The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-09-09
MART AND l.

MORSE IDYL.
Earit 40 the brook-side sitting, rosy, dimpled,
saw her lovely visage trembling in the mirror
of the tide,
While between her pretty teeth a golden coil
of hair sh held
Like a shining snake it quivered in the tide,
and shrunk and swelled.
And she dipped her dainty fingers dertly in
the chilly brook;
Scarce she minded how her image with the
- ripples curved and shook
STOPPING with tiny shudder, dashed the
water i'm her face;
Uer her brow and checks the dew-drops
glistening rolled and fell apace.
Breathless sat I, safely hidden in the tree-top
dense and green;
For maid is ne'er so sweet as when she
thinks herself unseen;
And saw, her with scarlet ribbon tic her
And swore a silent oath ne'er had seen
thing more fair.
Now, if you will never breathe it l will tell
you something queer
Only step little nearer; let me whisper in
your ear;
If you think it was the first time that in this
seQuestered dell
beheld the little Marit-well, it's scarcely
fair to tell.
There within my leafy bower sat i, happy as
king, ~
about me twttering, ''' 1-I
While gazed at Marits image framed in
Heaven eternal blue
While the clouds were drifting past it, and the
birds across it few q - -1'
But anon the smile that lowered in the water
Though the sunshine through the birch leaves
flung of light its shimmering spray,
And breath came floating upward as If some
one gently sighed, -
And at just the self-same moment sighed the
image in the tide.
Then heard mournful whisper: 20 thou
poor thou pretty face, 7ii .f.af
Without goldlwhat' will avail thee, bloom of
beauty. youth and grace? =
For a maid who has no DOVER" and her curly
head she shook:
1t was little Aiarit speaking to her image in the
brook.
More heard not, for the whisper in q SILVER
ing sigh expired ~.
And the image in the water looked so sad and
sweet and tired. a 80 " -J4
Full OF love and full of pity, down L stopped
her plant to hear; ~
Icould almost touch the ringlets curling arch
ly round her ear.
Nearer still a little nearer, forth 1 crept along
Tremblingy her lips were moving, and A.
cloud rose on her brow. a.
Precious darling" thought /, grieve not
that thou hast no lover found"
Trash he branch went, and, bewildered, down
Itumbled on the ground.
Up then sprang the little MART with cry of
wild alarm,
And she gazed as if she dreaded had come to
Swift she darted through the bushes, and with
stupid wonder mute
Stood staring blankly after ere 1 started in
pursuit.
And merry chase gave her through the I'M
derbrush and copSe;
OVerfallen trunks and boWlders- ON She fled
with skips and hors, he 4,
CHANGING sharply Der her shoulder when she
- heard my footsteps sound
Dashing on with reckless terror like a deer
before the hound.
Hot with zeal broke my pathway where the
- clustered boughs were dense,
For wanted to assure her l intended no Of
Tense;
And at last, exhausted, fell she on the green
sWRrd quiVering, I'd.
Sobbing painting, pleading, weeping, like a
wiIdi unreasoning thing. g..
"Marit," said I, STOPPING down, IT hardly see
-, why you should cry; III. -
Ihere rs scarcely in all the parish such a
harmless lad as Il;
And you know always liked you"-here my
nv voice was soft and low.
No. indeed she sobbed in answer" no, in
deed do not know"
But methought that in her voice there was
~ touch of petulance;
Through the gistenng tears caught little
shy and furtive glance.
Growlng holder, then, L clasped her dainty
hand full tenderly,
,Ihough IL made mock eXertion, struggling
family to be free. a li,F t07I..0.
-" Little Marit,'' said l, gently, "tell me what
has grieved you so,
For heard you signing sorely at the brook a
while ago"
ION, she said, her sobs subduing, with an
irdenlure and meek
"oh, it was that naughty kitten; he had
scratched me ON the cheek" -"
" Nothing worse?' answered, gayly, while
stroVe her glance to catch. - '-H-.. s-
" Let me look; my kiss is healing. May cure
the Kittens scratch?'
Ana kissed the burning bushes on her
cheeks in needless glee,
Though the marks of Pussys scratches were
invisible to me.
U, thou poor thou pretty darling" cried l,
frantic with delight,
WINE sne gazed upon me smiling, yet with
49, eyes that tears made bright
Let thy beauty be thy DOVER and be mine
20 have and hold
FOR race ms sweet as thon hast needs, in
sooth, no frame of gold"
-HJdlmar IL. BoBesen, in Hdrper's Magazine.