Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-21
Wait Forever.
A PRETTY RHINE LEGEND.

PRETTY RHINE LEGEND.
Once upsn Q time there lived beside
the Rhine, Q beautiful young LADY,.
She had . lover who loved her, and
whom she loved in return. But, after
he had wooed her-not one year, but
three he asked her to marry him and
she, anxious to show her power, merely
answered:
wait"
81 have waited three years." he said.
"but at your bidding, will wait one
more"
Then he went away and became n
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 for even year. and when he
returned she determined to punish him,
thouga all the while she loved him
we'll.
He knelt at her feet, aud took her
hand in his, and said:
Lady, have come back to claim
You for my wife"
But all she answered was
Wait longer q patient waiter is not
loser"
said. calmly. "If do not lose, ell 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.
II have waited patiently" was all he
said.
The lady yearned to cast herself in
his arms, but pride was strong within
her.
"Wait longer" sae said.
NO." he answered. This is the
last time. If wait now, will wait
forever"
At this she drew back haughtily.
"1hen wait forever" she said,
coldly.
He left her without q word. And
now her heart sank within her. She
wept bitter tears, and repcnted in dust
and ashes. When year had gone by,
she could bear her woe no longer. aud
seat her little foot-page to her Old lover,
bidding him bear this message: Come
back to me"
Bat the message the foot-page brought
back was just this: Wait"
Again she was left to ker sorrow, and
two years glided by then once more
she babe her page ride over the noun.
tains to her lovers castle.
Tell him am waiting" she said.
The page rode away and rode back.
He stood before his lady and dotted his
cap, and repeated the message that had
been given him: "TAe patient waiter
is not loser"
HE is Furnishing me-" thought the
lady, ahd for two years longer she re-
breaking-health failed-she knew that
death was near.
Again sue sent her cruel lover mes
sage.
TELL him." she said, "that am
near my end, and that if wait longer
before l see him. l shall wait for
ever"
The page returned, aud stood beside
lis lady's chair. His eyer 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.
Speak" she said. 1.-The mes
sage
"Alas !" sighed the page, ~ would
that it were more tender one."
Whatever it may be. speak "gasped
the lady.
"The only message that I have" re-
piled the page, is " Wait forever !"
~ am we'll paid in my own coin,"
said the lady. AT last I have re-
ceived all my own answers back"
In little while she died, and they
buried her in the old churchyard, with
q stone at her head and O stone at her
feet.
When spring came there was grass
upon the grave, and there also was 0
new plant strange to those who looked
upon it; plant with dark, glossy
leaves, that crept slowly but surely
along, clutching fast to every rough sur
face it met.
There had never been a plant like
that on earth before. Now. we call it
an ivy, but this is what those who saw
it fof the first time, said OF it:
ut is the lady whom her lover babe
to wait forever. In this form she is
| creeplnH towards MS caetie SLOWLY 1Ss
surely. So she will creep on until she
reaches the heart she threw away"
Generations have rassea from the
earth. The castle is Q ruin, covered
with ivy. and the peasants will tell you
that it has crept there from the lady's
grave, point by point, over stone and
rock, through the graveyard. and over
gates and fences. You can trace it II
you choose, they say, but you do not
try.
Go Slow ON SPEcuLATIoN.-In con.
sequence of the large amount Of money
| aaakino uyof3foh1a invastmaut the