Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-10-26
gales s Sketches.
..One of the Thrilling Tales"

Twas evening on the banks of beautiful
Rock Creek. The silver beams of Luna,
which struggled down through the branches
of trees, revealed a scene of transcendental
beauty. Upon an ancient stump, which
had braved the tempest of a hundred win
ters, sitting in au attitude of graceful re-
pose, was an angelierous maiden Just
bloomed out into sunny womanhood. She
was radiantly and peerlcssly beautiful.
Webster hides his inglorious head in the
dust in the vain attempt TO furnish words
descriptive of her lovelindss. Graceful as
duck, wild as a hawk pensive us setting
hen, with her rich curls OF tow colored gold
streaming over her shoulders TO the ground.
| like some bright swamp angle she sat, while
the moonbeams rested like a balo upon her
elegant head. Sorrow, apd the mullen
stocks which grew up around, cast deep
! shadows over her unrivacd countenance,
and the night as it kissed her magnificent
cheek, bore to her oiactories the fragrant
breath of elder Ilows. Her knitting work
lay idle in her lap. Her eyes, which sham-
ed the lightning bugs, were bedazzled with
diamond tears. She was listening with an
air of surrowlul distration to the sorrowiu
peadings of u noble youth at her feet.
Never moonlight fell on more glorious in
telectual cOuntenance than that upturned
to the maiden's enamnred gaze Never
yielded Mother Earth to n finer form than
that which pressed the dandelion bank at
Seraphna's feet. His features were such
as Nebuchadnezzar or Apollo might have
envicd. His dark, piercing eyes were like
the waters Of his own Rock Creek for depth
and clearuess, and were brilliant mirrors
in which the truth and vcracity of his God
like soul was reflected. From his brow Of
ing breeze swept back long. hyacinthe locks,
whose hue in the shade was deep, raven
I backness, but when the light fell upon it,
( it resemblcd deep muddy pool when the
sunbeams stikc it aslant.
( His hands were clasped in an attitude of
despair, lie spoke, and bis tones were
/ deep and mOurnlul as the chant ut the iu-
ncra. Of a martyrod bul! frog at Rock Creek
dam.
80, fairy queen of heaven Pure dove
I Of the moonlight sky ! Translucent light of
my bcnighted eyes Cherished and beloved
/ of my hearts core |! How cans't thou doubt
/ that the cabbage loves tie genial rain
Dost thou doubt that the chicken loves the
/ dough dish Then doubt my love for thee.
/ All love is but feeblcword to express the
/ passion that consumes my vitals. lie mine,
/ adorable one, else | die"
! "RudolphIs," " she mumured, 1T cannot
+ be- The mandate Of my venegtul father and
/ the degree OF fate must be obcycd.n And
/ her voice was so melodious as the tiukle of
a fractured cowbeli far away down the road,
! and low and sad as the last moan of dy
ing pollywog.
/ TAX not Of obedience, thou beautiful,
/ but cruel one, ''he yelled in u voice ofspcech-
/ less agony. 80 canS't thou sit in thy cold
/ majesty like a frozen sausage, aud see mine
aching heart going to smash before thine
eyes ior mistaken sense of duty See. :"
said he. rs his voice died away to Il sad
wall like the howl ola broken backed mas
! til, and he dashed from the mullen leaves
/ near drop of pcarly dew "See night
herself WCcps with me and mourns thy
cruelty"
The maiden was appalled, at the sight Of
his anguish. The crimson tide that dyed
her cheeks like IL read hOliyhDck, cut stick,
and left 1t whiter than cotton pillow case
She arose from her seat, dazzling in her re-
sp.endent beauty as Il bright tin milk pan
; when the midday beams ct the glorious sun
are poured fully upon it, and captivating in
her shad0wy grace as Il yellow lilly, floating
upon the limpid waters Of dry goose
pond. She spoke, and the stars of the
night stood still, the wind ceased to moan
among the leaves, and frogs were silent to
listen.
Rudolphus. beloved of my soul, " she said
in Il voice sweeter than New Orleans mo-
lassGs, thou knowcst that love thee. My
heart clings to the as the bean to its pole.
My ear knows no music save thy voice, and
my lips no vituals but thy kisses. With
out thee | iamsh--l die. But the picket
fence Of duty surrounds me. IL is stuck
full OF cruel spikes and | cannot surmount
it. y last embrace, my heavenly one, and
We part forever"
IBID me not depart !" he roared, as he
clasped her To his breast. II will never
leave thee. Forty-eleveu savage locomO-
tives have not power to tear us from each
others arms. | tell thee, mine angel love,
the thought Of leaving thee reuds my soul
it maddans me-iJ makes me rip and
rave like a ireuzed shanghai-it makes me
below like a distracted bed bug-it makes
me feel bad In my desperation | would
tear up creation by the roots | would fiog
the earthquake lwou!d eat red hot pokersI
| would drink up the ocean and then cast
myself into the black and suIging billows
that roll at my feet -
Seraphina burst into flood Of tears.
Their excessive emotion oyercame them
and they both swoOued away.
Again it was evening when Rock Greek
a scene of eXcTuciating woe. II. a dark,
dismal, damp, gloomy, ghostly castle, built
OF the unhewn monarchs OF the forest, upon
pile of hay lay the angelcal Seraphina,
the victim Oft fathers tyranny. Her lin
seywOlsey robes were torn and disarranged
her lovely face sOiled aud dirty, her silvery
curls disheyelcd her ccrulean eyes red as
cranbcrries, and swellcd with weeping; bur
for all this etlooked more beautiful than
ever By her side stood iiagon of acid
uated buttcrmilk and platter of flap jacks
mo, no, )" she family muttered, pushing
the food away, "let them not seek TO pro
long my misery by Offering me tempting
viands. | will never eat more. Never"
just then low, doleiul sound was born,
to. her ear,
, "Was it thou, 'Dolphus ?'' she cried
"Ahl no, l will not tlatter myself witt
vain hopes twas but the calf bleating t,
/ its mother - and she sank exhausted upol
r. the straw again, to court death.
! Aoain was the sound Iepeated She