Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-12-03
A Legend.

Thsfe is a very old and beautiful story
that has formed the staple for poems in many
tongues that we wish we could worthily tell
It is Of one sailing upon the sea, in q sleep
withohtdream. The ship was wrecked and
shattered, and yet he slept. The waves bore
him like an infant in cradle, upon the plank
wherein he lay, and when he awoke it was
with mnsic, and upon couch of flowers,
The shore was strange yet lovely, and
thronged with thousands who proclaimed him
king 1t seemed as if they awaited him,
waif though he was, for there was throne
without an occupant and royal robes for his
arraying.
All human wills merged in his, and glory
shone around him, even as the sun of that
fair, unclouded cline.
AT length there came to him a reverend
man, who told him that the time would come,
when exiled from his kingdom, and powerless
as he came, there would be none so poor
to do him reverence" But" continued the
aged sage, beyond the clouds that skirt this
lovely land, lie unseen islands bare and drear
no fountains sparkle, and no flowers perfume
no music but the wall of wind and waves
no shelter, but the shadow of rock.
Thither they will Danish thee, and there
thou must make thy inevitable home. But
now, thou art supremely blest; slaves do thy
bidding, and gold strews thy pathway like
the sand. So, seek that island out; cause
the rock to be smitten, that it may gush will
living water; send fragrant flowers from tn.
garden, and spicy trees from thy forests; lie
the amaranth be transplanted, and the pain
shed pleasant shade, till the wilderness shal
be glad for them, and the desert shall bios
som as the rose. Build there royal man
sion and fill it with all things pure and beau
tiful, that surround thee now SO shalt tho
have Paradise at last, and 60 rejoicing int
exile"
The king was wise, and while he cherishe
the realm he ruled, yet sought the island, an
colonized," as it were, the half of his hear
Spring was persuaded to come that way, an
she hung her robe on the trees he had plan
ed, and left her breath on the gale. The mt
sic Of birds, and fountains, the winds anon
the leaves, foated round the new palace b
had builded; but nothing of all this had b
ever beheld.
Years went on, and the old royal glori'
grew dim, and the crown was furnished, an
there was another wreck, new king can
sleeping to the shore, and he that ruled in
palace, was not suffered so much as shelte
for he was an exile, as the sage had proph
sled. But he went not with heavy hear
for sometimes when the wind blew from Il
unseen shore, it had borne to him the fir
GRANGE Of orange and palm, and SO he kne
that his gardens were growing beautiful f
his coming. And he laid off the purple Iii
one disrobing for pleasant dreams, and p
down the sceptrc as if it had been burde
and, went away to his unseen home with
"good by" on his lip, but smile in his ey
And though none have seen the Eden
dwells in, yet sailors driven out to sea,decla
that sometimes sweet odors have been watt
across the deck, from an unseen land, and
it they know that the gardens of the Elk
are near.
"As when to them who sail
Beyond the Cape Of Hope and passed
Mozambique off at sea- northeast winds blow
Sabean odors from the spicy shore
OF Araby the Best-with such delay
Well pleased they slack their course, and many Leaf
Pleased with the grateful SCENT old ocean smiles"