Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-05-28
THE GOLD HERB.
A GERMAN STORY.

Have YOU been in a pine forest at cvenial?
II YOU have, You will recall the sensations oi
mystery which Cypress the spirit when YOU
ind yourself alone among the fragrant trees,
that stand stiff and entranced, awaiting tAe
coming On of night. To persons uuaccustom-
ed to the woods, few moments Of greater
s1lemmitv could occur than those following
the set Of sun 4 shadow falls over the for
est, and in the deep winding tunnels that "a
date among the gray mosshung trunks the
hlackuess of night coudenses apace. Alyste-
rious noises are heard the rus-ling Of large
birds settling themselves for the night, the
click of falling cones, the cry of the Wild eat.
The gold LIGHT that all DAY ficAlre1 through
the b1ughs and dnpered the spine s-rlwn
soil, bias wholly disappeared, and patches oi
ir0n-gray heavens seen through tie l1ters-lcs
of the branches difuse light. Perhaps an
evening breeze whispers secrets among the
tree tops and pipes between the trunks, or
huns an indistinct tame, pervadlng the whole
air among the vibrating green nce1lc-llke
leaves of the frs.
Robert. the huntsman, was TOO accustomed
to forest sights and sounds 20 pay attention
20 what would have impressed another less
familiar with them. Besides, he was occu-
pied with anxious thought he has just
parted for the night with Gertrude, bis aiHau-
ced bride: in a few davs he proposed going
forth into the world TO seek his fortune, ia
the expectation Of returning % claim her
when that fortune had been found. Yet
Robert was not in bad circumstances. His
gun and his small paJrimony furnished him
with a subsistence. But B0bertwas not con-
tent with little be cuyed for much. Ills
ambition WAS to be rich, and be was ready
to sacrifice even his love for Gertrude for the
gold that dazzlel his eyes and allured him
from home into the world Musing 1n his
schemes he would not return TO his own
house, but paced the forest alone with ms
thoughts of ambition, from dusk 10 dark,
from nightiall to midnight. The weird
signs and sounds of the forest at sunset had
warned him % leave it % spirits of evil and
good, TO the gn0me and the nix and the
elf. but he had not needed them. Midnight
sounded from the village steeple. and sudden
lv, in the midst of his meditations, he be-
came conscious of a figure before him. bob
hng among the shadows, moving at hun
dred wards before him. with the head bent,
hut raising itself occasionally, and then
STOPPING again. On approaching, Robert
saw that the figure belonged to an old miner
with silver beard and long gray hair. lie
paid nl attention TO the huntsman, but crcpt
. IN and cut among bushes, rocks, and tree
hlles. poering among the herbs, and then
turning bis ear to the soil TO listen.
" Whatarey5u doing here" asked Robert
'' It is past miinigh.'
The oli man rose, stretched himself and
answered .A All. the silence Is broken,
and myIeyes are dim. l am too old"
d" Too old for what 90
" Too old TO find the gold herb, % answered
the miner, shaking his long white beard
And pray what is the gold herb 3' ask
ed the hunter, arrested by curiosity.
" Indeed do YOU not know? Well. well.
these are days of Ignorance. Folks seek
learning, and acquire novelties which can
not profit them, but forget the old truths
which could have ayaiicd them most ! am
seeking the gold herb that blooms only AZ
night
- Then why have YOU not brought a Ian
tern2 The moon is not up and it is dark as
pitch here under the shallow of these great
pines.
'' Al. I see, muttsrei the aged man.
you know nothing about it. | am TOO
Old to find the hert. Yes, / am too old -
And what Is the good Of the herb when
Won have found it,
Why this, friend l. bert
You know my name, then How is
that?"
d" have been eighty years IN these noun
tain,, and doynl suppose that | do not know
by name every inhabitant?'
u" have never seen you before, said the
hunter. " And your appearance is sufficient
" peculiar to attract the attention OF any
dne.n
The old man shook his head. 81. Il is sci
dom that ! show myself. and then only at
night live far off on the Rammberg, and
there I spend the better part OF my time
underground, but at night III silence and
darkness. wander about the country. |
am tired now, and disappointed at my
want Of success. ! must sit down, the
night Is warm
Robert seated himself on a fallen trunk
near the old miner. He was anxious to
know something about the gold herb, but
he shrank from asking. The miner, how
ever himself returned to the subject by ex-
eias'mlng, Al me would were not too
oil . Ind the gold herb"
Have You ever found it beiore?' asked
the huntsman
Never answered the old man; - he
VINO lo1nl II once wonld not require to seek
II ia d seoona ame. If you like to undertake
1ne ~ oi 1t, YOU are welcome | see
clearly mat ny chance is foreve. passed
sNHy Listen the gold herb flowers only
nun .I lne seventh % the thirteenth day after
.I the ls. ieast oi u 81 John, and only then when
'ne ino2n a'es not shine. Nor does it bloom
.seiy ,k IA h,sl; uufing this time, bat only on
tne oda nights-that is, on the seventh.
ninth, eleventh, aud thirtee1,b .ndara;n
only when the last day Of the ola IN - snd
the first day Of the new moo, ~ en- fH,on n adJ dS
days can the herb become y;.ihia iJ,, ' NJ oar
know of the plant, but few Know Of % tIs
law regulating its booming conseoUen,lv rU n, tv
II Is sought in years when il canno, a.
and On nights when it does not sppesr Tbs