The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-03-16
From hs Pisnssr Aasszins.
THE LILY OF THE VALLEY"

In the month OF may, ioSo, passeu "
very pleasant week ut Geneva, Switzerland,
near the banks Of Lake Leman; md you
shall know how ngreeably my timo was
spent, and Of my meeting with "1As Lily
ofAs Halley.n .r
Tie reader is aware that In soms -rar's Of
Northern Europe tho English language 70
spoken indeed, in many Of the Swiss hotels
Il is quite common. was In one instance,
however, fortunate enough TO meet with o
family who talked good old Saxon, the head
of which WIS the host Of the pretty little
village inn at which rested. Here. rs in
other lands, the children have their May
Day Festival !" and though I was not quite
in time to witness their merry making, ]
was in time to enhale the fragrance Of the
flowcrs-in time to tell you Of tho exquisite
beauty, even though withered on the stem,
Of I" The Lily Of tho Valley" What love.
" day it was-as, looking from tho window
Of my hotel, watched tho bright sunbeams
us they danced and sparkled on the clear
blue waters Of Lake Leman! Tho breeze
was crisping the waves, SO that they danced
and gently tossed about the tiny boats, with
milk white sails, that glided on II, surface.
A very compac, little vessel was hired for
a moderate price, and as she anttered her
wings to the wind, seemed fairly to revel
in the quintesscence Of quiet and repose.
The first summer rain had lately fallen, and
the valleys. hills and dales, refreshed by the
showers, seemed to send up song OF thank
,ulncss to heaven, while the trees, filed with
blossoms some just putting forth their
leayes-looked so green and lovely; and US
Ear rs the eye could reach, 1t was one vast
panorama Of matchless beauty. On nearing
!, little village, the name Of which | have
forgotten. not very fur distant from the far
tanned Zurich, whose waters have been im.
morlalized in story and song. observed, as
thought, an unusual gaiely and liveliness
among the people, and was about remarkins
to my companion that | imagined 1t wa:
some feie day, when he Informed mo we had
lust arrived in time to see the last Of the
swiss" May Festival" Children's sports
are to me always interesting, and 50 away
we went, through innumcrable groupings OF
lads and lassies, and vineyards, bowers and
gardens of surprising beauty, the Dir seem.
inply ladenei with the perfumes Of a thous-
and cxotic., wnen suddenly In the distance,
tho we'll known May-pole" was seen. But
the dance had ceased-the twinkling feet
that so lately had troddeH on the spring
blo,eoms, hud Disappeared out shc LAZY
of the Valley" was there. and It's fragrance
was sweet beyond description.
A little blue.eyed girl. Of some seven sum
mers, had just plucked the flower, and plac-
Ing it in her bosom, began to cry. This ut.
tracted my attention, and | went to her, ant
asked her to tell me the cause of her grief
She said her little sister, whom they used
20 call tho f" Lily OF the Valley" had beer
taken from them, and she was going t.
send this flower with her, to heaven, to be
,pli tied there! need not say | became
much Interested, and followed the little
stranger for some distance but, in the
thr,ug of children. soon lost her.
The little ones that. on my arrival, were
grouped together in the very height OF clee
and excitement. us I fancied, we're speakin!
in subdued tones, while the peasants looked
sad and gloomy. . =,
Musinyly | strolled to the inn Of the vii.
lage, where learned the cause Of the ceas
Ing Of the festivities. Here, also, had they
MAY Queen :" one they were wont I,
call the Lily Of the Valley" For three
summers had she reignsd over her little
l,wery band, when suddenly she was called
away to bloom in tho fields of light above.
But listen to the story us they told it tc
me:
The sun never beamed moro gloriously
than upon the May.morn about which nm
writing the last crowning of the Lily o
the Valley" and though its little head WIS
bent in sickness, the genial sunshine, it was
thought, would revive and the merry-mak-
ing and excitement prove beneficial. rather
than injurious. And 50 they placed her up
on her floral throne.
The shuutin.s Of u hundred tender voices
went up. professions we're formed, and gar.
lands, wreathed by little hands. were tossed
into The mir. All eyes were turned toward
the throne of roses, and her crown OF pure
white lilies that she loved to wear, was plac'
.d upon her bruw. Shc looked so lovely
,be,e. in her dress of buds and blossoms
but she was uery pale, and her eye Looked
nm 20 Heaven (! Could sho havo heard them
c,,ll;ny hcr uwnyi She smiled 40 swc'tly.
che could not be IN pain and then she tried
% % r,;.e herself, hut the exsrtion was too
much for her, and just waving her ii'''e
hand, IT,. h.,,,,
A.le,p by the gaie> oi Light! :"
The coI,r returned net to her cheek. and
thus this tender aoweret, in the very he'sh'
of its My Day glory, was taken 70 DO Trans
planted into the heavenly nursery! >,
The MAY Day dance was over. Garlanas
and wreath, ofaowers dropped from slender
hands. tha, in their glee had held them,
and where 40 lately smiles, Laughter, and
I ,he ;ovou, strains Of music aoated in the air,
.,SS;nv, were now hcurd, and rejoicings
nuw were mt an end.
[ thought !, was a glorious way 10 die
era The young heart had grown familiar
with the paths Of sin. Whiie cen ,he
spring flowers budded, bloomed aud bios.
somed on her very rrcasl--while Inc
shoulings of innocent voices greeted hei-
he- spiri, passed silently away.
This is The story that they told me and
now will Tell you, my reader, what ]
saw:
On the night Of the day that l arrived,
the funeral Of the lille May Qneen took
place. Never before did 'eel 80 strongly,
ihe impre.siveness, nay, the beauty, Of
death, dives,ed as il seemed 10 mo o' ~
lis gloom and terror.
There was no coffin no pail mo raw,
en- plumings-ntne Of the irapp'ngs anu
sombre liyeries of the gave, seen there i
bui pon two pieces Of cedar wood, bound
,;.h,l, ,o,.,her with boughs Of evergreen
and myrtle, forming n sort OF 'rell's.work.
lhe body was placed, dressed ia garment
of plain white, with 4 single flower 'he
{" Lily Of the valley"- resting on The
breast. The scene was mos, ,mposlng.-
I, was night; bu, The moon shone full up