The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-09-04
A LEGEND OF THE RHINE.

A LEGEND OF THE RHINE.
Once upon time there lived beside the
Rhine a beautiful young lady, She had a
lover who loved her and whom she loved in
return. But after he had wooed her-not one
year. but three-hc asked her to marry HIM
and she, anxious to show her power, merely
answered:
Wait"
81 have waited three years" he said, "but a,
your bidding will wait one morc-just one
more"
Then he went away and became soldier
and praise of his bravery filled the land; but
the lady was piqued by the thought that he
had been able to leave her even for u year,
and when he returned she determined to pun
ish HIM, though all the time she loved him
well.
He knelt at her feet, took her hands in his
and SAID:
Lady, | have come back to claim you for
my wife"
"Wait longer patient waiter Is not loser"
81 will wait two years longer" he said, calm.
ly. "If do not lose, all Is we'll"
Then he left her again. She had hoped that
he would plead for her, and that she would be
gone-goue TOR two long years How she lived
through them she could not tell but they
passed, and again her lover was before her.
II have waited patiently" was all he SAID,
The lady yearncd to cast herself INTO his
arms, but pride was strong within her.
"Wait longer" she said
mo" he answered This is the last time
If | wait now, wait forever"
At this she drew back haughtily.
Then wait forever" she said, coldly.
lie left her without word. And now her
heart sank in her bosom. She wept bitter
tears and repented in dust and ashes. When
Il year had gone by, she could bear her woe no
longer, and sent her little footpagc to her old
lover, bidding him bear this message; Come
back to me-"
But the message the little toOtpage brought
was lust this: Wait"
years glded by; then once more she babe her
page ride over the mountains to her lovers
castle.
Tell him am waiting" she said.
The page rode away and rode back. He
stood before the lady and dropped his cap, and
repeated the message that had been gwen him:
"Ihe patient waiter Is not Il loser"
"Ife Is furnishing me-" thought the lady,
and for two years longer she remained in her
castle. Her heart was breaking-her health
knew death was near
Again she sent her cruel lover message.
Tell him." she said, that | am near my
end, and that if wait longer before 1 see him
shall wait forever"
The page returned and stood beside his la
dy's chair. HIS eyes were full of tears; his
head was bent upon his breast; he sighed and
hid his face in his plumed cap.
The lady lifted her wan face.
Speak" she said "The message"
g ilc,fr bod t1,n "a
a more tender one"
whatever it may be, speak" gasped the
lady.
THE only message that | have" remarked
the page Is: Wait, forever"
II am well paid in my own coin" SAID the
lady AT last have received all my answers
back"
In little while she died. and they buried
her in the old churchyard with stone at her
head, and stone at her feet.
When spring came there was grass on her
grave, ana there was also new plant, strange
10 those who looked upon it; plant with
dark, glossy leaves, that crept slowly but sure
ly along, Clutchlng fast to every rough surface
1t met
There had never been a plant like that on
earth before. Now we call 1t the Ivy, but this
is what those who saw it for the first time said
of it:
ut is the lady whom her lover babe to wait
forever. In tins form she is creeping toward
his castle slowly but surely. So she Will creep
on until she reaches the heart she threw away"
Generations have passed from earth. The
castle is a ruin, covered with ivy, and the peas
ants will tell you that it has crept there from
that lady's grave point by point, over stone
and rock, through the graveyard and over gates
and fences, You can trace 1t if you choose
they say; but you do not try.