Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-02-06
Mountain Of the Lovers.
BY LEIGH HUNT.

We forget what took it was many years
ago, that We read the story of The lover
who was to win his mistress by carrying
her to the top Of mountain, aud how he
did win her.
We think the scene was in Switzarlanl;
but the mountain, though high enough to
tax his stout heart to the utmost, must
have been among the lowest Let us fan
cy it good lofty hill, in the summer
time. 1t was. at any rate, SO high that
the father of this lady, proud noble,
thought it impossible for young man so
burdeued to scale it. For this reason alone
in scoru be bade him to do it, and his
daughter should be his
The peasantry assembled IN the valley
TO witness so extraordinary a sight. They
measured The mountain will! their eyes
they communed with one another, and
shook their heads but all admired the
young man and some of his fellows, look
ing at their mistress. Thought they could
90 as much The father was on horseback
apart sullcn. repentng that he had sub
jected his daughter even to the show of such
Il hazard; but he thought it would teach
lis inferior lesson. The young man (the
son of a small land proprietor. who lad
some pre,ensions to wealth. though none
t2 nobility stood respectfully looking con-
Silently rejoicing i'll his heart that he should
win mistress, though at the cost of no.
Die pain, which he could hardly think of
as pain. considering who it was that he was
to carry If he died for'it he should at
least have had her in his arms. and. have
looked her IL. the face. TO clasp her per-
son in that manner was pleasure he con
tenplated with such transport as is known
only to lovers for none others know how
respect heightens the joy of dispensing
with formality, and how dispensing with
fnrmalties ennobles and makes CRATE.
full the respect.
The lady stood by the side Of her father
pale. DESTROYS and ,dreading. She thought
her lover would succeed but only because
, she thought him in every respect the no.
blest of his sex, and that nothing was too
much for his strength and valor. Great
fears came over her. nevertheless. she
knew not what might happen i'll the cham
ces common to all She felt the the bitter
ness of being herself the burden to him
and the task and darec neither to look at
+ her father, nor the mountain. She fixed
her eyes now on the crowd (Which never
theIess she beheld not) aud now on her
hand and her finger ends. which she deub-
led up towards her with Il prete,rse-tIie
only decertioe she had ever used Once
or twice daughter or mother. slipped out
of the crowd. and coming up to her. not
witlstaDding their fears Of the lord baron,
kissed that hand which she knew not what
to do with.
The father said: "Now. sir. to put an
end to this mnrs,ery and the lover, turn
ing pale for the first time, took up the la
dy.
The spectators rcjoiced to see the man
and as II encouraging his mistress. They
mount the hill they proceed well he hats
an instant before he gets midway, ani
seems rffus ,ihg something then ascends
at a quicker rate land now being at the
midway point, shifts the lady from one
side to the other. The speet at"rs give a
great shont. The baron. with an air Of
Indifference. bites the tip Of his guantlet.
and then casts on them an eye Of rebuke
! At the shout the lover resumes his way. ~
Slow but not feeble in his steps, yet it gets
slower He stops again. aud they think
they see the lady kiss him on the FORE
head.