The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-06-28

| pdulOui anu lU was In OfUcr lfaU VOl
might listen to tho talc that you wor,
drawn hithor, albeit uncongciously {,
yourself"
So | lay ~ length upon tho green
sward, and my eyes were closed, ye
could ] plainly see, sitting at my side
q gloomy, grey faced figure, with do ol
wrinkles scorcdupon his hollow cheeks
and round his stern mouth and sunllcr
eyes and thoughtful forehead. Speak
| ing in tonc that wavcred betwccr
satire and pathos, he began:
"Fifty years or moro ago this mill
little as there Is now left of it, was q
| worry prosperous concern. Tho miller, G
Wldowcr, was an upright and indus
trious man, with good reputation fot
Ia. Jclllngand fine flour. lie was look
cd up TO, moreover, among his neigh.
bors, rs one possessing an exceptional
amount Of learning and refinement. In
dcmoanot he was somewhat grave and
'aciturn, and he might have been be.
tween forty md fifty years Of age. His
son, a fine handsome young fellow, as
sisted him in the mill; he had built
himself little cottage on the further
slope Of the hill yonder, whence he came
ivory morning to his work, crossing the
brook by single plank bridge, thrown
across the deep rocky gully opposite,
through which the water rushcs to its
fall. 1t was slender affair enough, and
they often spoke of building a little
stone arch over tho chasm but it was
never done. 1t would seem matter of
slight import; and yet, had that been
accomplished, yondcr wheel, that hangs
there now 50 motionless, might have
boon revolving as mcrily and busily as
ever. For the worst devil is opportu-
nifty"
"An1 how does that concern the mat
tcr?" ! would have asked; but strange
pOWerlessncss had overcome me as in q
dream, / could not speak, nor even lift
my head to question my companion
with my eyes. The voice continued:
zone day there was an addition to
the millers household-a fair young
girl, beautiful and fresh, simple and
sweet, like spring weather made tanri-
Bile. Whence she came no one could say.
the general opinion was that She had
been the daughter of an old friend now
dead but the miller, whenever he was
questioned, smiled and answered that
she had risen one morning from the
deep, clear pool above the fall, and
though she seemed no more than an
unusually charming young woman, was
in reality a waterwitch, and would one
day return to her natural abode, and
leave him more desolate than before.
In proof of this assertion he was wont
to produce sort of chain or necklace,
prettily constructed of small shells,
which lie declared she had made for
aim previous to her appearance above
water, and which was talisman des.
tined to bring him to great happiness or
misery, according TO the use he should
make of it. Whether this were truth or
fiction, there, at any rate, was the sweet
young girl, making the mill store.
house of cheer and sunshine, rs we'll as
of meal and grain. The miller became
quite illuminated and rcjuvcnated, and
his prosperity was great, either by vir-
tue of the charmed necklace, or, which
amounted to the same thing, because
all the ncighborhOod was captivated by
the little water witch. And she testified
all daughters affection for him, and
for a season all went WE'LL"
In speaking of this young girl the
tones of my companions voice had
flowed along in harmonious cadences,
as though the tuneful freshness of her
had so inspired his antique
Imagination as to throw faded ray of
into his shadowy heart. But
now he spoke with changed accent, as
if an ancient bitterness were seeking ut
terance.
"a neighboring farmer, coming ono
day to the mill with load of grain,
said, laying his hand with ponderous
friendship on the miller's shoulder:
$3.50 there's to be wedding at your
house ere long-eh, old friend? Well
give you joy with all my heart for
finer lad and Il swoeter lass than your
sou and yonder little water-witch, as
you call her. were never made man and
wife,
but the miller started, and froWned,
and turned away. How was ii that the
sunshine seemed to mock him, and the
pleasant plash of the water falling upon
the wheel Jared his nerves and irritated
him At this moment burst of CHEEKY
laughter came echoing down from above
the fall, mingled with the full tones of
manly voice. At that he turned and
entered his room, threw himself down
in chair, his head on the table, and
writhed with overmastering despair
and bitterness. Then he put his hand
into his bosom and drew forth the neck
lace of shells.
'"This to me, and her heart to him.
he muttered, with set teeth. "Fool
not to see and stop it before it was too
late! She's lost forever and never
knew, and cared not, If 1 loved her. His
boyish, unthinking, ignorant fancy she
values more than the strength and
depth Of such love as mine. But love or
not he cried, starting up, 'he shall not
have her! Curse him I'd rather soc
him dead, and her, than man and wife,
"When he had said that he stopped
and listened. Was not that the sound
of mocking, Jeering laughter? But in
another moment he drew q breath, and
laughed somewhat norvously. 1t was
only the mill-whoel creaking little on
its axle. A little oil would set that all
right.
"Meanwhile the girl and tho young
man sat together on the margin of the
pool, and discussing whether each
others eyes or the water were the clear
or.
"Fathor says you used TO live in
this pnol III bn cnilinCr of bar Inn