Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-14

comprehend, Cno utter QoSOlaClO0 OF
that hour None but those who have
felt it. Oh, the thoughts and memoir
les that crowded upon. him-many of
them bitter, regretful thoughts. But
there was one memory for which he
was thankful that he had not listened
to the tempter which whispered to
him yester-morn, that it would be
weak and unmanly to yield to her re.
quest. l..n ...-..
They found him there an hour after.
ward, bnt he asked no questions, made
no reply to their attempts at consola
ton. and they left him alone with his
dead.
A Stirring Tale Of Love.
Last Sunday they concluded to take
q stroll. The day was lovely. They
wandered into a grand old forest, and
gathered the leaves of russell, scarlet,
and brown that strewed the ground,
and bound them together in fantastic
wreathes. Their young hearts over
flowed with Joy. They found a resting.
place beneath towering oak, and
while reclining on the still green sward,
they watched the eddying leaves, the
chattering squirrels, or listened to the
pattering of falling nuts; a pleasant
monotone agreeable to the ear. All
things must have change. 1t might
have been the witchery of: the hour;
it might have been subtle. unseen in.
fuence that braced him up, but be it
as it may, he was braced. Catching
her lily white hand in his, just after
he had transferred a kernel of hick.
DRY nut to her mouth on the end Of Il
hairpin, he began:
''Fannie, know not how to say what
wish to say-you must have seen by
my attentions to you-that meant
something, and that something is
neither more nor less than your own
sweet self.''
"What dost thou mean, Henrico!
Thy voice is like the sound of flutes up.
on the waters, but thou shOuldst adj
dress me as it becomes one in thy sta
ton to do. pray thee put away that
savage look. Thou meanest me no
harm, yet would rather thou wouldst
not look and act so strange. Speak thy
mind"
''Withsut going any further then,
Fannie, l love you, and would have
yeu wed me. Speak my fate depends
wide gulf between us in what people
call social status, yet I am a man, and
there are few who can boldly make that
assertion and have the truth to back
them.''
'Henrico, thou mistakest me. I
know that thou art my superior in
everything, for if thou vert not l
would never have thee. lis true my
parents have sternly forbidden me to
have aught to do with thee on account
of various wild freaks of thine, reports
of which have reached their ears.
would not have thee to be woman.
dreading to come In contact with rough
men for fear of hurt. No! go be a
man indulge in thy wild frolics SO it
harm thee not. I'll love thee none the
less for being faulty, wayward man.
but pardon, Henrico, for this digress-
ion. I have favor to ask of thee
which thou canst do when done, my
hand is thine, my heart you have
Shame it,
''Not now feel thou wilt deem it
unmaidenly in me-
"You can do nothing unmaidenly in
my eyes, Fannie. Name your request
there is flower that blooms surround.
ed by eternal SHOWS upon the Alpine
heights, which has never yet been
plucked save by some hardy chamois
hunter, and many a one has lost his
life in trying secure that prize for his
fair mistress. I'd brave the mountain
torrent, the avalanche with all it's
terrors. for that flower, if by doing 81
could win YOU
| sNo, no, Henrico I would not ask
that of thee.''
| swell, Fannie, there is a city of the
dead, Metropolis, the ruler of which,
seated on throne of skulls, holds in
one fleshless hand a key. The brave
mortal that possesses himself of it has
sedured himself eternal happiness
The way to the place is dreary and
cold. You pass through dungeons
lighted by the fitful glare of the BASIL
isk's eyes. The walls arc moist and
damp with slime that oozes from the
gaping assures, green and loathsome
The bloated toad, the kissing viper
and crawling, writhing reptiles of
names unknown, foul and sluggish
with their feast on rotten and decaying
c0rpses, on every side dispute your
way. Noisome vapors kiss your heat
ed cheek.
s'Pools of clotted blood and gore
reckling corruption meet your star
tied gaze. When you enter that
city y0u see the fantastic shapes OF
skeletons that strive to bar your way;
their teeth rafting like castanets, as
they speak defantly of visiting ven
geance on the rash mortal that has
dared invade their domains. tits even
said they smile-how CHASTITY must il
be land even trip it blithely in their
unfieshed selves to the music Of phan
tom spirits, and hit their hairless heads
together to keep time. In the centre
of this city, on his throne, holding in
his right hard an infants unro0fed
head filed with blood, sits Achitole,
the jolly ruler of Metropolis. From
out his ribs peep black and yellow
/ spotted adders, and a crown of scOr
pions never ceasing travel around his
head, in the eye.s0ckets Of which two
glow.worms, ever and anon emit a
baleful CLEAN. In his left hand is held
the key, and behind him tinkles the
fountain of Nepenthe, where sad.eyed
spirits are ever trying to bear a goblet
of that forgetful draught to some sor.
rowful soul on earth, and as often as
they try, fail. Tell me, Fannie, is this
the request you have to make of me
I will attempt it for your sake.''
'"Henrico, have often thought that
thou vert mad, and now know it.
Marry you! Not if you were the last
man on earth you crazy fool? You
take me right home.
"Henric0 cast one look into the
heartless creatures face, and went
bowling through the woods. She shook
the wrinkles out of her dress, took a
papaw in each hand, and struck for
home.