The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-04
THE RAINBOW CROWN ON LAUGH
ING WATER.

lNU WAlEh.
lust below Minnehaha Falls stands an old
dead tree the artists are ignoring. This sketch
reveals the mystery of it's death. and shows
that the old tree must be in the foreground
of all true pictures of Minnehaha.1
Long ago, by the silvery Minnehaha
stood a little tree which overhung the
river; overhung and shaded it just where
the water elves enthroned the Minnehaha
Falls. Mnnehaha, Laughing Water"
the beautiful one to whom they gave a
song to sing on and on forever.
As the years went by the Tree and
Laughing Water grew up together and
loved with all the sweetness OF natural
affection. More and more beautiful she
became as the years developed her. The
ripping laughter of her joyous life
eheered every heart, and her musical
voice made the ieafy woods dance as the
zephyrs waited it to them; the birds
hushed their liquid notes to listen to the
song of Laughing Water.
Her long hair hung down in flowing
tresses to the water mirror which lay at
her feet; the mirror the elves gave her
that she might know how beautiful she
was. Through the day, through the
night, she sang on and on the same sweet
love-song to her wooer, the Tree.
The tree grew, too, and stood by her
side, strong and majestic. He spread
his great arms out, so that the sun could
not shine on his bride, his worshiped
Laughing Water.
How like prince he seemed, arrayed
in his green robe How like king he
stood, crowned with the autumn gold!
How loving they were in those happy
daysl He whispering his passionate VOWS,
putting out his eager arms to embrace,
and bending over to kiss her when the
wind god gave him leave.
She, answering back in her low, muir
muring voice, in words that only her
wooer could know; laughing from under
the bridal veil Of white spray the love
he stirred as he threw to her the gold
leaves Of his autumn crown.
But one day storm cloud swept over
them, and stroke of lightning withered
one of the great arms he stretched out to
shield her. It was summer, and when
the leaves fell the sun smiled dazzlingly
down on Laughing Water. Still she sang
on to her lover soothing song, and
laughed more merrily than ever to cheer
him. II she wondered at the lordly grand
eur of the stranger who rode by in char
lot of flaming cloud, it was only for a
moment
Each day the sun stole around to where
he could creep under the withered arm
and smile on Laughing Water. He
played with her flowing hair and filed it
with cleaning gems. He decked her
with pearls and showered the mist-cloud
that robed her with silver beads.
The Moon cav, one evening, the linger-
ing leave taking of the Sun. and instinct
lively OWNED the secret. Her own incon-
stancy led her to look for it in all others.
Softly she told her suspicious to the Tree,
but he shook his head scornfully, and
waved her away with the withered arm,
while, with the other, he yelled the pres
ence of the tickle one from his adored
Laughing Water. Through all the
changes of the changeful years his great
heart was chaugeless still. He had braved
the countless storms which had broken
upon them, fondly bending over to shell
ter her when the tempest leveled the
giants of the woods; fondly bending over
to hear her voice lost in the roar Of bat
tie with the elements; bending over to
caress her, to receive her kiss, then rising
with knightly tossing Of his kingly crest
to beat back the wind ghouls that sought
her. The incense of her presence, rising
in mist OF radiance, had permested
every fibre Of his being. His life bad
been, now was, to live for Laughing
Water. He could not believe she ever
would be faithless, or untrue.
But one day the Sun came, and, steal
ing under the withered arm, ROBBED her in
splendor as before, then made a glitter
ing rainbow crown and crowned her.
Beguilingiy he told her to look into the
water-mirror below and see how pretty
she was, how lovely he had made her.
So, sweetly fattered, curious to know,
she gazed and was ensnared.
She laughed her new Joy to the Sun,
and he told her that if she would forever