The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-19
YOUNG LADY IS FAIRY CHRISTMAS TALE.
THE sRowN IMP's STORY.
FAITH AND PATIENCE
by MISS JULIA GODDARD. AUTHOR OF "yoyor
DoMEB's STORY" AND OTHER PRIZE rA1ns
I,Alas for YeaierdaYlr


thread of running water; he knew they would
babble them to the world Us they went alone.
and he thought il fine thing that his words
should go through the length and breadth Of
And the Great red sum- sinking to sleep
amongst the golden clouds, heard them, and
somehow felt as though they would disturb his
rest.
The water dripped through the assures in The
rocks down to the Earth-King's palace, far under
the tai mountains; and as the drops plashed
upon the pavements of shining spar, q silyery
vail arose and echoed through the vaulted roofs
that CLEANED with brilliant stalactites, and one
heard the mourntul words
"Alas for yesterday !"
And the dwarfs and the KoboIds and the
imps, and the bTowpies hearing them, drooped
lheT. heads; and their laughter which rang
melrlly enough before, was hushed when that
low wall, so soft, SO clear, and yet so powerful,
arose.
The Earth-King was indignant; he mounted
his black stced and spurred him through the
subterranean passages until he came to an out
let, near which the Brown Imp was sitting
The Brown Imp knew that he was coming for
the chargers boots might be heard miles of.
And the Brown Imp affected carelessness,
though his heart smote him; and he determined
to brave out what he had done.
''Why dost thou trouble the earth ~ asked the
monarch and he waved his wand.
And 10! innumerable spirits issued forth in
snowy garments they had ice-cIowns on their
heads and ice-chains in their hands, and they
bound the rivers and streams so that they
stood still and silent, and their voices were
heard no more.
The Brown Imp laughed scorDfully.
'The Sun-King will unloose the letters" " said
he, "and the waters will go babbling on.n
But the Sun-King, raising his head, an
swered:-
II will send forth my myrmidons, and they
shall drink up the waters SO that their voices
shall be hushed for ever"
And again the Brown Imp laughed.
"The Storm-K Kmg," he said, "wlll send cloud
army, and the rivers and streams again be full
and flowing"
For the Storm King was at enmity with the
! other monarchs.
Then the Earth King returned sorrowfully to
! his palace, since the Brown lmp's idle words
| could not be stayed, and the Earth King himself
! began to be infected by them.
! "Alas for yesterday" Why had the words
been spoken They could never be unsaid; the
evil was done; it had gone through the earth for
ever and ever.
The sun sank down, and when the great
| cburch-clock struck five, all the golden clouds
and crimson streaks had faded into grey, and
the grey was deepening into blue-clear, trans
parent night blue, and the stars looked down
with kindly twinkling eyes upon the earth,
| shining more cheerlly because the blessed
! Christmas time had como.
And the moon shed floods of gentle light
! upon the old church tower and the frosted-over
! trees, and turned to silver the points and pin
| nacles of architectural piles that graced the
| busy cities, or the old gable ends of lone farm
! houses or the latticed easements of the cot
| tages, for the moon shone everywhere, and sent
| bB DrlgnI ray OF glory tnrOuBn the broken
windows and cracked shutters of the poorest
room as into the stately apartments Of the rich;
perhaps even softer and more lingering rays,
for she knew that there was sorrow in the earth,
and she longed to comfort ii.
The winds were still tonight, and the rivers
and streams were silent; or If one torrent
wider than the rest struggled to regain his
! voice. and hoarsely murmur the Brown lmp's
words, the icenymphs wound their cold white
arms stIll closer round him, and breathed their
icy kisses till they kissed him fast asieep.
~ nj had mum sod mn
Imp's words to the ocean, and the Earth King
| hao no power over the restless sea. And down
! by the sea-shore you might hear the waves
repeating,
So the Brown Imp was triumphant.
"See what the tongue may do" said he; 'it is
! marvellous member
And a great fish popped its head out of the
water, and stared at him with dull, leaden eyes
in melancholy manner; but the fish was dumb,
and could only lash It's tail about TO express its
feelings. And the Brown Imp knew well enough
that 1t was protesting against the commotion
that the talking waves were making.
He had always thought that fishes were deaf,
but ii seemed that he must be mistaken. Most
people are mistaken about something or other,
and the Brown Imp was not an exception.
Then little, girl came tripping down to the
waters edge; she, too, saw the great fish with
bs.Aead out of the water, and his dull, staring
eyes, and his jaws wide open, as If he wished to
say something, only he could not.
''0h, you great stupid fish ~ said the little
SO that Meta saw him no more; but she heard
| The waves saying, "Alas for yesterday ~ and
she supposed that it was the fish speaking to
| her. Then she was sorry that she had laughed,
! for she thought the fish must be in trouble.
But still the words went on, and now she know
that the waves were speaking, and their com.
| plant was so mouTnful that she turned away
| sadly, and went home.
The Brown Imp's conscience smote him, his
idle words had brought such look of sorrow
into the child's face; but he could not unsay
them, they must go on forever.
Mother" said the child, why are the waves
so sad-what are they wailing forr
And as she spoke the wind came signing round
| the cottage, and it whispered the same words
that the waves had been murmuring on the
shore; softly at first, then louder and louder
| until both child and mother heard them plainly.
''Aas for yesterday ~
! The mother shuddered.
at is the wall of life," she said; "the winds
and waters know 1t, the sun and moon look
| down and hear it, but they can give no help;
the stars try to send comfort and seem to say,
Come to u.s. for we are nearer heaven than ye
are;' but it is no use, ea1th-voices ring the
burden, and 1t enters deep into human hearts,"
And must we always hear it Yn asked the
| child; 81 never heard it before, and there will
be no more pleasure in hie now.n
Meta was silent the rest Of the evening,
| and scarcely troubled herself to wonder what
Santa Claus would put into her stocking, but
went to bed with the dreamy words still wall
ing IN her ears
Alas fol. .yestercday!'.
"The Princess Linda's heart Is brokenT
Meta started up from her restless sleep, ana
| looked round The moon was shining into the
room, and it was almost as light as Gay. She
could see no one, and yet she was CERTAIN lhat
| some one had spoken TO her.
THE Princess Linda's heart Is broken !" again
| said the voice.