Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1880-06-26
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
wooel her-not one year, but three-hc
asked her to marry him; and she, anx-
ious to show her power; merely answer
ed:
'sWait."
81 have waited three years." he said,
"but at your bidding, will wait once
more-just once more."
Then he went away and became a SOL
dicr, and praise to his bravery filled tho
land; but the lady was piqued by the
her for even a year, and when he return
ed she determined to punish him, though
I all the while she loved him well.
He knelt at her feet, and took her
hands in his. and said:
'Lady, I have come back to claim you
for my WIFE"
"Wait longer; patient water is not Il
| oser."
81 will wait two years longer" he said,
| l.
Then he left her again. She had hop
ed that he would plead for 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
rher lover was before her.
81 have waited patieutly," was all he
said.
The lady yearned to cast herself into
his arms. but pride was strong within
her.
"Wait longer,' she said.
"No," he answered. "This is the last
time. If wait now, will wait forever"
At that she drew back haughtily.
ssThen wait forever" she said coldly.
He left her without u word. And now
her heart sank in her bosom. She wept
bitter tears, and repented in dusE and
ashes. When year had gone by she
could bear her woe no longer, and sent
her little foot-page to her old lover, bid
ding him bear this message, "Come back
to me-"
But the message the little foot-pago
brought was just this: "Wait."
Again she was left to her sorrow, and
two years glided by; then once more sho
bade her page ride over the mountains to
her lovers castle.
':Tell him am waiting," she said.
The page role awav and rode back.
He stood before his lady and doffed his
cap, and repeated the message that had
been given him: '"The patient waiter is
not a loser"
''He is Furnishing me-" thought the
lady, and for two years longer she re-
mained in her castle. Her heart was
breaking-her health failed-she knew
death was near.
Again she sent her cruel lover a mes
sage.
''Tell him." she said, that am near my
end, and that if 1 wait longer before sec
him 1 shall wait forever"
The page returned, and stood beside
! his lady's chair. His eyes were full Or
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 messagew
"Alas"' sighed the page; 81 would it
| were q more tender one."
'Whatever it may be, speakw gasped
+ the lady.
'The only message that I have" repli-
ed the page, is, "Wait forever"
"I am well paid in my own coin," said
| the lady. CAT last have received all
| my own answers back"
| In little while she died, and they
buried her in the old churchyard, with
| a stone at hor head aud stone at her
| fest.
When spring came there was grass up
| on the grave, and there also was Il new
plant strange to those who looked upon
it; a plant with dark, glossy leaves that
crept slowly Lut surely along, clutching
fast to every rongh surface it met.
There had never been plant like that
on earth before. Now We call it the ivy,
but this is what those who saw it for the
first time SAID of it:
at is the lady whom her lover bade to
| wa it forever. In this 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 Il ruin, covered with ivy,
and the peasant will tell YOU that it has
crcpt 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 if you choose, they say,
| but you do not try.
| PROBABLE WEATHER,