The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-08-08
AI.cgcnd OF the Rhine.

Once upon n time there lived beside til,
Rhine beautiful young lady. She had Q
lover who loved her and whom she loved IN
return. But after he had wooed her--not one
year, but threc-he asked her to marry him
aud she, anxious TO show her power, merely
answered:
Wait"
al have waited three years." he said
but at your bidding | will wait ono more
Just one more.'
Then he went away and became soldier
and praise of his bravery filled the land; bu,
the lady was piqued by the thought that he
had been able to leave her even for n year,
and when he returned she determined Ia
punish him, though all the while she loved
him we'll.
lie kneIt at her feet, took her hands in his
and said:
"Lady, have come back TO claim you 70,
my wife,
wait longer; a patient waiter is not a
loser"
F." will wait two years longer he said
calmly. elf | 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 he forced to change her mind; but
now he was gone-gone for two long years.
How she lived through them she could moi
tell; but they passed, and again her lovel
was before her.
al have. waited patiently" was all h.
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. II wait now, will wait forever"
At this she drew back haughtily.
Then wait forever" she said, coldly.
He left her without word And now hel
heart sank within her bosom, She weep
bitter tears and reponted in dust and ashes
When a year had gone by, she could beal
her woe no longer, and sent her little foot
page to her old lover, bidding him bear thi,
message: "Come back to me-"
Bnt the message the little foot-page brought
was just this: wait"
Again she was left to her sorrow, and two
years glded by; then once more she babe hel
page ride over the mountains to her lovers
castle.
"Tell him am waiting" she said.
The page rode away and rode back. ii,
| stood before the lady, and dropped his cap
| and repeated the message that had beer
given him: "The patient wife is not
| loser"
" He is Furnishing me-" thought the lady
| and for two years longer she remained in he
castle. Her heart was breaking-her healtl
failed-she knew death was pear.
Again she sent her cruel lover a message
Tell, him." she said, "that am nea
my end, and that if wait longer before Sc,
| him shall wait forever.'
The page returned and stood beside tn,
his lady chair. Ills eyes were full of tears
his head was bent upon his breast he sighed
nd Iii fn,a i,,1 Ia,
The lady lifted her wan face.
| "Speak |" she said. "The messagel"
| "Alas sighed the page; Il would i
| were a more tender one"
Whatever it may be, speak |" gasped til,
lady.
"The only message that | have" re
marked the page is, wait forever
+" am well paid in my own coin,"' said til,
lady. SAT last have received all my owl
answers back
In little while she died, and they buried
her in the old churclyard, with stone a
her head and stone at her ipet,
| When sprlng came there was grass upol
her grave, and there was also a new plan
strange to those who looked upon it, plan
with dark glossy leaves, that crept slowl,
but surely along, clutching fast to ever.
rough surface it met.
There had never been plant like that OF
earth before, Now we call it the ivy, bu
this is what those who saw il for the frs
time said of it:
" 1t is the lady whom her lover bad
to wait forever. In this form she is creeping
toward his castle slowly but surely. So sh
will creep on until she reaches the heart sh
threw away"
Generations have passed from earth. Tn
castle is ruin, covered with ivy, and tn
peasants will tell you that it has crept ther
from the lady's grave, point by point, owe
stone and rock, through the graveyard, an
over gates and fencea. You can trace it
You choose, they say but you do not try.