The Lincoln County herald., 1869-11-04
From the Western Rural.
THE HAUNTED STREAMLET.
BY MONO MYSTIC.

They said the spot was haunted. They
talked Of shadows, seen at MONDAY, Of
fairies dancing in the mild moonlight, Of
water naiads bathing their rounded limbs
in tho silver fow Of its wators and to
all their tales, added this excuse Gas If
half ashamed Of . bli, d superstition)
"Thess are stories tod by simple house.
wives City years ago; ;"-or-"ft 10 what
our mothers told us 10 childhood, to keep
us from the fascinating spot, where the
brooks current runs clear and deep, ss If
to bear poor souls outward to eternity"
With eager ear I listened to these 10.
gends, until my heart grow full; and .
stsosg, resistless desire possessed me to
90 down and s;t in tho quiet dell, uoder
the broad sunlight Ct summers after.
noon, and dream Of the water.nyuphs aud
elves Of the glade. And 90, one clear,
calm day in July, when the birds fed to
ths forest, away from the din Of the farm
house, or the heated atmosphere Of tree.
less meadow, l went out to the dell alone,
guided by the distant thicket that tho Ak
Of man had never thinned where the
green carpet, uuworn by human footsteps,
grew thick aud high. l came to the nook
at last, and paused, enchanted at tho first
CLEAN Of silver water through tho leafy
curtains, which but half shut out the
golden sunlight. Was this the frightful
home of goblin or water. witch ? and
we're these clear, bell like tones Of the
water. fall, siren strain to lure mortals
tombvard? Was it such haunt gossips
had marked out - the home Of demons 7
Then, in truth, spirits Of darkness have
regal tastes and sumptuous kingdoms !
I wandered through the tangled glen,
stopped low at tho foot OF tho cataract,
kissed tho white lillies sprinkled with
spray, like one in . dream. Down close
BY the foaming goal Of the falling tide, 9
clear jet OF water rose from ito mosssd
aud rocky cup, and drank from 1.-THE
Huutsman's Well" A few rods below,
where the mad current had exchanged il
noisy babblings for half plsutive, half.
merry measure, I came to seat, shad
owed BY an overhauging rock, and seem
ingly bswn BY unseen hands from the
granite bcLeath. Lichsns olung with rcd
aud pale green buds to its aide, cleaning
in the tiuted light, showered in 6tfa
beams through the branches Of on over
hanging elm. ne 10 The Msiden''
Jhspsl," I murmured, - l sank on th'
colt moss, which long ego mortal feet hat
pressed. wsarily, sadly, until the augsl'
led them TO tread tho courts Of Heaven
nv eyes were closed to the mollovet
sunligkt. B,rds csno st Avst timidly
but gradually With more boldnsss, On,
sang glad, wild strains, % II conscious o
. humsn listensrl Tho odor Of the lily
Wild rots, violet, aud eglaptine, esmo viii
tho bsssse thss famed my cheek, to iul
my spirit to perfect repossi And lynn
thus, my mind rshsarsed anew, the iuei
dents that had given romance and super
stihous terror to the beautiful spot.
Il was years ago the village gossip said
when tho pioneer went forth, a. and rid
in hand, to prepare home for bis love-
ones. With artistic sys, hs selected th
tract Of land inelosipg the stream at on
feet, and BY the aid Of three sturdy sons
CONSTRUCTED bis cot Of roughly hewn logl
that years hence should give place to
substantial dwelling. And 90 they came
the strope armed father. villiag Asarts'
mother, and ffoliosens children, please
with the beauty and freedom Of thsi
woodland home. e.it.r M.
| - year bad passed in The quiet Of g
slssien from society and in The setivit,
of busy labor. The corn waved it. silks
tssssls 10 The breeze; few choice gards
levses blspded their frsgtapee with u
ledors sf tho fossst1pra nsighbors; fsv
hut kind sesversd The RIGGING stroke q
1ths sx. yith tipdssd sounds, while .th
happinsss Of The settlement was onl
uarrsd By one fear. Distsst report
esne Of The aggression Of tbe red.nar