The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-07-24
TIE MAID OF ROCK CREEK; OR,
SERAPHINA AND RUDOLPHUSl
aoSE OF THE THRILLING rA1rsn

SERAPHINA AND RUDOLPHUS!
ZONE OF THE THRILLING TALES"
Twas evening upon the banks Of beautiful
Rock Creek. The silver beams of Luna,
which struggled down through the branches
of the trees, revealed scene of transcenden.
tai beauty. Upon an ancient stump which
had braved the tempests of hundred win
ters, sitting in an attitude Of graceful repose,
was an angelliferious maiden just bloomed
out into sunny womanhood. She was radi.
antly and peerlessly beautiful. Webster hides
his inglorious head in the dust In the vain at
tempt TO furnish words descriptive of her
loveliness. Graceful as a duck, wild as
hawk, pensive as setting hen, with her rich
curls of tow colored gold streaming over her
shoulders to the ground, like some bright
swamp angel she sat, while the moonbeams
rested like halo upon her elegant head
Sorrow and the mullen stalks which grew up
around her, cast deep shadows over her un-
rivaed countenance, and the night wind as il
kissed her magnificent cheek, bore to her de-
lighted olfactories the fragrant breath of elder
blows, Her knitting work Jay idly IN her lap.
Her eyes which shamed the lightning bugs,
were bedoozled with diamond tears. She
was listening with IN air Of sorrowful dis
traction to the passionate pleadings of q noble
youth who knelt at her feet. Never moon
light fell on a more glorious intelectible
countenance than that upturned to the maid
ems enamored gaze. Never yielded mother
earth to finer form than that which pressed
the dandeion bank at Seraphina's feet. His
features were such as Nebuchadnezzar or
Apollo might have envied. His dark, piercing
eyes were like the waters of lis own Rock
Creek for depth and clearEess, and were
brilliant mirrors in which the truth and vo-
racity Of his god like soul were reflected
From his brow of vast and poDderous pro-
portions the sympathising breeze swept back
long, hyancinthe locks, whose hue in the
shade was deep raven blackness, but when
the light fell upon it, it resembled muddy
pool when the sunbeams strike it aslant.
His hands were clasped in an attitude of
despair. He spoke, and his tones were deep
and mournfu as the chant at the funeral of
martyred bull frog at Rock Creek Dam.
70, fairy queen of heaven! Pure dove of
the moonshiny sky Translucent. light of my
beuighted eyes Cherished and beloved of
my hearts core! How cans't thou doubt my
love? Dost thou doubt that the cabbage
loves the genial rain! Dost thou doubt that
the chicken loves the dough dish? Then
doubt my love for thee. All love is but
feeble word to express the passion that con-
sumes my vitals. Be mine, adorable one, else
die"
"Rudolphus," she murmured, 'it cannot be.
The mandate of my vengeiul father, and the
decree Of fate must be obeyed." And her
voice was as melodious ms the tinkle of
fractured COW bell far away down the road,
and low and sad us the last moan of diving |
poIly~og. "Talk not of obedience, thou
beautiful, but cruel one" he yelled in a voice
of speechless agony. 10 canst thou sit in
thy cold majesty like frozen sausage, and
see my aching heart going TO smash before
thine eyes for mistaken sense of duty
See" said he, as the voice died away to n sad
wall like the howl of broken backed mastiff,
and he dashed from the mullen leaves near
him drop of pearly dew. asee! night herself
weeps with me, and mourns thy cruelty"
The maiden was appalled, at the sight of
his anguish. The crimson tide which dyed
her cheek like red holly hook, cut stick and
left it whittier than cotton pillow case. She
arose from her seat, dazzling in her resplen
dent beauty as bright tin milk pan when the
mid day beams of the glorious sun are poured
fully upon it, and captivating in her shadowy
grace us yellow lilly floating upon the
limpid waters Of dry goose pond. She
spoke and the stars Of night stood still, the
wind ceased to moan among the leaves, and
the frogs were silent to listen.
"Rudolphus, beloved of my SOUL" she said
in voice sweeter than New Orleans molas-
ses, "thOu knowest that love thee. My
heart clings to thee as the bean to its pole.-
Mine ear knows no music save thy voice, and
my lips no vctuals but thy kisses. Without
hee famish-i die. But the picket fence
,f duty surrounds me. 1t is stuck full of
,rue spikes and cannot surmount it. A
asst embrace, my heavenly one, and We part
orever."
"Bd me not DEPART" he roared as he clasp.
ID her to his breast, ri will never leave thee.
Forty. .'leven savage locomotives have not the
,ower TO tear US from each others arms.
ell thee, mine angel love, the thought of
eavng thee rends my soul--t maddens me
1T makes me rip and rave like frenzied
,hang gha-it makes me below like dis
racted bed bug-t makes me feel bad. In
ny desperation ] would tear up creation by
he roots! would fog the earthquake! |
would eat red hot pokers! would drink UP
he ocean, and then cast myself into the i
lack and surging pillows which roll ut my
eet!" ,
Seraphna burst into flood Of tears j
heir excessive emotion overcume them and
hey both swooned away.
Again il was evening upon Rock Creek
gain the cold moon looked down upon n