River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-05-26

!
to offer prayers for the souls of their
masters, whom it was their firm con-
victlon daylight would never again be-
| hold
And now the merriment began. Pat
Mccormick, one legged Irishman,
whose chief delight it was to discourse
sweet sounds on the fiddle, seated him
self astride a rock and struck up "The
girl left behind me-" while gay party
took their place for dance.
Around the fire stood group OF
children, intent on watching a huge
kettle of molasses boil preparatory to a
candypull, and still another knot OF
gipsies sat upon the grass in the moon
light recounting blood curdling tales
F, which belonged to the haunted ravine.
1t was beautiful picture-the white
tents standing in solitude on the moon
light hillside, while below appeared the
campfire and suspended kettle, the
| happy children, the music, the dancing,
the loungers and story-telars, the
crouching dogs and the embarrassed
horses grazing peacefully beside their
wagons, and, below all this, the shadowy
ravine or "Soup-Ladle," where foamed
and surged the sparkling stream,
which was said to quench the almost
Unsuitable thirst of the Evil One during
his tempests of fury.
Tell us the legend of the SCUM
Ladle' said one of the loungers, light
ing his pipe as he stretched upon the
grass.
Which legend?" asked his companion,
oil r. ~
ing graceful columns of cigar smoke to-
ward the moon.
care there so many?' asked Aunt
Hester looking up suddenly, while the
moonlight struck her glasses. causing
them momentarily to flash like calcium
lights.
AT least a Dozen" replied the gem
tleman gypsy, who seemed posted in
the history of the ''Soup-Ladle." But
the most appropriate to this occasion,
l should think, woul be the one they
call THE Moon Trial."
''Tell us the legend" said one and
all.
Eyes, tell us the legend, whatever it
is!' cried gay, young voice.
And Bessie, leaning on the arm of
Gustave Melville, joined the group ut
hat moment followed by merry..party,
among whom were the two unhappy
| lovers.
WELL" began the story-teller,
knocking the ashes from his pipe, "it
isn't much, hut it's appropriate to the
place and hour. That's why | tell it.
| Behold the harvest-moon is at its full,
and"-looking at his watch-''it is a
quarter before H. The little tale runs
/ thus: Any creature, youth or maiden,
who goes alone, by the Zig OF yon
harvest-moon, at its fun, while the
clock strikes y, to the stream below
for drink of water, will meet, on the
reaching bank, the phantom of his or
her fate, who wild present them with a
cup of water. Should the youth or the
maiden drink from the cup they thus
pledged themselves to wed the phan-
TOMS earthly counterpart, when fate is
pleased to bring the two together"
"What rubbishl" exclaimed Aunt
Hester, with her nose in the air. "What
girl ever tried it?''
Zone unhappy maiden, so history
tells, did go to the bank" said the story
! teller, solemnly, stroking his beard
"And she never returned?' inquired
several, anxiously.
"Not that night" replied the story.
teller in spulchral voice.
"And did no one go after the silly
thing?" asked Amt Hester
mo one knew she went" replied
the story teller. "After waiting on the
bank long time, lookind for her fate
and making at least dozen mud pies
to pass the time away-this artless
country maiden afterward confessed
she fell sound asleep, until the hot sur
next morning walked and hurried hel
home to breakfast, with terrible ap.
petite from sleeping out all night"
''That shows there is no virtue in the
Moon Trial p exclaimed Susie, with a
superior air.
Not at ALL" answered the story
teller. ''The Moon Trial was correct.
The girl had no fate to come. She died
an old maid, years ago.
"Who will try it tonight" asked
some one.
Nobody, if can help it," exclaim-
ed Aunt Hester, quickly, sit is foolish
and wicked"
"Then | am both foolish and wick
ed" said Bessie, "for | will try it"
Away she darted, like asprite, toward
the ravine, while the distant strokes OF
a village clock slowly tolled out the
midnight hour.
A well-worn path through the woods,
which excursiOnists had alreads explor-
/ OI Cd flxrf to he or1-
along this the girl flew, like a spirit in
the moonlight. More and more lonely
grew her path, fainter and more distant
the voices of her companions above;
while nearer and clearer sounded the
surging and tumbling of the waters be-
meath. Her heart beat wildly. She
stopped in sudden terror, and would fain
have turned back, but Tor the
thought of Aunt Hesters triumph at
| her failure.
On she pressed. The last stroke of
the clock was dying on the air, as she
reached the waters edge, and stepped
timidly out in the full glow of the moon.
On every side lay sleeping forests.
No sound broke the awful stiffness
but the sullen roar of the waters, as they
tumbled in ghostly white over the moon
lit rocks that iutted from the rivers
bed. But what was this phantom-p pic
ture before her? Bessie shaded her
eyes and peered eagerly forward. Had
the too powerful rays of this glorious
| harvest moon indeed turned her brain?
| There stood seven stalwart gentlemen
phantoms in line, upon the waters
edge, each presenting her, in silence
grim, with cup.
Suddenly, a succession of piercing
screams sounded in the woods above.
Like flash each phantom dropped his
cup and dashed up the bank Faint
With terror, Bessie sank upon a rock,
and but for the timely assistance of a
pair of arms, accompanying a manly
form, which sprang to her side, would
! have fallen into the torrent.
Foolish child !" exclaimed Gustave
Melville, sprinkling her face with wa
ter "Why did you come on such a
goose-chase? Did you want to meet
your fate, Bessie? May / suggest the
name of one who would gladly fill the
position ?" and he gazed tenderly at the
still white face. "Whose cup have you
Just drank from and he smiled
roguishly. mine, of course" and he
laid his handkerchief, wet from the
stream, upon her forehead "You
would not break such promise, would
you, Bessie"
She smiled family, while the color
stole slowly back to her cheeks.