it yean, ago.” She nschrd forth her hand; aud not with out a few mbgivlngsl deposited it therein. Bho had on a glove, however, and that perhaps pratxcUd her from its shock. At soy rate »bc grasped it quite fcaricMly aud scrutinized it until every detail of its auatomy must have been stamped upon her retina. "No," she s-id," *J cannot rcmomWr, aud r et I know that tbto is not the only timo tb rt have held it in luy hand. Its odor scorns to awake far off reminiscences, dim and obscure, like those of a former life. Tell uio all about bow you came by it." I Jumped at the opportunity to loiter by her ride aud recounted every circumstance con nected with its history, from tho embarkation of tie old Hungarian Jew down to tho Eng lish version of its. legend frtruished by my friend's legal friend. Tbi* marvelous olemeut cf the tale did not appear to impress her. * Nr\" she rciteratid, "I cannot remember; aud yet I am sure that if 1 c mid remember. I »tii-uld be able to toll you much more about it tbsn you alieady know." • Bhe gave it back to me, aud while I was replsciug it on my watch guard, somebody the was introduced to her, aud etiquettscon* pelltd me to move away. Aa I left the house 1 had the presence of mind to ncte its number and the name that Was engraved on the door-plate. The name waa Gucdaila. The street waa among the •eve ntiee. esst of Third avenue. Not until 1 again faced myself in my own lodgings waa tba orarwhelming singularity of what I had gone through fairly borne In npon am. Tbsn I could scarcely credit my own memory. I eonld scarcely believe I bad not keen tho victim of an hallucination. Bat the lorgin* la my heart when I thought of Ber tha convinced me that aonething nor# rest and permanent than an hallucination nnsl have been at the bottom of It Ho never tasted anything bat milk will hardly thirst for wine. . . After a sleepless night I rose next morning with the sun, and taxed the faith of our house maid who waa washing down the side walk, with the announcement that I was bent on a before-breakfaat stroll. I bore rapidly in the direction of Seventieth street, snd ssnnterad psst theecene of the night’s exploit, corrobo rated my recollections by the sight of a mode it brown stone house writh a door-plate, Guodalli. In the course of the ensuing week I sum moned my audacity and, not, it must be acknowledged, without considerable trepida tion, paid iny party call. Unspeakable was my relief when I saw that they did not kno\7 me for an interloper. Besides, the discovery of several mutual friends tended to dissipstc any inward doubts that they may hava enter tained. Of course I lavtohtdmoatof my attention upon Bertha; and recarring to the topic o our former dialogue, “No,” she said, “I cannot yet remember. Nor to the feeling of familiar ity with it as pronounced as it was. Indeed, most likely it was a mere delusion. Buch mistakes are so very common.” How after that I called again; how I f lowly won for myself a footing of intimacy in the Gucdaila household; how, day by day, I became more and more irretrievably in love with Bertha; how, aa the reward of long waiting, I began to discern sparks of a re sponsive sentiment In her own deep eyes: and how, finally, one summer evening, we dared to confess our love, I havo neither the space nor the disposition to record. Eventually I presented myself before Mr. Guedalls in his study as a suitor for his daughter’s hsud. He listened attentively, encouraging me by numerous nods snd confirmatory inteijectionv, and when I had at length pulled the rein upon my tongue, he shook mo warmly by the hand and said, “You have spoken nobly, Mr. Mor ton, and I thank you. I could not wish Bertha a better husbahd than she will have in you. You have spoken also with a frankness which I will strive to emulate. You have kept noth ing back, nor shall I. There is something about Bertha's history of which even she her self