The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-04-10
The Lost Pleiad.
"a Star would be O flower.

Ing itself on my pi'l.w it sang
sweet songs to nc. And this is one
uf them.
Loug, long ago, as everybody
kucws, there were seven Plciads, sis
tcrs.
Listen, and I will tell of tho ad.
ventures Of that one which men say -
lost.
The seven sisters lived happily for
many years, sleeping by day, and by
night playing hide, aud seek
behind soltt clouds that noatcd
over tho sky, or singing the sweet
star-music which mortalJ cannot
hear.
But after many thousand years of
happiness, discpnlcnt crcDt into tho
heart Of the largest and brightest of
tho seven. She was tired of being u
star and wished to change places with
Que of he. fair cousins, the flowers.
Moreover, she loved u zephyr.
Stars had wpocd her vainly. Her
love vas ix:d upon tho gay, light
brccz, that rovcd i'll the garden o'cr
which she so often shonc.
So at last she slipped away.
1t was Venus time to see that the
stars were all ready to goto sleep.
That is what mortals mean when
they say that Venus is the morning
star. But they know nothing of her
duties. How should they
Venus could not % TO each one scpc.
ratcly, to sec that thciriaccs were down
and their hair smooth. For it is
against the rules Of star etiquette for
a star to leave its course. But she
kept her bright cyo open and having
satisfied herself that all were in
their places, she sank below the hori.
Eon.
"Now,' thought tho naughty
Pleiao, "is my chancc.'
SO down sho came, and rested mid
tho foliage OF II rose bush. But she
must obey the laws Of her being, and
us daylight came, and the san rose, she
sank to sleep.
But the sleep Of stars is governed by
other rules than that of mortals, and
the lost Pieiad heard aud saw all that
had happened in the garden, the only
difference being that sho herself was
niscrable.
BY aud by camo tho zephyr, un-
conscious Of the presence OF the star
who loved him, unconscious of her
love even, he came gaily to the rose,
kissing tho soft leaves Of tho rose, and
whispering VOWS of passionate love.
And the star heard all with pangs OF
cruel agony, and found that sho had
battered her heavenly home in vain
for tic zephyr loved her not.
The day wore on, night came, and
thc lost Plciad awoko. Above her
rEonc her fair sisters, and in the cruel
anguish of her disappointment, she
lohGcd to be once more among that
hhining throng above her.
But it could not ascend in its own
strength, and it would not seek help
from the moon.
At last there camo fair Young girl
into tho garden, leaning on her lovers
strong arm.
"Oh, see tho star" she cried, aud
her lover smiled, cit is a dcwtrup,
darling, which the moon has gilded."
he SAID. But the girl knew better,
For she was near TO death, and when
such rs sho fade from tho realm o
human life, the 81 ght Of their spirit
grows clear, and realms Of life and
beauty arc opened to them which arc
hidden from all mortals. But sh,
did not gainSny his words. Fur her
lover knew not that this treasure was
fading from his grasp. lie thought
the hectic flush, with which death had
marked her for his own, tho glow of
love and beauty. lie deemed the frail.
nc,s of tho beautiful form but the
ethereal mould necessary to so fair Il
caNket II so i1lr gem. Ana she
would MT undcccive him.
Day after day, and night after
night the lost Pleiad lived on in her
hiding place in tho rose bush. BY
day sine iis crcl to the vows of the
zephyr hreAth, d to another, hy night
she en- gerly watched for the girl and
her lover. For nightly they sought
the garden. They talked no more of
the star, but the maiden watched it
lovingly.
Mud the lost rleiad longcd for its
home and its celestial nature urged
iton. Bat it fingered with the zephyr
who loved it not, with the fair girl,
who was dying.
At last there cane bitter rarllag
by the roso bush, for the young mans
fortunes were b, uHd to sea. lie kiss.
cd hor pure brow, and spoke to hor of
the future in which he should claim
her for his bride. She did not answer
f,r she knew they were parting for
life, and size could not vakc the smile
from his lip, and the light from his
eye by telling him that which she
knew 50 WE'LL
lie gave her q rose. bidding her
keep it till he came back, and clip.