Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-10-27

about III SPAN, when tbty spoke Vi
countries lying near the rising Of
the sun. Aud it came to pass that |
| found myself dreaming Of the |
Fountain of Gold which Ponce lie |
Leon sought.
"Then it seemed to me that the !
trees became toftier. The palms
looked older than the deluge, and
their cacique .plumes seemed to
touch the azure of heaven. And
suddenly found myself within IA
great clear space,--ringed in by the
primcval trees SO lofty that all
within their circle was bathcd in
verdant shadow. The ground was
herbs and flowers, SO thickly grow
ing that the foot made no sound
upon their elastic leaves and petals;
and from the circle of the trees Oh
every side the land sloped down to
vast basin filed with sparkling
water, and there was lofty jet in
the midst of the basin, such as l
had seen in the Moorish courts of
Grenada. The water was deep and
clear as the eyes of woman in her
first hours of Lowell saw gold
sprinkled sands far below, and rain.
bow.fights where the rain Of the
fountain made ripples. 1t seemed
strange To me that the jet leaped
from nothing formed BY the hand
of man; it was rs though a mighty
underilow forced it upward in
gush above the bright level OF the
basin. unbuckled my armor and
dofled my clothing, and plunged
into the fountain with delight. Ii
was far deeper than expected; The
crystalline purity of the water had
deceived mel could not even dive
to the bottom. swan over TO the
fountain jet and found To my as.
tonishment thai while the waters
of the basin were cool as the flow
of a mountain spring, the leaping
: column of living crystal in its cen.
ire was warm as blood!
IL telt an inexpressible eXhilara.
tion from my strange bath; | gam
bOled in the water like a boy; even
cried aloud to the woods and the
birds; and the parrots shouted back
my cries from the heights OF the
palms. And leaving the fountain,
| felt no fatigue or hunger; but
\ ,,,l,.,, I ln. .t,n.,, Iaan aud pa1nt,
sleep came upon mc,-such a sleep
as IA child sleeps in the arms of its
mother.
T"When | awoke woman was
Vending over me. She was wholly
unclad, aud with her perfect beauty,
and the tropical tint of her skin,
she looked like statue of amber.
Her flowing black hair was inter
woven with white flowers; her eyes
, were very large and dark and deep,
aud tringcd with silky lashes. She
; wore no ornaments of gold. like the
: Indian girls had secn,-only the
white flowers in her hair. | looked
al her wondelinGiy as upon al augt /;
! aud with her tall and slender grace
she seemed to me indeed of another
world For the first time in all
that dark life of mine. | felt fear in
| the presence Of n woman; but Il ieaI
. not unmixed with pleasure. spoke
5 TO her in Spanish; but she only
opened her dark eyes more widely
and smiled. | made signs; SHE
brought me fruits and clear water
in a gourd; aud as she bent over mt
, again, kissed her.
e "Why should | tell OF our love
Padrei-let me only say that tbos,
/ were the happiest years of my life
| Earth and heaven seemed to have
Z embraced in that strange land; il
r was Eden; it was paradise; never
. wearying love, eternal youth! Nj
t other mortal ever knew such bappi
{ ness rs yet none ever suffered
+ so agonizing loss. We lived upon
4 fruits aud the water OF the FOun
), tam our bed was the moss ant
/, the flowers; the doves we're oul
I play mates the stars our lamps
e Never storm or cloud ;-ne,er rail
s or heat ;-ouly the tepid summer
e drowsy with sweet odors, the song,
:, of birds and murmnring water; thu
# waving palms, the jewel breasted
e MINISTRIES of the woods who chanteC
o to rs through the night. And We
e never lett the little valley. My armo
S and my good rapier rusted away
/. my garments were soon worn out
J. bnt there we needed no raiment, !
: was all warmth and light and re