The Sunday mirror., 1880-07-25

pletely," said the bride, in falterlng
voice, "and thou mayest begone whittier
thou wit."-" Not without thee, my Un-
dine," said the Knight, playfully; "con-
slider, il had a mind to forsake thee, the
Church, the Emperor, and his ministers
might step in, and bring thy truant home"
-"No, no, you are free it shall be as you
please |" murmured Undine, half tears,
half smiles. But think thou wilt not
cast me away; is not my heart bound up in
thine? Garry me over to that little island
opposite. There | will know my fate.
could indeed easily step through the little
waves but love to rest in thine arms and
thou mayeSf cast me off; this may be the
last time" Huldbrand, full of anxious
emotion, knew not how to answer. He took
her up in his arms and carried her over, now
recollecting that from this very island he
had borne her home to the Fisherman on
the night of his arrival. When there, he
placed his fair burden on the turf, and was
going to sit down by her; but she said, "No,
sit there, opposite mel will read my doom
in your eyes, before your lips have spoken
it. Now listen, and will tell you ALL"
And she began =
"You must know, my own love, that in
each element exists race of beings, whose
form scarcely differs from yours, but who
very seldom appear to mortal sight. In the
flames, the wondrous Salamanders glitter
and disport themselves; in the depths OF
earth dwell the dry, spiteful race of Gnomes;
the forests are peopled by Wood-nymphs,
who are also spirits of air; and the sea, the
rivers, and brooks, contain the numberless
tribes of Water-sprites. Their echong halls
of crystal, where the light of heaven pours
in, with its sun and stars, are glorious to
dwell in the gardens contain beautiful coral
plants, with blue and red fruits; they wan
er over bright sea-sands, and gay colored
shells, among the hidden treasures of the
old world, too precious to be bestowed on
these latter days, and long since covered by
the silver mantle of the deep; many no
BILE monument still CLEANS there below, be-
dewed by the tears of Ocean, who garlands
it with fowery sea-weeds and wreaths OF
shells. Those that dwell there below, are
noble and lovely to behold, far more SO than
mankind. Many fisherman has had a
passing glimpse of some fair water-nymph,
rising out of the sea with her song he
would then spread the report of her appari-
ton, and these wonderful beings came to be
called UndinsS. And you now see before
you, my love, an Undine."
The Knight tried to persuade himself
that his fair wife was in one of her wild
moods and had invented this strange tale in
sport But though he said this to himself,
he could not for moment believe it; a
mysterious feeling thrilled him ; and, un-
able to utter a word, he kept his eyes riveted
on the beautiful speaker. She shook her
head sadly, heaved deep sigh, and went
ONT
"We might be happier than our human
fellow-creatures, (for we call you fellow
creatures, as our forms are alike,) but for
one great evil. We and the other children
of the elements, go down TO the dust, body
and spirit; not a trace of us remains; and
when the time comes for you to rise again to
glorifed existence, we shall have perished
with our native sands, flames, winds, and
waves. For we have no souls the elements
move us, obey us while we live, close over
us when we die; and we light spirits live
as free from care as the nightingale. the
goldfish, and all such bright children Of
Nature. But no creatures rest content in
their appointed place. My father who is a
mighty prince in the Mediterranean Sea,
determined that his only child should be en-
dowed with SOUL even at the cost of much
suffering, which is ever the lot of souls.
But soul can be infused into one of our
race, only by being united in the closest
bands of love to one of yours. And now
have obtained a soul to thee | owe it, o
best beloved and for that gift shall ever
bless thee, unless thou dost devote my whole
futurity to misery. For what is to become
of me should thou recoil from me and cast
, me off Yet would not detain thee by
deceit. And if | am to leave thee, say SO
now; go back to the land alone; l will
, plunge into this brook il is my uncle, who
f leads wonderful, sequestered life in this
forest, away from all his friends. But he is
powerful, and allied to many great rivers /;
and as he brought me here to the Fisher
man, gay and laughing child, so he is
ready to take me back to my parents, low
f ing, suffering, forsaken woman"
She would have gone on; !; but Hulbrand,
, full of compassion and love, caught her in
his arms, and carried her back. There, with
tears and kisses, he swore never to forsake
his beloved wife; and said he felt more bles-
, sed than the Greek statuary Pygmalion,
whose beautiful statue dame Venus trans
formed into living woman. Hanging on
, his arm in peaceful reliance, Undine return
ed and she felt from her inmost heart, how
little cause she had to regret the crystal pal.
aces of her father.
rIJAnTED ~