Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-18
III NJ AID OF ROCK CREEK:
Or, Seraphina and Rudolnbus

Rock Creek. The silver beams of Luna, which
sraggied down though the branches of the trees
Ie'eSled scene OF transcendental beauty
oPOn an ancient stump, which had braved the
euPeS1s oil an hundred winters, sitting in an at
utuoe OF graceful repOse, was an angelliferous
InS-denJust blOOmed out into sunny wOmanhood.
she was radlantly and peerlessly beautiful
webster hides his inglOriOus head in the dust
IN the vain attempt to Ofurnish words descriptive
Of her lOyeliness. Graceful as duck, wild as
hawk, pensiye as q setting hen, with her rich
curls Of tow-eolored gold streaming over her
shoulders to the ground, like some bright
swamp angel she sat, while the moonbeams
rested likes halo upon her elegant head Sor-
row, and the mullen stalks which grew M
around her, cast deep shadows over her unriyal-
ed eountenance, and the night-wind, as 1t kiss
ed her magnificent cheek, bore to her delighted
olfactories the fragrant breath of elder blows
Her knitting work lay idle in her lap Her
eyes. which shamed the tightening bugs, were
bedOOzled with diamond tears. She was listen
Ing with an air of sOrrOwful distraction to the
passionate pleadings of a noble youth who
knelt at her feet. Never moonlight fell on a
more glorious intellectible countenance than
that upturned 10 the maiden's enamored gaze
Never yielded mother earth to finer form than
that which pressed the dandeliOn back at Sera-
phlna feet. His features were such as Nebu-
chadnezzar or Apollo might have envied. His
dark piercing eyes were like the waters of his
own Rock Creek for depth and clearness and
were brilliant mirrors in which the truth and
yoracity OF his gOd-like soul were reflected
From his brow of vast and pOnderous proper
tlOns, the sympathiZng breeze swept back long
hyacinthine locks, whose hue in the shade was
deep raven blackness, but when the light fell
upon 1t, 1T reSembed muddy pool when the
sunbeams strike il aslant His hands were
elaSPed IN an attitude Of despair He spoke,
and his tones were deep and mournful as the
chant at the funeral of a martyred buIl-frog at
Rock Creek dam. 20, fairy queen of Heaven,
Pure dove OF the moonshiny sky. Translucent
hSnt OF my benighted eyes Cherished and
beloved by my hearts core. How canst thou
doubt my love- Dost thou doubt that the cab
bage loves the genial rain ? Dost thou doubt
that the chicken loves the dOugh-ish1 Then
doubt my love for thee. All love is but fee
bic word to express the passion that consumes
my yitals. Be mine adorable one, else die. -
RudOlphus,' she murmured, "it cannot
be The mandate of my vengeful father, and
the decree Of fate must be obeyed.' And her
voice was melOdiOus as the tinkle of fractured
COW bells far away down the Little Falls road
and low and sad as the last moan of a diving
pOlywog.
Talk not Of obedience, thou beautiful and
cruel one, he yelled in a voice of speechless
agony 20, eanst thou sit in thy cold majesty,
like frozen sausage, and see my aching heart
going TO smash before thine eyes for a mistaken
sense Of duty
See,' said he, as his voice died away to a
sad wall. like the howl of a broken-b backed
mastif, and he dashed from the mullen leaves
near him drop of pelrly dew. ''See Night
herself weeps with Inc, and mOurns the cruelty"
The maiden was appalled, at the sight of his
anguish. The crimson tide which dyed her
cheek like a red holly hook cut stick and left
1t whittier than cotton pillOw-case. She arose
from her seat, dazzling in her resplendent beau
" as bright tin milk-pan when the midday
beams Of the glorious sun are poured full upon
1t, and captivating in her shadOwy grace a vel
low lily floating upon the limpid waters of a
dry goOSe-pOnd. She spoke, and the stars of
nigh; 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
a voice sweeter than the syrup of New Orleans
thou knOwest that 1 love thee. NV heart
clings to thee as the bean to the pole Mine ear
knows no music save thy voice and nv lips no
vctuals but thy kisses. Without thee famish;
l die. But the picket fence of duty surrounds
me II is stuck full of cruel spikes, and cam
not surmOunt il. A last embrace, my heavenly
one, and we part forever"
Bid me not depart, he roared, as he clasp
ed her to his breast Il will nersr leave thee
FOrty-leven savage locomotives have not power
to tear Us from each others arms 1 tell thee
mine angel love, the thought of leaving thee
rends my SOul-it maddens me, it makes me rip
and rave like a frenzied Shanghai-it makes me
below like distracted bed bug-rt makes me
fseE bad. In my desperation I would tear up
Il
quake i would eat red-hot pokers. would
drink up the ocean, and then cast myself into
the black and surging billows which roll at nv
feet
Seraphina burst into a food Of tears Their
excessive emotion overcome them, and they
both swOoned away.
Again it was evening upon Rock Creek-again
the cold moon looked down upon a scene Of ex-
cruciating In a dark, dismal, damp
gloomy, ghOstly castle, built of the unhewed
mOnarchs Of the forest, upon a pile of hay lay
the angelic Seraphina, the victim Of a fathers
tyranny
Her linsey wOolsey robes were torn and dis
arranged, her lovely face sOiled smutty, her sill
very curls disheveled, her cornban ewes as red
a eranberries, and swelled with weeping but
fOT all this she looked more beautiful than ever
By her side stood fagon of aciduIated but
termilk. and platter of fspjacks. g No no."
she family nuttered pushing the food away,
let them not seek 10 prOlong my misery by
Offering me tempting viands.' will never eat
moro. Never
Just then low doleful sound was borne TO
her She started. ''Was il thou. Rudolf
Phus > she cried. All no. will not fatter
myself with vain hopes. Twas but the calf
beating to its mother" And she sank down
exhausted upon the straw again, to court death
Again was the sound repeated She sprang
20 her feet, and pcePed out through chink in
the logs 1t was indeed her Overlooking up
with wistful eyes to her dungeon window while
manly tears streaked IL down his cheeks 90
save me, Rudolphus," she screeched
would smash down those massive pine
doors he answered, - with one blow of NV
stalwart fist, and snatch thee from the cruel
captOrs, but l am afraid thy fathers darned
oxen will hook me-" And ne sank upon the
ground in the impotence Of his rage and despair,
and hiding his face in the burdock leaves, he
hOwled aloud.
Weep not, my Rudolphus,'' said she, /"
will come to thee" 80 saying, the heroic girl
descended 70 the stable, and while the gnats
and mosquitoes thundered about her fair head.
tearing up with her tiny hands an oaken plank
from the floor, she soon emerged in the COW
yard.
In an instant the lovers were clasped in each
other arms. The donkey of RudOlphus stood
near, and folding his lovely burden to his breast
the youth sPrang into the saddle, and murmur-