Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-04-01


Once upon time there lived beside
The Rhine beautiful lady. She had q
lover who loved her. and whom she
loved in return. But after he had
wooed her-not one year but thFee--he
asked her 10 marry him; and shes snx-
iOus TO prove her power. merely 60
swered:
"Wait."
n have waited three years, = he saia,
s'bel a yoE A.dain8 ! Nl'l eEai.s 90
more.
Then he went away and became q
soldier, and praise Of his bravery filed
the land; but the lady was piqued By
The thought that be had been able to
leave her even a year. and when he re-
turned she determined to punish him,
though oil the while she loved him
well.
He knelt ct her feet and took her
hand in hrs, and said:
LADY, have come back to claim
you for my wife,"
But all she answered was:
"Wait longer; patient waiter Is not
q loser"
81 will wait two years longer" be
said calmly. "If | do not lose all is
WE'LL"
Then he lefl her again. She had
hoped 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, butthey passed,
and again her lover was before her.
81 have waited patiently" was all
he said. She 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. IL wait now | will wait
forever"
At this she drew back haughlily.
"Then wait forever" she said cold
Iy.
He left her without a word. And
now her heart sank in her bosom. She
wept bitter tears, and repented in dust
and ashes. When year had gone by
she could bear her woe no longer, and
sent her little foot page 10 her old low
er, bidding him to bear this message
"Come back to me-"
But the message the little foot page
brought was just this, "Wait."
Again she was left 10 her sorrow, and
two years glided by, then once more
she bade her page ride over the noun
tains 10 her lovers castle.
"Tell him / am waiting" she said
"The page rode away and rode back,
He stood before his lady and dohed his
cap, and repeated the message that
had been given him.
"The patient waiter is not loser"
"He is furnishing me-" thought the
lady, and for two years longer she re-
NAMED in her castle. Her heart wa:
breaking-her health failed-she kne "
death was near.
Again she sent her cruel lover q
message.
"Tell him." SAID she, "that am near,
my end, and that If wait longer before
see him shall wait forever"
The page returned and stood beside
his Iady's chair. His eyes were full o
tears; his head was bent upon his breast
he sighed and hid his face in his pIumed
cap.
| The lady lifted her wan face.
Speak" she said. 1.-The mes
sage!"
"AIas!" sighed the page; 81 would
IL were a tender one"
whatever it may be, speak, gasPed
the lady.
"The only message have" replied
the page, is "Wait forever"
Il am well paid in my own coin.
said the lady. "At last / have received
all my answers back"
In little while she died, and theJ
buried her in the old churchyard, with
a stone at her head and a stone q
her feet.
When spring came there was grasl
Upon the grave, and there also was ;
new plant strange 10 those who lookeG
upon il, plant with dark, glossy leaves
that eTept slowly but surely along
clutching fast together every rough sur
face it met.
There had never been q plantlike ths
on earth before. Now we call IT th.
ivy, but this is what those who saw j
Tor the FIRST time said Of t.:
Ii is the lady whom her lover bade 4
wait forever. In this form she is creep
ing 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 ruin, covered with ivy
and the peasants will tell you that &
has crePt there from the lady's grave
point BY point, over stone and rock