Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-03-07


I "Harry," said the girl, clasping her
hands together, and looking up at the blue,
down over where the stars were shining
and twlnklng-"I feel SO happy Row that
it seems somehow c'ud die just for moth
| in bat joy. Be so not happy, too?'' and
! she laid her soft cheek against her
brothers.
sit be all just so sweet an glorious, Sis
| ter, that cannot find the words to put it
into-I can only feel it here,'' and he
| clasped his hands to his heart.
'.Get up, get up sang the river, land
come with me.'
| So they got up and followed the twist
ings and bendings of the stream hand-ln-
hand. The girl noticed that at every step
| his walk became lighter and more buoy
ant; warmer tinge flushed into his pallid
cheeks, and his eyes seemed to have caught
the radiance of the stars. AS for her, she
went bounding and dancing along by his
fside, a very impersonation of youth and
| health and happiness. In their joyous
| progress they were never left alone. From
behind every tree they passed, and from
the tender heart of every flower, and up
from the silvery water, beamed the CHEEKY
faces of dryad and hamadryad, elf and
water-nymph, and every face had bless
ing in it, AS for the river itself it chat
tered and prattled and laughed all the
way. There never was such a laxative
river. Its spirits were so high that al
every time tho wind murmured and
srustled kindly wish through the trees it
curved and coquetted and dashed up ar
rowy, 'silver-pointed darts of water all
around and about the boy and girl. At
last, after wandering for long, happy
while beneath the stars, they came to
lovely moss-and- flower carpeted dell in the
wood, over-arched by branching trees,
whose foliage made wonderful lacy pat
tern against the gold -spangled blue above,
and in whose lap the river lay clear.
deep, emerald pool, on whose translucent
surface bloomed numberless water-lilies
open tonight, against their custom, to do
them honor, and whose pure white bios
SONS. with their snowy, frightened
petals and golden eyes, rose Immediately
perfect from the noisome impurities be-
meath. and sat queen-like among tangled
network Of long pink stalks and shining,
green, plate-like leaves. The brother and
sister stood still by the waters brink,
feeling hushed and awed by the great.
calm beauty of the place. AS they stood |
there silent, the boy so thin, and fragile |
and spiritually fair. with new and "a
diant light, as of another world, shining
in his blue eyes, and the girl, in her sweet
strong beauty, reminding one of the |
water-lilies at her feet, in that they were
both so fair and had equally sprung from
muddy impuritY and filth, they seemed |
emblems of material and spiritual life. |
The river scarcely murmured now, but |
just whispered as the trees waved gently
in the breeze, Children, have brought
you home to the spirits who love you
Good night, good night" Then the chill
dren saw that they were not alone, but
that two figures clothed in long, flowing
draperies sat beneath the dropping trees.
They were both beautiful. exceedingly;
but the face of one was as the face of an
angel, glorious with an infinite peace and
joy, while the face of the other, though
beautiful, was sad, and drawn and tear
stained, as though with passionate suffer-
ing and pain.
children, ''said she with the sad, solemn
face, as they stood before them silent and |
awed, I'VE have been waiting for you to-
night-my sister and l - and she smiled. |
The girl looked at them and instinctively |
shrank away from the beautiful, sad be-
ing who had spoken. and went close up to
the other, whose eyes we're fixed, beaming
and smiling, on her brother.
"Yo are so beautiful" she said, sam |
look so bright and happy. Wull 20 make |
my boy well, so he can enjoy hisself in the |
fields and woods?'' i.e
Then the spirit with the radiant eyes |
rose and beckoned to the boy. II come to
take your brother home," she said, s'where
he will be we'll and joyful always
San may no. come too?'' the girl ask
ed, putting her arm round her brother's
neck, as if to keep him with her. II can
not live withouten him!' He mouth
quivered and the tears welled up big and
bright into her eyes. We + ri;
my child" the spirit answered softly,
you cannot come with your brother now
the time is not yet come; some day 1 |
will come for you, and he will come with
me to welcome you. But now my sister
wants you still, and has work for you to |
do.' ' ''73!" ''.-,
The. girl turned and looked timidly up
at the sad-eyed, who said: eyes, my
child, you belong to me; my sister has
called your brother from me. In that he
is happier than you. But will love you
too. You need not fear me if you will
only trust me and be brave. Will you
Gomez" She held out her arms to her;
and the girl, touched and attracted by the
sad face went towards her and said, still
holding her brothers hand tightly clasped
in her own. II am not afeard 0, you, an
I will trust 20; but cs7nnot give up nv
boy!" iEa a..s sS sfk4 el4.>4-T
"Tou must!" the sistas-spirit answered.
In spite of the glowing beauty the chill
dren both felt that her will was inexora-
BILE. ~. s{1@4' .gr
SISTER said the boy, ''yo nun let me
go; feel her drawing me, an, cannot /
stay. wull be so happy. An 20 wull
come to me. Kiss me an let mo got''
She turned and clasped aim passionately
in her arms. II wun Let 20 go'', she Sob
bed, ''but it DO 80 hard, so hard! We was
So. happy together"