Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-07-02
SELECTED STORY!
LULA'S CHOICE


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Lula Thyri was the only daughter of al.
old couple, who lived in solitary cottage on
the outskirts OF the small village of Gonar.
The Thyris were stingy, surly and hard hear
ted, and were, therefore. no favorites among
the scanty population of Gonar, but for the
sake of Lula the old people were tolerated.
Lula had many friends, for she was by far
the sweetest tempered and most contented
girl in Gonar. She was also the plainest. a
fact which gained her friends even among
the envious and i'll natured Lula's parents
treated her with such harshness that it was
considered wonder she could always look
so smiling and happy as she did. And,
perhaps, what was even greater wonder.
Lula. though her life was hard one, not
only looked, but was happy What her
friends called drudgery was to her only
work, which was done with cheerfulness,
and when she had finished it, she knew
where to look for pleasure.
Gonar was;a dull place, and the Gonar
people led dull lives; but Lula had days of
excitement as great as if she was grand la.
dy. No grand lady ever walled with more
anxiety for the arrival of the wreath which
WAS to be worn at the next court ball, than
Lula watched for the opening of the bud
which told her that spring was near; Meth
er did the finest singer give that same lady
greater pleasure than Lula felt when she
heard the song of the birds, which told her
that spring was come. And thus it was
throughout the year Lula had always
something to look forward to with that pleas
urable longing which made each day in its
turn happy one.
But there came time when even Lula
had cause to weep, and it happened thus
Her parents did not love her, because she
was not beautiful, and when they had moth
ing else to do, they used to sit and grumble
at the fate which had given them such a
daughter. One day Lula overheard their
lamentations.
"Was ever woman born so unfortunate, "
said Frona, "as to have had given her SO
i'll favored a daughter; why, she will be on
our hands all our lives"
"You speak truly, wife, for sure enough
no one will marry the wench unless it be
Kolf Lyn, who for. the sake of a few pence
would marry sin herself"
"Well thought off, exclaimed the old
dame. IF Lula can't be matched any 9TH
er way, Kolf's wife she shall become. !"
Lula, like other people, had built her cas-
tie in the air, but certain Oswald Erling,
and not Kolf Lyn, had been the lord Of it
At her mothers speech the castle vanished,
and she trembled, for dame Frona's wish
was will in that house Then Lula went in
to the woods, and sat in her favorite nook
and cried bitterly.
"What do you weep for SO bitterly, my
little maid
Lula started, and on looking round, saw
that an old woman of the village had sal
down by her side 1t was difficult for Lula
to tell the trouble she was in, SO she merely
replied that she was not crying about any
thing in particular.
"Yet you are not one to cry about moth
ing. Come tell me your trouble, perhaps
could ease it."
Lula declared that no one could help her.
"Ah! then know what the trouble must
be" said the old woman smiling, and pluck
ing dandelion, gave it to Lula. "Now
let us see whether it is yes Or no."
Lula grew very red, and threw the dan
delion away. "No," she said, while her
eyes again filled with tears; sit is no use
1 am too ugly for that sort Of thing"
The old woman laughed, but kindly
clears won't give you beauty, will they
now ?"
''No, but what will p
"Why not take journey to the black
lake p Lula shuddered as if struck by a
sudden fear, for she knew well what the old
crone meant. "Well, l might do that GER
tainly; thank you, mother, for the sugges-
ton. l can die but once, added Lula re.
signedly.
Don't despair, the spirit Of the lake may
be kindly disposed towards you"
"Ah, wcll!' said Lula, signing, "even
if it leads me to bad fate, it cannot be a
worse one than becoming the wife Of Kol
Lyn."
;.Luck befriend you, little Lula don't for
get to go before sunset, and take with you
the exchange for what you ask, the creates
treasure you possess"
The black lake was situated in the hear
of the mountains around and was supposed
by the Gonar people to be the abode Of
spirit, who bad the power to confer upoI
mortals the gifts which nature had deniee
them. The lake was held in great abhor-
renee, for the spirit was said to be male
VIOLENT one, and to lure the people to thell
destruction but there was some who hae
been heard to defend the spirit of the lake
and to attribute the evil fate rather to the ma
ture of the gift demanded, than to the NAL
ice of the donor. Lula, however, had NJ
very great uneasiness, for she fancied tina
there might be some truth in the latter theor,
and if 50, the gift she was about to ask iol
could not possibly lead her to evil AS sool
as Lula had make up her mind to brave al
danger, she became quite excited in bel
anxiety to 60 on her expedition.
Dame Frona was not quite SO exaet'ng al
usual that day, and Lula was able to star