The Portland daily press., 1880-01-03
tne vbirrina of insects, the football of

the whirring of insects, the football OF a
traveller, which severally disturb the silence
of the ocean, the forest and the sleeping city
none of these break the stiffness OF the
Syrian plains. So under the somniferous
rays the shepherd was dreaming where the
shade was heaviest, contented that at such
an honr the f1ocks would not readily leave
their own repose. A gradually encroaching
sleep wrapt away his reason, and carried
back to the gardens of his youth and the
arms of Nereda. While Licidas lay dream
ing thus he was aroused by the calling OF
his name. Opening his eyes he saw that
the branches over his head were rustling
though with no wind, and soon he per-
ceiyed the tree to be full of moving figures,
like birds, but with human faces. AS he
wondered how it could be that they had
never before been seen byshim, she thought
cit is because see the tree magnifed an
hundred fold; for surely the leaves are
larger than housetop." And as he Won
dered about that he saw that all the bird
men were nodding and speaking to him.
Listening, he caught the words icidas!
Licidas! Leave the service of the master
Journey to the Beautiful Fountain, and 10!
thou shalt see MERIDA. Arise! Pass toward
the setting sun and follow on after it, and
the Fountain shall meet thee e'er it is morn
ing"
And he arose and saw that the great sun
was falling westerly, its long triangular rays
contracting and expanding like the wings of
some phantom monster through the noise
less air. Toward the west he set his face to
follow after it, while his crook was left be-
hind him, his flock forgotten and the fate
which had made him captive despised.
Down behind the far off hills sank the sun,
while above, the stars, one by one, began to
CLEAN in the sky, dispensing weird radi-
ence which caused the night-shadows to
stand forth like spectres, and the light of
new day, which was unreal, to linger around
the world.
Licidas followed toward the hills. Ever
hearing the voice of promise in his ears.
Ever feeling that, be it a day, or an hour, in
the light of the promised Fountain he would
see the face of Nereda. And his heart
leaped within him as he thought of so glori-
GUS realization of the dreams of his youth.
Thus as he wandered the watches of the
night went by him, the stars grew brighter,
while through the atmosphere he seemed to
look into the Unreasonable depths of that
heaven to which he owed the vision and the
promise.
While the night was waning sudden
wall of darkness rose across his way, black,
| impenetrable, immobile, ominous. The sun
had long since gone. The star-rays now
| For brief moment the Shepherd went on
ward, until strange terror seized and ar
rested him in the midst of this night. A
mysterious presence approached him from
| in front.
Like the binding colors to one with closed
| eyes facing flame, he became conscious of
an impression of light. Suddenly, with
| points and scintillating apexes, appeared be-
| fore him a whirling series of fire circles,
blending and forming like the circular fig
ures of kaleidoscope. Below, streaming
| down in waves of silver brilliancy, fell, in
long slanting lines, pathway like the fiery
tail of comet. Struggling with an awe
that was paralyzing. Licidas strove to adj
vance through the cloudy darkness toward
| the spectacle. The vision slowly altered.
The fre-circles became of water, burning
and glowing under dazzling light which,
| from an unseen source above, streamed down
upon the fountain and turned to flashing
flame the failing torrent beneath.
Still onward pressed the shepherd, and as
the spray, cold as an ice-torrent, was thrown
upon him, he turned toward the source of
the mystic light. Its white rays fell upon
| him from heaven for one moment, and I'M
der its unspeakable brightness he seemed to
see along the pathway of the rays, far back
into times and among figures of the past.
He saw, then, among his native wales, a
young chieftain-himself-h happy in the
| arms of maiden, and the maiden's face
was that of his lost Nereda. By the search
ing light he seemed to see, as through trans
| lucent bodies, their souls, and to catch
through the luminous @ther the voices of
their thoughts. By devious turnings there
led away from that vale maze of winding
paths. Conducted by figure so dusky as
to be almost impalpable, he saw himself
slowly tracing one of the paths, led hither to
the wall Of darkness, to the fountain and
the light. And from out of the light voice
fell upon him which said-"O, Shepherd
rebellious at the DEGREES of Fate, desiring
the unattainable, know that this is indeed
the Beautiful Fountain. Beautiful in its
flashing splendor, but unto thee, and those
like thee, the Fountain of Tears. Herein
thou seest it with thine eyes turned back
ward to the past. They who under this
light gaze upon that Fountain have seen the
beginning and the end. Better hadst thou
suffered the sunlight of captivity. for the
light of freedom is the light of DEATH
And the silver spray became rushing
torrent, the brilliant fountain a growing
burning fame, while beneath the waters and
the rays the shepherd, reeling, fell and
knew no more.
When Licidas again looked at the tree
over his head he saw only the leaves, as he
| Hau Always soen tHem. by ulS sue He ID"
his crook, in the distance his focks, and be-
yond the great sun setting in the West. And
he arose, and Frustrated himself, and adored
Adad, his God, who had carried him to the
Fountain and restored him again 10 his
focks, even the focks of captivity.
Now the rest of the story of Licidas is told
in the story of Abala, the Syrian, whose
daughter found the Shepherd fair and come.
ly to look upon, and gave him, when hel
father was old, her focks and herds as a
dowry and herself to wife.
And this is the story of the Shepherd and
the Fountain.