The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-13

Once upon time there lived upon III.
Rhine, beautiful young lady. She had 1
lover who loved her, and whom she loved
in return. But after he had woOed hel
mot one year, but three-he asked hel
TO marry him, aAd she. anxious TO show
her power, merely answered:
"waitw
~ have waited three years." he said
'but at your bidding, will wait one more
Just one more"
Then he went away and became sol,
der, ard praise Of his bravery flled The
land, but the lady was piqued by he
thought that he had been able 10 leave
her for even year, and when he returned
she determineIIo punish him though ali
the while she loved him well,
He knelt at her feet, and took her hand
In his, and said:
Lady, ! have come back to claim you
for my wife"
But all she answered was:
"Wait longer, a patient waiter Ia not q
loser"
az will wait two years longer" he said
calmly. "lN do not lose, ali Is we'll"
Then he left her again. She had hoped
that he would plead with her, and that
she would be forced to change her mind ;
but now he was gone-gone for two long
years. How she lived through them she
could not tell but they passed, and again
her lover was before her.
~ have waited patiently" was all he
The lady yearned to cast herself In his
arms, bu! pride was strong within her.
swat longer" she said.
NO." he answered. This Is the last
time. II wait now, will wait forever"
AZ this, she drew back haughtily.
Then wait forever" she said, coldly.
He left her without 4 word. And now
her heart sank within her. She wept bit.
ter tears, and repented In dust and ashes.
When year had gone by, she could bear
her woe no longer, and sent her little foot
page to her old lover, bidding him bear the
message:
Come back to me-"
But the message the foot page brought
back was Just this:
"Wait!
Again she felt to her sorrow, and two
years glided by; then once again she bade
her page ride over the mountains to her
lovers castle.
"Tell him l am waiting, she said.
The page rode away and rode back. He
stood before his lady and dOffed his cap
and repeated the message that had been
given him:
1.-THE patient waiter Is not loser"
"Heis Furnishing me, thought the lady,
and for two years more she remained In
her castle, Her heart was breakinH-her
health tAtled-she knew that death was
near.
Again she sent her cruel lover mes.
sage.
TELL him." she said, "that am near
my end, and that Il Wait longer before
see him, shall wait forever"
The page returned, and stood before the
lady's chair. His eyes were full OF tears;
his head was bent upon his breast: he
sighed and held his face in his plumed
cap:
The lady lifted her wan face.
"Speakw she said. The messagew
"Alas" sighed tho page, ~ would that
II were more tender one."
whatever 1t may be, speak" gasped
the lady.
1.-THE only message that I have" replied
the page, Is: -
'Wait forever"
II am well paid In my own coin," said
tho lady. "At last have received all my
own answers back"
In little while she died, and they bur.
led her in the old churchyard, with stone
at her feet.
When spring came there was grass upon
the grave, and there also was new plant
strange to those who looked upon Il; q
plant with dark, glossy leaves, that crept
slowly but surely along, clutchinH fast 10
every rough surface II met.
There had never been plant like that
on earth before. Now, we call It an ivy,
but this Is what those who saw It for the
first time said Of It;
at Is the lady OF whom her lover babe
TO wait forever. In this form she is creep,
ing towards his castle, slowly but surely,
So she will creep on until she reaches the
heart she threw away"
Generations have passed from the earth.
The castle Is a ruin, covered with ivy. and
the peasants will tell you that II has crept
there from the lady's grave, point BY
point, over stone and rock, through the
grave yard, and over gates and fences,
You can trace It u you choose, they say,
but you de not try.