St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-10-04
MART AND 1.
A MORSE IpYL,.

y MORSE IDYL.
Marit at the brook-side sitting, rosy, dimpled,
saw her lovely vfsage trembling In the mirror
while between her pretty teeth a golden coil
like a shining mi is snake it quivered in the tide,
and shrunk and swelled.
@ the chilly brook;
Scarce she minded how her image with the
ripples curved and shook;
StoOping with a tiny Shudder, daSneQ inc
water in her face;
gIisteniIig rolled and fell apace.
Breathlcss sat I, safely hidden in the tree-top
dense and green;
For maid is neer so sweet as when she
thinks herself unseen;
And saw her with a scarlet RIBBON ne hef
braid of hair,
And swore silent oath neer had seen
thing more fair.
Now, if you will never breathe it, 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
I beheld the little MarIt-Wet, us scarcely
fair TO tell.
There within my Ieafy bower sat I, happy as
king,
And two anxious wrcns were fitting round
about me tFittering,
While [ gaZed at MaritS image framed IN
Heavens eternal blue,
While the clouds were drifting past it, ana the
birds across it flew.
But anon the smile that hovered in the water
stole away,
Though the sunshine through the birch leaves
flung of light its shimmcring spray,
And breath came doGting upward as IL some
one gently sighed,
And at just the self-salne moment signed @tne
image in the tide.
Then heard mournful whisper: 20 thou
poor, thou pretty face,
Without gold Whist will avail thee, bloom OF
beauty, youth and grace2
For maid who has no DOVER" and her curly
head she shook:
1t twas little Marit speaking to her image in the
brook.
More heard not, for the whisper in a shiver-
ing sigh expired,
And the image in the water looked so sad ana
sweet and tired
Full of love and full of pity, down stopped
her plaint TO hear;
could almost touch the ringletS curling arcn-
ly round her ear.
Nearer, still little nearer, forth crept along
TrembiingIy her lips were moving, and a
cloud rose on her brow.
- Precious darling" thought j, grieve not
that thou hast no lover found
Crash he branch went and. beWildereds down
Itumbled on the ground.
Up then aprang the little MART with . cry Of
VIII EaaTill, r%s se1~@ II
And she gazed as if she dreaded had come to
do her harm
Swift she darted through the bushes and with
stupid wonder mute
Stood Istarlng biankly after ere I started in
pursuit
And merry chase gave her through the un-
derbFush and copse;
Over fallen trunks and powders on she lied
with skips and hoEs,
Glancing sharply DER her shoulder when she
heard my footsteps sound,
Dashing on with reckless terror like deer
before the hound
Hot with zeal I broke my pathway where the
clustered boughs were dense,
For wanted to assure her intended no Oh
tense;
And at last exhausted, fell she on the green
sWard quiyering,
Eobbing, painting, pleading, weeping, ike a
wild, unreasoning thing.
g Marit," said /, STOPPING down, II hardly see
why you should cry;
There is scarcely in all the parish such
harmless lad as /;
And you know always liked you here my
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 petulauce;
Through the glistcning tears / caught little
shy and furtiye glance.
Growing boldeF. then, clasped her dainty
hand full tenderly,
Though it made a mock eXertion struggling
family to be free.
% Little Marit," said /, gently, "tell me what
has grieved you so,
For heard you signing sorely at the brook a
while ago"
"Oh,'' she said, her sobs subduing, with an
sir demure and meek
" Oh, it was that naughty kitten; he had
scratched me on the cheek"
9 Nothing worseg' answered, gayly, while 1
strove her glance 20 catch.
- Let me looks my kiss is healing. May cure
the Kittens scrstchg'
And kissed the burning bushes on her
cheeks in needless glee,
Though the marks of Pussy's scratches were
invisible to me.
so, thou poor, thou pretty darling cried l,
frantic with delight,
While she gazed upon me smiling, yet with
eyes that tears made bright
- Let thy beauty be thy dover, and be mine
to have and hold;
Fora face as sweet as thon hast needs, in
gootk, no frame of gold"
"-AJdtlndr Fl. B0HeSell, IN H1rper'8 @adgdztne.
"A scientist says: Segregation is q
,y,I.onnss tending ever to seDarate unlike