is ignorant, but which I feel that yon have a right to know.” The exasperating gentleman suspended his discourse just at this trying passage, and con sumed an eternal interval in rolling a cigar ette. Blowing a stream of amoke through his nootrils, he continued, "You must know, Mr. Morton, and I confide it to you in tho most rigid privacy, that Bertha to uot our own daughter. She to adoptod. IIo leaned bark in hto chair and regarded me as if to reckon the consequence of hto tidings. “Indeed?” I answered. “Well?” “Ab, you take it manfully!” he cried. “I wes cure it would make no difference. You love her just ns well?” "Better, a thousand times better,” I assured him eagerly- “Now that the has no father or mother, the tie between us will be more bind ing than before.” "Ah, pardon me, no mu lias a father and mother. _ tiuly ns though wo had given her birth. Bhe must never know to tho contrary. Re member, I pledged you to secrecy boforo I spike.” “For that matter, sir, my desires coincide with your own. It would only psln hor to know tho truth.” • Precisely. But to resume. Bertha is now < no and twenty. Sixteen years ago my wife end I were in Yionna. One day wo visitod the impel lal protectory in tho suburbs. There we were impressed by tho oxtrome beiuty of oi.o of tbo lit Ho girls. We questlonod the Miardlan about her parentage, but he could g \o us no satisfaction. A four months since, he said, the police had found her wandering in the streets. Their best efforts had boon fruitless to trace her antecedents* My wife’s int» nst grow so strong that we ended by play ing the tanram exacted by the Austrian law •r d taking ber away. We named her Bertha fur our owu child who had died. We have educated ber, and aha to ours by every right save that of blood.” “And docs the remember nothing of the life sho led before you found hor?” “Nothing definite—only stray scraps and ends—not enough to piece out a wholo fabric. Of the actual facta she hu not a surmise.” “Well snd good. Mr. Uuedalla. I am grate ful for your confidence, and you may trust me not to abuse it. Now—.” “Ccrtsinly—now you msy rejoin Bertha and Inform her of my consent.” Wo were married a few months later. As the reader 1s aware, when, in obedience to Bertha’s wish I discrcetlr wound it up at a juncture prior to my meeting with her tn a Bixth avenue horse car. Duriug the term of our courtship I deemed it unwise to broach the sequel. But after we wore safely wedded, end she wumlne beyond any peradventare or dispute, I decided that tho momont had ar* rived for me to tell tho rest. So one day in our cosy little sitting room, I opened my mouth and spoke without reservation. Bertha looked very grave, and did not volunteer a comment even when I had flu- idiid. ' Well,” I said, “what do you think of it, Bertha? Is it not. weird?” “Ob, it is horrible, horrible,” she exclaimed earnestly. "I wish you had not told me.” "Why, Bertha,” I urged, “you must not take it so seriouslv; nothing to horrible that turns out so happily.” “But to think,” sho rejoined, "to think wo have to thank that hideous fetich for all our happiness. It seems as though there wore something wrong, something unreal in our union, if it is due to the instrumentality of that thing. Ob, it makes mo shuddor.” I pbsded with Bertha, attempting to lay the affair before her in a more cheerful light; but to no avail. “At least,” she concluded, “we must mend the evil now by getting rid of the idol—or by destroying it. Suppose we put it into the fire?" “What!” I cried, “Burn it? Burn this mira cle of microscopic carving? You don't know wbst you are proposing. You don’t retlise how rare, how valuable it to. It would bo criminal to bum such a piece of workmanship, not to mention the ingratitude of the pro ceeding. Better than that we might present it to some museum.’’ "No. I slmll never be contented until it to nut of existence. I shall never feel secure from Its influence. What,” she continued, “did you say the translation of that inscrip tion on Its b#u-k?’’ 1 quotid tho legend which I knew by rote. *• Nut until my heart be pierced will my po- tcucybc undone,’ ” repeated Bortha. “How is one to pierce iff heart?” "Box© a bole through it, I suppose,” I •niwmd, trying to treat the subject with levity. ‘T.xaetly, but how?” "With a gimlet.” "Good, fetch a gimlet and bore the hole.” "Ob. Berths," 1 said deprecatlngly, resolved upon a last appeal, "you ate not going to in sist on demolishing it? Try to think of whvt a sarxifiro it would bo. Just look at its ex- qubit© modeling.” * No, no,” sho protested. “If you wish to oblige me, you will net discuss the subject. If yuu love mo you won’t refuse to grant me such a little favor. Perhaps I am un reason able, but it is a wife's privilege to bo so. I shall never rest until you deal with that horrid monster as he deceives.” It was with a load on my mind that I pro- rtmd a gimlet aud vet about the task #f de stitution. The poor fetich lay passive in my hsud. It did uot seek to defend itself with it# fhctric weapon. Indeed, ever since our we l ding day it had conducted iteclf in this respect in the most unexceptionable manner, as thr ugh its mission in this world had been ful filled. I bestowed one remorseful thoagbt upon the Indian artist, who, long centuries ago with incalculable toil, bad done what 1 now with a single turn of my wrist was fated to nndo; and grating my teeth I applied the point of the gimlet upon the spot a little above the waist, and began the distasteful operation. My wife was behind me. bending over mr shoulder. The ratface of the idol had just broken beneath tha Tglmlet’s pressure, when my wife startled me with two sharp Kronas, •a if of pain. “Wby darling.” I cried,springing te her side, “What fa the matter* Are you eofferingr* •look, look rtn». H ih. f or.t of bn. Hot f*oo w»* »bUo wi*b te«». j-li. uim) my bud m though to §ugyort hor* self. Hers was as cold as icc. I lrok.d in tho direction she ludlc.tod, blocd curdled at the spectacle I witnessed «r(n<iri*nf mir room soomed te Hy I open lf*U cure I to Ub too apccbib * The rtindorrof our room teamed upon ■ irtreet In uomo Iluiiun «ity—• .»"•» thut recoiled the Toledo ot Nuplee u touch ns nny other. In tho middle of tho rond*ey n man stood. Ho wuu ext ruding hln nrm u« If to word offo blow, usd hi. oyee rrero rlretud upon uu with un expreuion half of inteneu Igony, half of reproach and peal. Tho pallor ef de«th on hi. cheek. Hi. Anger, elntohed Tohdveiy ot the air. Hi. Up. twltchod u if he aero trying to ape^. Ho tottered »“d fell. A stream of blood gushed from hi* nostril.. Ono by one people began to collect around him; and, finally, » crowd hommod him in and bid him from our view. ButJ hod racog- —r—the old •UU UIU UUU IU/W —— - nixed him. He wu the idol’s donor — Hungarian Jew. . _ .. ‘ Did you see? ’ whispered Bortha, os vision commenced to disappear. “Yes, I sow," I answered, gating upon h pale, frightened face. Her f«c*-her face could 1 believe my aenres? How h»d I never noticed It before? Her face wM the literal repetition of tbo venerable Jowa, allowing only for tho discrepancies of youth and sex. Wot it poacihle that in this way the secret of her parentage had been solved; _ "Bertha,” I cried, "did you know him? Dnl yon recognise the man?” “Ah, I do not know," »be murmured. “I do not know. My hood fa in » whirl. And yet, yes, I seemed to recognise him. His face woo not altogether strange to mo, though where or when I had ever seen him before I cannot tall." Sho preened her hands to her temple, and knltteahor brows. “It seems,"she said, “•s if sometime that old men htd played n part in my life. What can it mean?” Bertha burst into a flood of hysterical tears, and she was prostrated by the terrible effecte of our vision for several hours. The next day I lost no time In