Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-21
WHITE HEATHER.
BY WILLIAM BLACK.
AUTHOR or "JuptTu SHAKESPEARE"
PRINCESS or THULE" MACLEOD
OF DARE" ETC.

and to go away from TINS quiet security
and friendiness and peace. But it was
only for n moment. Ofcourse all that had
been argued out before. The step had
been taken; forward, and not backward,
he must go Still, to be sitting in this
quiet little room, with the strange con-
seriousness that Meene was so near, watch
ing the nimble, small fingers busy with
her knitting, and wondering when she
would raise those beautiful, deep, tender,
clear eyes; and to think that OH the NOR
row hour after hour would be placing a
greater and greater distance between him
and the possibility of any such another
evening, nay, that it was not only. miles
but years, and perhaps whole lifetime,
that he was placing between her and him,
that was no joyful kind of n fancy. If it
had been Meenie who was going away,
that would have been easier to bear
"Call her back Clebrig; Mudal calls;
Ere all of the young spring-time be flown"
he would have cried to hill and river and
loch and glen, knowing that sooner or
later Love Meenie would come back from
Glasgow Town. But his own going away
was very different, and perhaps a final
thing
By,and-by he rose, and begged to be ex-
cused Maggie might stay for a while
longer with Miss Douglas, if she liked as
for him, he had some matters to attend to.
And so they babe him good-by, and wished
him WELL and hoped to hear all good
things of him, Thus they parted and he
went out by himself into the clear moon
light night.
But he did not go home, A strange I'M
rest and longing had seized him, desire
to be alone with the silence of the night:
perhaps some angry impotence that he
could not make out so much as a few triv-
ial verses for this beautiful girl-friend
whom he might never see again. He
could write about his dream sweetheart
easily enough: and was there to be never
a word for Meenie herself' So he walked
down to the river, and wandered along
the winding and marshy banks, startling
many wild fowl the while, until he
reached the lake. There he launched one
of the coolies, and pulled out to the middle
of the still sheet of water and took the
oars in again. BY this time the redshank
and curlews and plover had Quieted down
once more: there was deadly stiffness all
around: and he had persuaded himself
that he had only come to have last look
at the hills and the loch and the moor
land wastes that Meenie had made mag
ical for him in the years now left behind;
and to bid farewell to these, and carry
away in his memory beautiful picture
of them.
1t was lonely and silent world.
There was not sound save the distant
murmur of stream no breath of wind
came down from the Clebrig slopes to ruff
fe the broad silver sweeps of moonlight
on the water; the tiny hamlet half hidden
among the trees gave no sign of life. The
cottage he had lett-the white front of it
ghostly thing; a small solitary, forsaken
thing, in the midst of this vast amphithe-
atre of hills that stood in awful commune
with the stars. On such night the wide
and vacant spaces can readily become peo-
pied phantoms issue from the shadows
of the woods and grow white in the open !;
on unknown wind may arise bringing
with it strange singing from the northern
seas. And if he forgot the immediate pur-
pose of the verses that he wanted if he
Forgot that he must not mention the name
of Meenie if he saw only the little cot
tage, and the moon-lit loch. and the giant
bulk of Clebrig that was keeping guard
over the sleeping hamlet, and watching
that no sprites or spectres should work
their evil charms within reach of Meenie' s
half listening ear-well, it was all a fire in
his blood and his BRAIN and he could not
stay to consider. The phantom world was
revealed: the silence now was filled as
with a Cry from the lone seas of the far
north and, all impatient, and eager, and
half bewildered he seemed to press for
ward to seize those visions and that weird
music ere both should vanish and be
mute:
The moonlight lies on Loeb Naver.
And the night is strange and still;
And the stars are twinkling coldly
Above the Clebrlg hill.
And there by the side of the water,
what strange shapes are these?
these are the wild witch maidens
Down from the northern seas.
And they stand in magic circle,
Pale in the moonlight sheen;
And each has over her forehead
A star OF golden green
o what is their song ?-of sailors
That never again shall sail;
And the music sounds like the sobbing
And signing that brings gale.
But who is she who comes yonder?-
And all in white is she
And her eyes are open, but nothing
world
o haste you back Meenie haste YOU
And haste to your bed again;
For these are the wild witch-maidens
Down from the northern main.
They open the magic circle;
They draw her into the ring;
They kneel before her, and slowly
a strange, sad song they sing.
A strange, sad song-as of sailors
That never again shall sail;
And the music sounds like the sobbing
And signing that brings gale.
o haste you back, Meenie, haste you,
And haste to your bed again;
For these are the wild witch-maidens
Down from the northern main.
40 come with us, rose white Meene.
To our sea-halls draped with green;
come with us rose white Meenie,
AND be our rose White queen!
And you shall have robes Of splendor,
With shells and pearls bestrewn;
And a sceptre olden and golden,
And rose white coral throne.
And by day you will hear the music
OF the ocean come higher and higher;
And by night you will see your palace
Ablaze with phOsphor fire,
40 come with us, rose white Meenie,
TO our sea halls draped with green;
come with us, rose white Meehe,
And be our rose white queen!"
Ben 1ebrig heard and the thunder
Down from his iron hand sped
And the band of the wild witch ma idens
One swift shrek uttered, and fled.
And Meenie awoke and terror
And wonder We're in her eyes,
l., Oh ha viii ito a1l,