The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-06-28
aGammonr' said the freshman


aGammonm said the freshman
concisely.
The sun sunk beneath the horizon
and reds and yellows famed in the
sky. The evening star shone with
pale light full in the glow of the sun
set; ana, as twilight came down, the
moon threw a veil Of enchantment
over the scene. The merry party
had broken into little groups, and
Kate and Alleyne Forsythe stood
leaning against the side of the boat,
looking off over the water, absorbed
in conversation. Their words
reached my ear as I sat near by,
mufled in shawls. After long dis
cussion-
sour life is all a mistake, 'Alleyne
said earnestly; "we need more en-
thusiasnn, a scorn for the petty re-
strietions of conventionality, a brave
encounter with the iron dragon of
public opinion. It is the old quest
of the Sangrel revived-I yearn to
breathe the airs of heaven that often
meet me here; 1 muse on joy that
will not cease, pure spaces clothed
in living beams, pure lilies af eter-
nal peace, whose odors haunt my
dreams; and, striken by an angels
hand, this mortal armor that 1 wear,
this weight and size, this heart and
eyes, are touched, are turned to
finest air."
Kate sighed, and her eyes, misty
with feeling, were fixed upon the
speakers face. He was gazing
dreamily over the water, the quota
ton having apparently fallen uncon-
sciously from his lips; and, with his
tall form and beautiful Greek face he
looked not an unfit representative OF
Sir Galahad.
"Give me but the chance" he mur-
INJURED, sand will crush the dragon
yet"
"Yoa will know you WILL p said
Kate, earnestly.
"Crown me with the inspiration Of
your faith and soul-championship
and together we will climb to infni-
] ty. Your purer spirit will carry me
into the realms of the unknown, and
on this earth 1 viii protect you with
my greather strength, a bulwark in
vincible against all mortal power
| Give me this communion, Kate, and
| henceforth l dare the universe, mur
INJURED Alleyne, bending to catch he
answer.
But the limited capacity of tht
cabin-boWl was unfavorable for iso
! lated conversations, and at this mo
ment the freshman broke in upo1
them with:
"Come MFR. Forsythe-Miss Bran
degee is going to sing"
1 was not displeased with the in
terruption, for although was dis
, posed to admire the gallant beaut,
of the modern knight fully as muci
as my niece, still I knew that he
p enthusiastic temperament might cal
ry her further than she intended, ,ur
2 der the influence of the moonligh
: the ripling water, the low, musici
5 voice, and the beautiful greek fac
2 bending over hers.
Pearl had thrown off her hat, an
: the moonlight lit up her golden cur
like halo; a white shawl was drape
gracefully about her shoulders, b.
+? fair ungloved hands toyed with tt
r black ribbons of her hat, and ht
: eyes were fixed on the evening sta
She sung, and we all Hstene
/ spell bound to her bewitching yoict
a "She hides in the depths Of the fastHowir
o river,
She peeps at them laughing below the bll
tide,
She tempts them, she blinds them, she beekol
+ on ever
7 And into the rapids the mariners glide;
They hear not the cry of the hurrying water
They hear not the rocks as the muttere'B
WareP
They see but the face of the rainbOws ia
daughter,
The Witch OF Niagara, perilOus fair. 9
They hasten, they fly, Ger the fOam-whitent
river;
The laundering cataract yawns at their fee
They see it not, hear it not, listening ever
r To the voice from the rainbows, so perilol
sweet.
The waters plunge over, the boat follows aft,
And, as from the brink comes their shrie
] of despair,
2 There melts from the rainboRs, with music
: laughter,
The witch Of Niagara, periIous fair"
"She is witch, herself" whisper
r ed Kate to me.
And, truly, Pearl Brandegee wa
t as lovely as any fabled siren, wheth
t Ell Of the Old World or New.
t All the party joined in choru,
and then the boat was turned abou
, and headed for home. The harves
5 moon shone in vivid brightness, an
1 as we felt the force of the curren
e our thoughts and words turned ur
on the dangers Of the river, the feI
/ well known stories of persons VIII
r were carried over the falls, the ma,
: rative Of those who were swept dow
from the very locality where we wei
q sailing, and of those who clung t
/ the rocks for hours in the sight
crowds on shore, only to be tor
away at last and hurled over tt
/ abyss. The fearful fascination
these descriptions absorbed us all.
: "How dreadfulp' murmured Kat
looking back with a shudder, as if ST
r saw the distant rapids and heard IL
very roar of the cataract; her inteni
d imagination brought the scenes b
fore her eyes with all the distinc
e ness of reality.
a "After all, what does it matt
, where or how we die?" said Allyl
Forsythe. death is but the cas-
f ing off our chains for gloriou
q freedom. For brave souls it shou
5, have no terrors, but rather shou
they yearn for their emancipatiO
Il And, as regards the manner of o
i going, what death more ETHEREAL tbs
,; a plunge over Niagara, and, impri
It oneu in a crystal shroud, to take o.
/ next breath in the atmosphere of i
e finity? 1t is ignOble to seek deaf
z: but when my time comes, / ask L
It filter medium of translation tbs
q this nnra vatpr 7 wOuld pause {