posting n let ter to each of the American consuls in Italy, describing the old Jew, giving hto name, and inquiring whether nny such person had met with au accident in the streets. At the end of six weeks I began to receive the consular replies. The purport of them all was the same. “Not so far as wc linvc been able to ascertain”—ex- :ctly tbo reply I might have anticipated; bat t did not relievo my mind. Indeed, until I gain sot eyes upon tho rabbi sound and well •i tbo flesh and learn from his own lips that o to not the father of my wife, I shall not be •reuaded th<-t the scene which Bertha and I th saw. was entirely unconnected with the 'ith. More than a year clapsod. Not once did her ono ofu« refer to the nnfortunate idol. last one evening Bertha said to mo, ,'hnfc hut become of it?” From tho :dder with which sho pronounced the syl- >, it, I gucssfid to what sho had refer- I locked it up in tho drawer of my desk,” nswered, I don’t want to annoy yon,” she said, “bat ou can bear to touch it, I wish vou would uow and get it and throw it into the fire.” f made no opposition. Unlocking the .wcr of my writing table, I introduced my od to tako the idol out. Bat there, thore .ere I had left it, as intact os ever except for :rifling scratch, lay no more tangible a root- bt of its existence than a smill heap of recnish powder. My surprise waa reat that I called oxcitedly , ter tha to approach. She declined toll>e interested. “Pshaw," she said, “how can you expect me to be nmv/cd by any now deviations on the puis of tbat creature? I am glad of it,” ana she undertook to brush tho dust away, bat la the process of doing so he paused. In the midst of the debris, like ho rbfcnlx among hii ashes, we bohelcl a lit !o glittering diamond. TI1K DIAMOND IS FOUND. “ Do you remember the drop of light that shot down from the moon in tho dream you hid ? ” asked Bertha. “Yes, perfectly,” I said. “Well, there it is,” A WILD MAN LIKB AN APB. Nothing Gives film Greater Agony and Ter ror Than the Sight of a Womst . Cnuaxn Dam, N. J., April S6.—Two mm of Archibald Tyson, a fanner, returned irom a hunt lost evening leading by a rope a frightful spootacle of humanity In the shapo of a wild man. Both of the Tyson boys are fall grown and tell the follow ing ntoryo t the capture; About noon, when they wero climbing tho Romapo Mountain on the north side, they beard a shrill voice howling as if in ag ony. Approaching the spot where the voice cams from they encountered what appeared to be a huge *%ne ef the boys, Bhtleman, raised hto gun to fire •t the subject but was stopped by bis brother. Toey then advanced closer and discovered that the ob- scaro * ‘ * * " body. loo/ t matted and parti; Alter a terrible straggle he was overpowered and bound. He uttered a few unintelligible words ar d quietly allowed them to do aa they pleased wl fa After searching In vain far a hut or a care th# led him home, where he was exhibited to \he neighbors. He appeared to understand the t cm man language, and whenever a woman appro•« to ed would run aud try to escape. It totbought t» at he must have escaped from some Insane asy Ufa and wandered wild In the woods When a piece or raw meat was offered him to grabbed it and ate it ravenously. Afr. Tyson looked lum up In a barn and Is watting for some relative to claim nlni. _ A Northern View of General Gordon. From the Phils Jelphto Pro*. The speech of General Gordon delivered at Montgomery yesterday, though distinctly southern in Its tone, had one noticeable characteristic which distinguished it from the customary sentimental fervid confederate memorial harangues, glorifying the lost cause and the bravery, devotion aud other virtnei of those w bo lost It. General Gordon was a soldier, and a brave one, and he took occasion to remind his southern audience of “the persistent, indomitable will and sploudld courage of the north.” He paid tbc hifhkst tribute to