Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-04-09


pected some one.
where is Roswitha?' he asked at length
peevishly. 'Why comes she not?'
Il will call her presently answered the
dame. 'She was spinning but now-and
belize, hath not yet finished her task
When the meal was ended, the dame wen
out to seek her daughter. A few PAGES from
| the house, in natural arbor, formed by
wild vines clustering over myrtle trees, q
young girl was seated. Her spinning wheel
was before her, but she had ceased work
her hands were folded in her lap; her face
was uplifted as if in thoughtfulness or pray
err. So exquisitely beautiful was it, and SO
fair in the moonlight that poured into the
arbor, it might have seemed the face of an
angel. It's expression was that of sadness.
and tear trembled in the soft blue eyes,
without escaping from the fringe Of their
lids.
'Roswithan said the mother gently.
The young girl started, and passed her
hand over her brow.
lit is late, my daughter, and thy father
has asked for thee'
4 will come presently, my mother
Chou hast been weeping, Roswitha?'
May
'Thou art wont to sing all day like bird
on the mountains. And row mark, thy
cheek is pale. Hath evil CHANGED to thee.
Roswitha? 1t would break thy mothers
heart
The young girl pressed her lips to the
hand of her parent, and answered, after a
Ipause-I have nothing TO grieve me, dear
est mother, save the thought that thou and
my father, who were once rich and honor
ed-must now toll like born peasants. And
my father has no wine to cheer him when
he is faint. heed not poverty-but it is
bitter to him.
'It is our lot, and we must submit said
the dame, mournfully.
Madame Perota, the rich lady in the
hamlet, wishes young girl like me, for an
attendant; if | might 60 and earn money
for you and my father
Speak not of it, Roswitha; thou wouldsl
find the great DANES humors harder than
labor; and couldst thou leave me? No
Move will bear perjury together Better
days have been, and may come again.
So saying, the dame wiped her eyes, and
returned towards the cottage, followed by
her daughter. Roswitha had not told all
her thoughts She said not how the old
tale she had heard so oft in childhood, OF
treasure buried in the mountain of Schalk-
stein, had of late dwelt upon her mind
She told not how she had dreamed twice
of walking on the mountain. and finding
the mysterious flower, and the treasure
and how happy it made her parents. Nor
how she had watched for the Eve Of ST.
John, and prayed all day to St. Agnes, till
her heart was strong within her, and she
was resolved to face every danger for the
sake of those to whom she owed life. All
this, and her resolution, Roswitha kept
within her own heart. She smiled as she
babe her father good eve, and meekly bore
his petulant Gliding for lingering so late,
and assisted her mother in household work,
talking cheerfully the while, until her pa
rents, after evening prayer, retired to their
rest. Her own little chamber was next to
theirs. She. seated herself by the easement,
leaning her head on her fair hand, and
watched the glorious moon going up the
sky, till the orb hung like crown of sill
yer over the mountain. Then Roswitha
softly opened the door, and went forth.
The whole valley was light as day. She
walked rapidly, without looking round her,
till she reached the mountain of the Schalk-
stein. The woods here was not dense
the moonlight streamed through the foliage
to the ground; and bending forward as she
walked, the maiden sought the strange flow
er. There were pale marigolds in alum
dance, and blue bells, and the golden butter
cups, and St. Johns wort, and the lowly
daisy, and phlox, and the wild violet; but
all these were familiar. In vain she sought
one she had never seen. Intent on the
search, she wandered for hours on the noun
tain. At last the bleached, bare rock Of the
Schalkstein rose full before her, while in
the moonlight. All was still as death; and
as the utter loneliness of her situation, miles
from home, occurred for the first time to
Roswitha, she felt her heart sink within her.
The spot was banned by spirits-it was the
hour of their sway. What did she, WALL
dering alone in their domain, seeking trea-
sure over which they alone had power.
Or might not evil men be lurking at mid
night in these lonely woods? How could
helpless girl, if she CHANGED upon robbers,
escape or fly? Then her parents-should
they wake and call to her-what would be
their alarm when she answered not, and
they found her chamber solitary? Poor