Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-02-13

/ drink and he VIII sleep, and you Will
both come to me in your dreams and l
will cure him and make him we'll"
"Ah! you wull?" cried the girl-a
beautiful light and brilliant smile wax
ing her face into a wonderful beauty.
Il wull 60 to MIN at once't. Where be
the spirits who talked so kind to me
last night|
'Oh," said the river-and it seemed
to smile and ripple all over in the moon
you come with your brother in your
dream"
The girl reflled her jug. nodded
brightly to the river, and FASTENED home
with feet winged with hope and love.
She found her brother awake and gasp
ing for breath. '.Harry, Harry !" she
said, tenderly leaning over him, and
raising him on her arms. "See I've
brought you some water, all fresh and
pure out of the river"
His faded eyes frightened, and he ca
gerly drank it, and then with a smile
lay back on her breast.
"That's fine an NICE" he said. GLOW
dds 60 90 far? Thou's a good lass to go
for me-"
"You didn't miss me whites I was
gone, did 70, Harry"
The boy looked up at her with smile
and tear-filled eyes. "Iallus miss you,
little sister, when yo's not WI me-"
She bent over him and passionately
kissed his pale lip.
Harry woke first in dreamland, to
find himself sitting on the banks of the
river in the moonlight, waiting for his
sister; and, as he waited, all nature
seemed to wake just to welcome him.
The trees that waved their stately arms
and silver foliage above him whispered:
welcome! welcomer' The little pol
lard willows down by the water all
nodded and spoke to him some CHEEKY
word; the sleepy flowers who sat sway
ing and nOdding on their stalks opened
their brilliant eyes to smile at him;
and even the long, graceful grasses and
rushes rustled and bent and bowed to-
ward him, and did all they could to ex-
press their good will. The very frogs
stopped croaklng to look kindly at the
sick boy with their bright eyes; and the
crickets ceased rubbing their legs for a
minute. so, how good it do feel to be
here!" he sighed, and fairly laughed
for JOY; and all nature seemed to take
up the echo and laugh, too, for COM
pany and the frogs and the crickets
croaked and chirruped louder than ever;
and the bats took up the falsetto parts
in the chorus; and the nightingale sang
a song that thrilled him with its beauty.
An now" she said, "yo nun go to
sleep; an I'll go too; an Yo'll wake up
right an fine an well to-morrer, an
yo'll never be sick no more"
"Wuls [ no?" said the boy, smiling
up at her eager face. "Yo looks lovely
to-night-like an angel" he said; " I
can sleep now. Yo mum lie down by
me-so, and put your arms roun' me-
so; an now kiss me, little sister"
The moon streamed in on them as
they lay clasped in one another's arms
fast asleep, their lips almost touching,
and the brown and gold of their hair
shining in the light.
His sister came then, wandering
along by the river, bright and happy,
and sat down by him. Harry" she
said, kissing his thin cheek, "you will
get all we'll agin now; will not yo?"
And the river answered, tossing a
tiny wreath of shining spray on to her
lap: " Yes, yes; he will, ne wIllr'
Harry" said the girl, clasping her
hands together and looking up at the
blue dome overhead, where the stars
were shining and twinkling, 81 feel so
happy now that it seems somehow |
c'uld die just for nothin' but Joy. Be
20 not happy, too ?" and she laid her
soft cheek against her brothers.
g 1t be all so sweet an glorious, sister,
that can not find words to put it into
[ can only feel 1t here" and he clasped
his hand to his heart.
"Get up, get up; sang the river,
" and come with me-"
So they got up and followed the twist
ings and bendings of the stream hand in
hand. The girl noticed that at every
step his walk became lighter and more
buoyant; 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 dane
ing along by his side, very impersona-
ton 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 silver wa
ter, beamed the cheerful faces of dryad
and hamadryad, elf and water-nymph,
and every face had a blessing in it. AS
for the river itself, it chatted and pratt
tied and laughed all the way. There
never was such laxative river. It's
spirits were so high that every time the
u.
wish through the trees it curved and
coquetted and dashed up arrow silver
pointed darts of water all around and
about the boy and girl.
At last, after wandering for a long
happy while beneath the stars, they
came to a lovely moss and flower carpet
ed dell in the wood, overarched by
hanging trees, whose foliage made a
wonderful lacey pattern against the
gold-spangled blue above, and in whose
lap the river lay a clear, deep, emerald
pool, on whose translucent surface
doomed numberless Water-l lilies, open
tonight against their custom to do them
honor. a nd whose pure white blossoms
with their snowy moon-brightened pet
ais and golden eyes, rose Immediately
pCiI6Cu hOlh TIC uOloOu6 Impurities De-
meath, and sat queen-ike among a tan
gled network of long pink stalks, and
shining green plate-like leaves. The
brother and sister stood still by the wa
ter's 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 the
new, radiant light as of another world
shining in his blue eyes, and the girl in
her sweet strong beauty reminding one
ofthe water-lilies at her feet, in that they