The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-07-02
THE MAID o. ROcK CREEK,
OR, sTRAPHrNA AND RupoLPnUs.

OR, sERAPHINA AND RupoLPHUs
Twas cvening on the banks of beautiful
Rock Greek. The silver beams Of Luna,
which struggled down through the branches
Of the trees, revealed scene OF transccndcn-
tai beauty. Upon IN ancient stump which
had bnved the tcmpcsts Of IN hundred win
tiers, sitting In IN attitude Of graceful re-
pose, was an angeliferous maiden just bloom
ed out into sunny womanhood. She was
radiantly and pccrlcssly beautiful. Webster
hides his inglorious head in the dust In the
vain attempt to furnish words descriptive Of
her lovclincss.
Graceful q duck, wild - hawk, pen
s,ye a. . setting hen, with her rich curis Of
tow-colorcd gold streaming over her should
ers to the ground, like some bright swamp
angel she at, while the moonbcams rested
like halo upon her elegant head Sorrow,
and the mullen stalks which grew around
her, cast deep shadows over her unrivalled
countenancc, and the night wind, as il kiss
ed her magnificent cheek, bore TO her de-
lighted oliactories tho fragrant breath Of
elder blows. Her knitting work Law idle in
her lap. Her eyes, which shamcd the light
| ming bugs, were bepoolixcd with diamond
tears. She was listening with an air Of sor-
rowful distraction to the passionate plead
ings Of noble youth who knelt IL her feet.
Never moonlight fell on more glorious in
tellectual countcnance than that upturned
TO the n,aiden's cnamorcd gaze. Never
yielded mother earth to . finer form than
that which pressed the dandcIion bank 1t
Seraphina's feet. His features were such ~
Nebucha incxzar or Appollo might have en-
We'd.
His dark, piercing eyes were like the wa
tiers Of his own Rock Greek for depth and
clcarness, and were brilliant mirrors in
which the truth and vcracity IL his god like
soul were reflected From his brow Of vast
and pondero,is proportions, the sympathiz-
ing breeze swept back that long hyacinthinc
lock, whose hue in the shade WAS deep
raven blackncss, hut when the light fell up
on 1t, il rcscmblcd muddy pool when the
sun beams strike II aslant.
His hands were claspcd in an attitude oi
despair. He spoke, and his tones were
deep and mourI,sul as a chant At the fincr-
al az martyrcd bull-frog at Rock Greek
dam. 20, fairy queen Of heaven! Pure dove
Of the moonshiny sky! Translucent light oi
my benightcd eyes. Cherished and beloved
II my hearts core. How carst thou doubt
my lovc7 Dost thou doubt that the cabbage
loves the genial rain? Dost thou doubt that
the chicken loves the dough-dish2 Then
doubt my love for thee. All. love is but q
feeble word to express the passion that con-
sumo. my vitals. Be mine, adorable one,
else de-
"Rudolphus,r she murmured, lit cannot
be. The mandate Of my vcngcful father
and the decree of fate must be obeycd," ~
Of fractured COW -bells, far away down the
Scipo road and low and sad n the last moan
&c q dying pollywog. Talk not of the obe-
yelled, in voice Of speechlcss agony 30,
canst thou sit in thy cold majesty, like a
frozen sausage, and see my aching heart 60.
ing tn smash before thine eyes, for mistak-
On sense Of dutyW
''Sec," said he, q his voice died away t.
n sad wall, like the yowl Of broken back
cd mastiti, and be dashed from the mullen
leaves drop Of pcarly dew. 'Scc, Night
wecrs with me and mourns the cruelty"
The maiden was appalled, 1t the sight Of
his anguish. The crimson tide which dyed
her cheek like red hollyhock, cut stick and
left IL whittier thana cotton pillowcasc. She
arose from her seat, dazzling in the rcsplcn-
dent beauty ~ bright tin milk pan when
the midday beams OF the glorious sun are
poured full upon il, and captivating in her
shadowy grace - yellow lily, floating up
on the limpid waters Of dry goose pond
She spoke, and the stars Of night stood still
the wind ceased to mean among tho leaves,
and the frogs were silent 20 listen. "Rudol
plus, beloved Of my soul, she said inn voice
swectcr than the syrup of New Orleans,
''thou knowcst that love thee. Nv heart
clings to thee as the bean to its pole. Ny
heart knows no music save thy voice, and
my lips no victuals but thy kisses. Without
thee iamish, die. But the picket fence
Of duty surrounds me. II Is stuck full Of
cruel spikes, and cannot surmount il. A
last embrace, my heavenly one, and we part
forever ibid me not depart,'' he reared
as he claspcd her to his breast; 81 will nev-
er leave thee. Forty-lcven savage locomo-
tivcs have not the power TO tear NJ from
each Others arms. tell thee, mine ang..'
love, the thought Of leaving thee rends my
soul, maddens me, il makes me rip and rave
like frcnxicd shanghai, il makes me below,
like . distracted bed-bug, IL makes me ftsl
bad! In my desperation | would ter up
creation by the roots. would Hog the earth
quake. ! would eat rcd-hof pokers. would
| drink up the ocean, and then cast myself in
to the black and surving billows which roll
at my fectl'
Seraphina burst into food Of tears
Their excessive emotion ovcrcame them. and
they swooned away.
Again il was evening upon Rock Creek
again the cold nom looked down upon a
scene II excr,iciating woe. In dark, dis
NAL damp gloomy, ghostly castle, built of
the unhcwn monarchs Of the forest, upon q
pile OF hay, lay the angelic Scraphina, the
victim Of her fathers tyranny. Her linscy-
woolscy robes were torn and disarrangcd,
her lovely face soiled and smutty, her sill
very curls dishevcled, her ccrulean eyes as
red a. csMnbcrrics and swclled with weep
ing; but COR all this she looked more beau-
tiful than ever. by her side stood hsgon
Of calculated buttermilk and 4 platter III
flap-jacks. "No, no." she faintly muttered,
pushing the food away, s'Ict them not seek
to prolong my misery by offering me tempt
ing viands. will never cat moreover. =
Just then low dolcfiil sound was horne TO
her ear. She started. "Was Il though.
Rudolphus! r she cried. aAh, no, I will not
fiattcr myself with vain hopes. Twas hut
the calf blcatipg to il mother And shs
sank down exhausted upon the straw again,
to court death.
Again was the sound repeated. She
spsang to her feet, and peepcd out throu
chink in the logs. 1t was indeed her low
cr looking up with wistful eyes 70 her dun
geon window, while many tearx streaked
down his checks 10 save me, Rudolphus, y
she screamed. 81 would smash down thoss
maasivc pine doors, be answered, ''with one
blow Al my stalwart fist, and snatch thee
from the cruel captors, but am afraid thy
fathers daFned oxen will hook me-" And
he sank upon the ground in the impo-
tence Of his ragc and despair, and hiding his
iacc IN the buriock leaves he howlcd aloud.
"weep not, my Rudolphus,r said abe. II
will come to thc.n So saying, che heroic
girl decended to the stable and while the
gsaats and mosquitoes Numbered about her
lair head, tearing up With her tiny hands IN
oaken plank from the hoor, she sooa emery