The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-10-21
THE MAGIC FOUNTAIN.

Long ago, when the world was yet
young, and men believed that flowers
were the tears of Aurora, and the soft
murmur of the waters the sigh of the
Nereides-that the breath of Zephyrus
gently agitated the trees, and a god i'm
PEELED the rushing winds-in those de-
| lightful days there was an island in the
old, gray Atlantic, which contained a
valley of such wOndrous beauty, that it
would seem the sylvan deities had
chosen it for their own especial dwelling
place.
Blooming in ever-verdant loveliness,
and hidden from every eye, it nestled
like bird at the foot of range of hills,
or rather mountains, which rose high in
the air. Peak above peak, and cone
above cone, reared their heads in every
form of sublimity and beauty, until the
loftiest apex seemed buried in the deep
blue sky above.
At the base of one of the rocky hills
there gushed up from the golden sands a
fountain, the water of which was so
bright and clear, that it danced and
sparkled like mimic diamonds, long after
being taken from the marble basin which
contained it. The good people who in
habited the island believed the reason of
this was that glad spirits, imprisoned be-
meath the waves, reveled and danced
with Joy when they beheld the glorious
sunlight; for it was said that the nymph
of the fountain-a wayward spirit, half
human, half diSine-had laid on the
waters magic spell-they soere never to
opo fhp a nf
size, yet light as feather to the touch,
covered the spring until after sunset, at
which time the maidens of the valley
were privileged to fill their pitchers at
it. But woe to the careless maiden who
should forget to cover the fOunt-a
mysterious and terrible doom awaited
not only her, but all the inhabitants of
the valley, should the morning sun look
upon the waters.
Hitherto the simple precaution had
never been neglected; for each one
guarded the magic fountain-which was
the only spring of water in the valley
as their own lives.
In little moss-covered cot, shaded by
the white hawthorn, there dwelt, with
her parents, young maiden, the pride of
the valley-for she was the lOveliest
where all were lovely, and surely never
did mortal eyes behold fairer being.
The rose upon ivory would be a faint
simile to the delicate blush that tinged
her cheek; eyes dark and tender, with
potent witchery in their glance, half
softness, half splendor trcsses black as
midnight; form lythe, willowy, and
graceful; a step firm and elastic as a
vatin0 fowu Such waa TTno
Life had been one dream Of happiness
to the young girl. Her hopes, her
wishes, had been bounded by the little
the full tide of love and gladness that
seemed gushing out of her innocent
heart. All things were loved by he1
and seemed to rejoice in her presence
The birds came at her call, and the viii
deer paused in its startled course to T
turn her glance of kindness.
But even here, in this lovely sbt,
where rumor of wrong or evil had nfer
come, and where sorrow, sickness or
death seemed almost unknown here
came cloud to rufle her joyous Frit.
There wandered to that valley sthnger
youth-a hunter, who had lost II way,
and stumbled by chance upon thearrow
rugged path that led to it.
He came to Una's home, ihd was
kindly fed and cared for. hys and
weeks glided by, and still tf youth
lingered-for fairer spot, or ,ovelier
maiden, he said, in all his whlerings,
had never blessed his eyes bfre. To
gether they wandered, hind n hand,
through the fowery meals md lone
woodland paths, gathering tie hazel
nuts and ripe fruits that gewabundant
there. Sometimes they YOU'D sit for
hours beside the magic Ifoultain; and
when Una told him the wndous legend
of it, the hunter would smile and pluck
the white lilies that grew bfide it, and
wreathing their green stems into her
raven hair, he would gaze b the mir.
rored depths of her mdiat eyes, and
swear she was the only sprite whose
witchery he feared.
Once only the lovers brdv was clouded.
Oft he had talked of CAMPS and courts,
and regions of pomp ant glory, far be-
yond those stern MOUNTAINS; but now
he spoke of his home, Jar foreign land,
with marble palaces AM stately gardens,
and golden treasures, aid rich garments,
and asked Una's parent to give him the
maiden for his brile, uatil he bore her to
this lovely land. ButShe parents clasped
their child to their learts, and sternly
bade the presunptuus stranger depart;
they no longer bvet him, for he wished
to steal their teasre.
One eveninghe had waited for Una to
fillher pitchefat the fountain. Slowly
the maiden cane tripping along, for love
had filed her heirt with q vague un-
utterable melancholy. The youth darted |
from his contealnent and knelt at her |
feet, and invoking her by the nymph of
the fountain who he said was the friend |
of true lovers, implored her to fly with |
him. He continued his passionate en- |
treaties, though Una, shuddering, said |
that the poplars and aspens that quiv- |
cred and rus.led 80 wildly that calm
summers seveoing were the angry spirits
of the water chiding. The youth
laughed daringly, but the trees shook
and rusned more wildly. The maiden's
heart ttrobbed with such love and ten
derness to her stranger lover, that she
would have freely left her lovely valley
and wandered with him into the glorious
world he spoke Of; but then came the
thoufht Of her parents, those cherished
beipfs dearer to her than life itself, and
though her dark eyes swan with tears
and Aer rosy lips grew pale and trem-
ulots, she refused to leave them. Her
loytr's brow grew dark with wrath that
nidht be left the valley.
And now fair Una wandered like a pale
lily through each spot that had been