The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-07-20
The FOur.Leayed Clover.

Inc TOuT'LtdNeO ClOver.
THERE was once poor peasant youth
living on the slope OF a beautiful hill, who
loved pretty shepherdess who tendt d her
flock far below i'll the valley, where the
grass was greener than emeralds, where
the sun came latest, and from whence il
depart, d earliest Tue pretty she pherdess
used to raise her bright eyes toward the
hill, and wish that she might dwell on its
slope, and catch the sunoeams a little
sooner and Keep them little longer;
while the youth would gaze down into the
pleasant valley, and think how wonder
fully the sun illuminated it. But he had
spmew mere heard, or read, or dreamed,
that ltone found a r-leaVed clover he
might wish tor what he would, and il
should be his good fortune should follow
him all his days and bear him company
Therefore he gave his tiocks into the hands
OF a younger brother, and set off to find the
four leaved clover which was to endow
him with all that was preciOus-riches
health, and a sweetheart; for though
Ccfydon's heart was set upon Phyllis the
pretty shepherdess in the valley, he hadn't
the smallest hope that she would take
him as he was, never having asked her
20 he took his way over mill and dale,
through bush and brake, across lettering
brooks and swiftly flowing rivers. He
walked with his eyes on the ground, and
the thOrns tore his clothes, and his feet
grew weary, and his heart heavy with
seeking and finding nothing At night he
| slept amidst the dew, and ate OF wild, ripe
| berries, aud OF hOn,y that the wild bees
hoard. When, despairing, he shouted,
Where Is my four leaved clover, my four
| leaved clOver?' the echo answered, "Overl
| Overt! and iured him on; and the mis-
| chlevous winds borrowed the odOr of dis
tant clover fields and cheated him with
hope close at hand; while the rain drench-
! ed him Iii troiic, and the stars winked as
If they were laughing at him. But still
| he pursued his search; he iourneyed into
lar countries; he saw strange peoples and
! place; he was arrested for trespass, for
vagrancy, for lunacy, anG sometimes when
! he managed to escape from confinement bv
| promising his jailor d share Of his good
| Tor une when he should find the clover:
then the fields were hidden under drifts of
snow, or had Just been mo WI, four leaved
clovers and all. Still he bent his steps
through shadow-haunted woods. and slept
IN caves and on the edge Of prec:pices and
heard Wild creatures roaring in the recesses
OF the forest; and at length, after long,
= s.
turned his face toward home. The sun
was Withdrawing from the green valley as
he neared it, lingering only in long lines
of light where it pierced through an open
ing IN the hills, while the hills themselves
were like shining goals
| 1t seemed as if he had left it all but yes
terday, for such secluded places change
slowly. Aud were not these the SAME
! flocks that he left browsing on the slope9
4 Were not these the same shephel DIS and
shepherdesses reclining in the shaded Was
not taIs his Phyllis coming to meet him
alter her days toil2 But when he put
out his hands, and would have embraced
her she took refuge IN the arms of mid
ole aged, bronZed woman, who stood with
sad, faded eyes, watching for her on the
cottage threshold "What would Won.
Stranger" she asked of the peasant, who
/ was no lorger youth, but wrinkled and
/ gray. For shame, to fright my child
! with your unseemly ways! If YOU are
j hungry, come in and sup and we will even
give you mat on the floor for nights
rest, and pillow of fresh herbs"
NO, am not hungry-not for food. I
viii even tfudge up the slope to my cot"
i. Soho went on till be came To where the
wild VIII OF the mountain torrent had been
tanned to do good turn for its neighbor,
the mill and the dusty miller, standing in
] his door way, called out to him:
Good day stranger Whittier are you
] bound may ask-on pilgrimage to the
stars?"
Up the hill yonder, to my own PEG.
pie"
Ay, then you're no stranger to these
parts = Yet Tve lived here, man and boy,
fifty odd years; but bless me if ever laid
eyes on you beforeI'
Like as not; it must have been good
spell since left this place, though it seems
but yesterday. Mayhap you have heard
OF one Corydon, who kept his tlocks here
abouts?'
"Ay, ay, everybody's heard Of him. If
a fellow does foolish thing, they cry,
I silly Corydonr He was hair Drained
simpleton, who ran after a clover Leaf.
lie lett his tiocks aud sweetheart and tray
eled after luck; but luck had the start of
him. And then, to be sure, if luck won't
come to you, say |, don't coax her, but
wait while. Now there's the torrent.
when it sulks and dries up, and the mills
num- do toll up the hill Wonder, and go
TO meddltrg with natures Not I: she
knows her business, and know mine. |
( JUST SIT down AID wait, and watch the
SHADOWS and the clouds, and bv-and by
there rush, aud here's the torrent apain
hard at work, and the mill busv as ever,
Ay, ay, CorvdOn was too much in love
with luck, though he left behind him q
sweetheart Phyllis, who spoiled her ewes
watching for him, and then married. for
better or worse. You passed her cottage
S short way back, therei
a bronzed woman, with gray locks
and wrinkles? should never have known
her and tten he picked up his staff and
went on. He had not the heart 10 L II the
miller that he was silly Corydon himself
by.and, by he drew up at his own cottage
and looked in. The family were seated
Tor the evening meal; his brother a hale,
hearty man, in the prime of life, with his
smiling wife and rosy faced children
laughing like the water brooks. and keen.
ing up cheerful din. 1t seemed to Cory.
don that be was gazing at the picture of
what his own life might have proved had
/ ne not fallen In love with luck The tears
/ tremeied in his eyes as the thought-at
| the remembrance OF Phyllis in her bloom