The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-07-06

Over hall mile acsoas. ssd. hsiag clearly lish,.s
I could sce that fruit t<ses Of var;um. 49,
abounded. and amida shem comna,v - q.
ems wandered 81 win Whs.her ,hev -
native sborisinss Or LOST rsnnaas Of ,he -
ish bands who oncs explored these .Ol,t.s..
] had no time 10 conjecture.
A young woman met ID bearing SOM FRA. :
basket OF lwiss. and. ftG n her Question. -.
the answers Of my compadions, 1 learned ~,
was indebted 70 her for my life, a. she had -.
me apparently lifelesa. Her interest "a. -
nlly great. bat saw lhas;i. was no, ,rr,...s.
to the man Of whom ! havs spoken. AhAo..s
the marks f the swamp were eth upon ma II.
eyes were ful Of iaierest ard her tongue az -.
qpesiionings The whole scese was % 49,.
and fairy-lIke thatI was bewildered perAan. a.
light had bewitched me; for, - she pre...a !.
my mouth the cooling fruit, couId no, -.
touching with my lips the fair fingers tia, bela !.
When she felt the kiss blush betrayed he, -.
seriousness, and fancied that the soft hand ~
gered longer at its kindly once. She ques.iOoea
whence aud Why bad come. and was eae.r =
learn all had TO tell Tbeie was an .ocrr, a.
an artlessness in her speech that seemed .tr,,--
but most pleasant TO me. Up TO this time -
been heartfr but was now held In a ve,cc,.
bondage. Every dream Of 1ove, every ideal ~
my imagination was realized, and was co,...,
In the homage paid my Queen.
have no record Of that time Iknow
welcomed BY all; two only are imprinted ma.
my memory. The one with love that n.,-.
fades; the other with feeling which hon. !.
not hatred, but which am afraid is very mucA
ike IT. MY devotion won responsive love. I
saw 1t IN the gaze Of the eyes that looked N Ten
DERBY into mine. and :elt some Of il in the ,hr;n
that responded 10 the irst kissa pressed unon h.-
trembling lips. What was be, name, new,
asked II. olher women there were, but abe was
all TO me l knew nothing but her love. excen,
the consciousness that was Mated by the darn
man. who felt tormenis in what was bliss To M.
| Once, when / know not, for lime did no, .e.r,
to reach that charmed abode once, in her NAM
| greetings Of love, she asked ne if could ,v.
up all for her said if death could bind M th..
welcome, death! She replied that ahe oa.r,d
life, not death and then told Inc the mys,erv A.
the place; That there was fruit, the cain,
whereof took away the power Of departure t.um
the enchanted spot; that il had been eaten acc,.
IDENTIFY by all of them, and before long alsO
| would have unknowingly plucked it, but che
craved for something more than merely my say.
ing-she would have my devotion voluntary
one, and The sacrifice Of all else TO be made for
her sake. l entreated her 10 bring the frui.
quickly. ! said that nothing would ever taste 90
sweet, except the kisses with which enforced
my request
/ waited her return with impotence knew
not that my rival had seen the sealing of the
agreement. do not know that would have
cared; was too happy for the experience of any
other feeling Soon l saw her coming, too glad
to walk, but tripping on the pretty feet WHOSE
joyous motion answered to the sparkling of her
eyes. High oven her head she held the fruit
stretching it out for my eager taste but suddenly
saw her falter, fear crept up and drove the Joy
from her gaze, her lips parted in the cry " Ny
love-" as a blow, heavily given from behind fell
upon my head and brought me stnseless to the
ground. And yet saw my dear one fall with
hands outstretched as though she would fain
have sheltered. me, and her lips parted in that
single cry of terror. Once more slowly and
painfully came my to senses; the swamp
stretched out on every side; l had just life
enough to blunder on. few f1lit-the only
evidence that all was not dream sustained me
until, by q chance for which was scarcely thank
full, found my boat and LETT the swamp, q man
whose LIES experience was past, and who had
gone through the bitterness Of death.
Many times have 1 attempted to and the way
l once passed over. The cry :" Ny lover hal
called me over and over again into The darkness
of the swamp, but its impenetrable gloom, Is
effectual as the flaming sword, bais The return V
my Eden. And now old age cripples me.
know that years have made me an old man, but my
love is ever young; and wait, knowing that the
swamp will not always be impossible. Before
long the worn body will drop away, and my
spirit freed at last, will find its way 70 where my
dear love waits, in answer to that last appeal
My lover which is always present to my ears