southern courage when be said or the men who opposed them that •‘the ru*hlng end oft-repeated on«eu of northern phalanxes with fixed bayonet* against iho wa Is of fire I rum southern gnu* and over the dood bodies of thtlr comrades, piUd In ghwuly hecatombs before southern foils and breastwork*, bear witness to t tslerul courage and devotion which nothing can ever impeach." We welcome this evidence that there l» one southern memorial orator whose patr'otUm takes in the whole country, and whs thinks tbc virtues of both aide* are worthy of eulogy. , • World*# Vltpsniary, No medical association stands higher than that of the World'* Dispensary. Buffalo, N. Y. Thl* is attributable to but one fact, and that Is. that this association is in all re*pecti thoroughly reliable, and any one who (s troubled wUlTbtood. Hvevor fact smears, may rest assured .that the treat- te'uiriuftL W |7iwW^UrSr , eMnoWol, c oroolo rtlVbrVAreSiw eSSroSS* IV W'MjdgjSj Golden Medici Kerned;, »nd will be eared DR. JOHN BULL’S ~ SiisTonicSm FOR THE CURE on * FEVER and AGUE Or CHILLS and FEVER, AND All MALARIAL DISEASES. Tk. JTOPriotCTof tklx MUtnua m«Uelut taitly eUteifarit. npt rlority orn .Ur.ro. •i'»'•»« th. public terti, urt CERTAIN, SPEED Y ud PERU AH ENT eua tt Anoud rover,or Chilli ud 7, rer.vket* «r of ihort or long .undine. Ho nfen to tha ■■tiro Wo. tors and Sonth.ro mob try to boor him toitimony to tho troth of tho uuiHob thotlnnoouovh.toTorirUlltUiltocnr.il th.dlrostioni.r.rtrlctly followed.pdc.nd.d •nt Ia.5re.tiB.nyeuM.1ingl.d01.hu 1 nffleiont for . cure, ul whol. MHy tola to onto, into nio lo continued ia imtllor doMi for a vook or two Utar tho dintu hu kMB cheeked, more umcUUt ia diffloaltud loBMtonding eon j. TJinUfy thl. modieia* willnot require aa/ald tokeop thabowtUia good order. Should the patient, howem, re* qain.uthutiomidieino.Utorh.Tiagtuum three or four doooo of tho Of KENTS VEGETABLE TAimV vyxm will bo luflMont. Bu no othor. OR. JOHN B1JXot.'R SMITH’S TONIC SYRUP, BULL'S SARSAPARILLA, BULL'S WORM DESTROYER, Th* Popular Ramedleo of th* oar. Principal Offleo, Ml Hrt. St, LOIHSTIlU,n. •cut — Am sat non tbur A wky top col a na xrcAnxAX. fbize, •1g.oo0.-m Ticket. Only «g, Krone. In FroporttoaJ LlS.L. LOUISIANA STATE LOTTERY CO r^n^M^biWoM OOMMS3IONKM Wo too fladsMtewd-kowk. ood outer win pay rtl prim, drawn fit The LontaUn. Bute Lottaria. Which mar bo pmented at oar oaaotom. J. H. Oatenr. Pno’tUnl.tao. NU’lBuK. ■ J. W. Kiuura. PrrotBMo NU1 nalBMh. A.BUOWM, Frci’tNowOrleuu NatT Bk. Incorporated la IMS for X roan by too larva, tore for educational ud ohulubla porpoto. with .capitaloftl,000.OOO-towhich, noorre fond ol oror1000,000 bu ilno. been added. By aoOTcnrbelmlnr popular roto Ita fruchUf wu mode 0 port of the promt State OonaltnUon TtfeMla. lndonod by tho people of any etore. . it mn ecaui o» nwrrewra. Ita Grand Single Number Drawings Taka place monthly, and the Extraordinary Draw- rags regularly every three months instead ol Bemi-Annnally as heretofore, beginning “juwiJSwD OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A Po*. TUNK. FIFTH GRAND DRAWING, CLA88 W, ioftho Comwinr lu ..urination write clc*rly?| tow Yooh^SebMUtooSiiurr Sou? V expire, (at our expMto^ddrarojd re Now OrloTStV ami ad* Maks P. 0. Money Jrdera. . < * rM »r£x? ORUSANsflfATIOlfAI. BAN*, rot wodwkynrm awOritautol LADIES! iLEVEBMS 1 COFFEE On Your Table? , j XL LEVUXUNQ « 0O„ BAMIMOB*. «*». I j N.melhU paper, oprtl-daw too oa wky ora fcimrop BZRANER ALWATO CUBAX&a BT CBOfth MEXICAN MUSTANG tKIMEHT. orixnuu. SerauhM, Bare* and Oallro Spool*, Crock., Serov W.rro, On. Fro, Bat, Drof All. OP DIXIE tun, tthaoroortare, Itaroa ondBeotda, Sflsi, ood Bite*, Cota and Br.lv. tgrulnn Ar ffri lehro, Caoimcttd Blarotoro FtllT J.1.1*. Svtm.r, Foond.ro. ltuokockro Sferoloro Strain* Eruptl..*, [rat Bit**, rodlttond 1 Tor srotrel ore tamrony.titH. port itnto nqit V THE BEST 0, iU LINIMENTS The cult wen I