The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-27
Che Ratland Daily Globe,
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1873.
RENA.
Legend of Brussels.
~ MRS. trLf, c. X. DORR.


81. Oudulo', bells were Ginning b1r the mid
night, sad and slow,
In the ancient town Of Brussels many aud
many year ago.
And 81. Michael. poised 80 grandiy ON his lofty,
airy height,
seemed TRANSPORTED In the glory NJ The rull
moons tender light.
When, a fair and SANITY maiden, crowned with
locks OF p0lest gold
the Bold.
She with grief and tears was pellld; hut his fece
was hard and stern;
All the passion Of his being In his dark eyes
seemed to burn.
"Neyer dream that l Will give thee back thy
pllghted faith" he cried,
"By. st. Michaes sword i swear H., thou my
love, shalt be my bride"
"Nsy, but hear me-" she responded; "heor the
words that must speak
must speak, and thou must harken, though
my heart islkc to break.
''iestermorn, as sat spinning blthely at my
straightway fell stately shadow In the sun
shine on the floor
''And a figure stood:before me, 81 majestic and
That knewit In o moment for the mighty HI
debrand =
'Sto0d ana gazed on me Till downward at my
feet the distaft dropped
Ana In all my veins the pulSing OF The swift he
current stopped.
"'Thou art Rena, then he uttered. and h. swore
a dreadful oath,
And the tempest Of hi, anger beat on me nd
on MS both.
"'She who thinks to wed with volmar must
have lands and gold,' said he,
'Or must come OF noble lineage, III TO mate with
mine and me
"'Thou art but II peasant maiden, empty -hnn,l-
All the ladies OF my castle would look down on
thee with ScOrn.
"'E Even he viii weary OF thee when his passion
once Is spent,
valnly cursing her who doomed him to an end
less discomfort"
''rhen |, trembling, ros. IN SLOWLY, and looked
him In the face,
Though the dreadful frown II wore seemed to
oarken all the place.
"'Sir, thank you for this waruing,' said l..
speaking low and clear
But the laughter OF your ladie, | must teach
my heart to bear,
For the rest-your son is noble-and NV sim
pie womanhood
He Will hold In loving honor. as saint the holy
rood
"Oh then his stern face whitehead and a bitter
laugh laughed he;
"Truly this my son is noble. and he shall not
wed with thee.
" 'Hear my words now, and remember for by
this good sword swear,
And by Michael standing yonder, watching us
from upper air.
III he dares to place wedding ring upon Your
dOwerless hand,
On his head shall fall a fathers cnise-the curse
Of Hldebrand /"
so, my volmar. Then the earth rocked, and I
When woke the room was siiel,. n WAS mas,
the hour Of noon
".>nd waited for Thy coming, rs the CAPTIVE
waits FOR death,
with Il mingled dread aud longing and half
abated breath -
Straight the young man bowed before her, MS
before Il holy shrine:
"Never hand Of high-bOrn lady was more richly
lowered than thine
"whal care FOR gold or honors or--my-fath-
Hut the words died out In ShulderS, nud his
face grew like the dead.
Then she twined her white arms round him. ana
she miirmured sweet and low,
As the night wind breathing softly over banks
whore NinrtS blow:
"'He who ~ accused oI father he shall be- ac-
cursed OF God,
Long ago said one who followed where the holy
prophets trDh.
"kis. me once, then, q my rolmar u-t once
more, my Volmar dear,
Even as You would kiss ms whit Inns II law
upon my bier
''tor gulf ~ darl. as death has opened wide
twiXi thee and me
Neither thou or ran cross Il, and thy wife
may not he ~
Once again the bells at midnight chiincd irom
While ST. Michael watched the city Slminherinc
through the gho,tly hours.
m0ancd IN Dltter pain,
For the anguish Of that parting wrought its
work on heart ana brain.
suddenly the air grew heavy rs with magical
perfume,
And a weird and wondrous ,plcndor nlied the
dim and silent room.
| III. middle Oi the chamber sioola In ly lair
and sweet.
With bright t.esses falling softly to h ~ small,
and Sandaled feet.
Flushed her cheeks we've ~ wild rose, and
Was the laughing light md glory nj the kind
ling morning skies.
Air, robes OF lightest tissue nUm her white
arms noated free
They seemed woven OF the mist that curlS above
the azure sea.
Wrought Ia curious devices. star and wheel and
leaf and flower,
That, like frost upon wlndow.pane, nlght
vanish in an hour.
In her hands she bore a cushion, quantity FASH
i0ned, strangely set
With small silver pins that SPAWNED II like
branching cor0net
And from threads o. finest texture swung light
bobbins to and mo,
AS the lady stood illumined IN the werd and
wondrous glow.
Not single word she uttered; but, as silent as
shade,
Down the room she swiftly gldcd, ana beside
the startled maid
knelt, radiant vision, smiling into Rena's
wondering eyes,
Giving arch yet gracious answer 10 her trcmu-
lous surprise.
Then she l. i'd the satin cushion on the wonder
And TO 10 ali her mute bewllderment, no syllable
spake She.
But, as In end out and round about, the silver
pins among,
Flashed the white hand OF the lad,, and the
shining bobbins swung.
Lo a web OF fairy llghtness like the mist, robe
she wore,
swiftly grew beneath her fingers, drifting
downward TO the fioor
And us Rena looked and wondered, inch by inch
the marvel grew,
TIL the eastern windows brighteneds as the gray
dawn struggled through.
Then the la6ys hand touched Renal aud she
pointed far away,
Where the palace towers were cleaning In the
first red light OF day.
hut when once again the maiden turned her
glance within the room,
With the lady fair had vanished all the splcn-
dor and perfume.