Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-23
"But the signing trees told nothing, and tho


On tho boar-ssins prone nor body fell, exhaust
cd. paincd. ana sore a.. IL,
And she dreamed OF Mee@lncWo' anu e"o sH'u
young love he bore;
"Tl,oy wore noailng down the river. meath tho
mld.eyed stsr u even,
And anon tho lar Hghts thickoncd, studding all
the heights OF Heaven. "
She could see heir faces plhlnly Ills " iiiA"-
hrJwcd manly one, -. -.
Hers a Dash OF night hung over Two soit STARS
whence loye-iights snohe.
"Cloudrarls hurried mp from westward, storm
winds 1attlcd overhead,
Iaehed no erstwhiie tranquil river into fury a.
fhey sped
Alltyo sri their birchen vessel, and tho auger-
ovec"bcimci 1t. shattered, sunk it-loft tho
.Ovots % iheir doom.
with ono arm about his young bride, Messi-
netto str0ge for shore
Kissed her pale iace-cfie1, 6eranuol iaho5
me from thee ryermore
Mora saw his tortured features sinking iathoms
Ia the wave,
But tho river bore her stoutiy, held het from her
husband grave,
"Cnst her on the pebby Shorthand, stinenei,
scnsrless, al alone.
Then the sln a day shone on her, warming Dack
In sho ro4e. her strength returning, gathered
close her flowing hair
CAS- herself into sac cold deeps OF the tratorous
river there.
"Slnking down. sne heard tho rumblng OF The
water. 10 her ears
There below lay Messinetto, gaunt and wasted,
- WIN years
But tho booming stu grew louder, IKE the sSa
Wheu 'empe-t-iorn,
And 1t reused her from The stupor days she had
inviting borne.
"Wiid her bright eyes IN their sockets, thin her
white hands aud her face,
And The fever sim wss on hor, deepening still its
wearing trace.
BY her side an old squaw Iaumoed. making
signs above her head: ,,.,- .
Whore Is Messinetto: tell moi Where's my
husband = Oft she sald.
but the old sluaw bowed In silence, could not
meet tie young girls eye,
Could moi toll her, Messinetto ns'er again should
greet toe Say;
30 she rose. young. feyered Mona, staggered to
the hipPlng door, ,.,.-
Heard the crashing, stunning thundsf, saw tho
flame bolts hurting Ger,
"Felt the earth beneath her tromble a. il reeled
uuOn Us base:
Then sne str51e into the tempest with the rain
beat m Der tao,
Tn into he pine-c al mountsin-for, amid tho
rtJrmful noise,
Came a moeLins down mo wiz Slope, anu sLe
sald, II Il his voice
"Rocks were loosened from their beds, and shot
apast her m their hight
Bat she struggled Gpward-upvard toward tho
voice there lu me night.
Stopping, listening. camo tho morning through
the DARK lps OF tho NIL.
And she know her lovers acrenis, calling Mona
Mona - hHI.
Lightning sroHs lit the pathway down into tho
opened cave,
And she followed fearless stopping, down into
her husband grave.
once mis- arm. were folded round her, once his
lips gave answering press.
Then tne fanl.bed warrior sriritQuit his young
brlde's soft cares.
"Liko the dog. whose master falleth on the fold
Of blood and death,
Lieth down in faithful Tendance while shall
unger pulse ana breath,
SO, poor Mona. ia her feyor. by her chief, sni
keeping watcn until the summons came for her
To join liz fate.
..Seckluc her, the Red Men found her warIing
thus The sacred dead,
Moaning ever. 'Messinetto - Love hath con
qurred hate she saii.
TheI the grim Csiaw oa warriors, angercd a. nor
Dragged her by her long dark rc.ses far into the
caves rcpcse.
"Wih her own strong hair they choke her
straugle all her young life out;
With their fierce knives cash her fair flesh
dance their victims c)rse about;
Tear her heart from her sweet Vjal-, porce d
through win hunting spear,
Hang 10 90 tue cavern ceiling. strung upon hei
ebon hair.
Then they took her wasted frame and cast Il
TO the wolves above;
| Barred again the caye-iOOr, saying: y engeanct
now hath conquered love-
But they reckoned not with Nature. nor knew
they how hyeh Love,
Leaving thus their vengeance saied on the Wild
stag and the dove
" For thst young heart, bleeding. bleeding,
tempted Natures pity down;
= And sweet Nature. weeping. weeping, wrought
that heart a crystal crown;
! Set about those c-lmsonci tresses marble
| -haathing smOO.h md true;
! Cned that heart IN alabas,er, dneed with Mona'
| liic-siain through.
" And the tender heart OF Nature lets her grief
| drops wash adowu
DER those marble hidden tresses, DER that hear
! with crystal crown
Aye. the tears weep down rnceasing Ger tho
! pathos Of the past
And their meaning INTO mo is: Love hath con.
| ,urred wrong a. last"
Silence followed. aud the spirit o. tho cave
heard no more
Year, el8psed: again my footsteps fell upon tina
| marble floor.
But n yaudgl's hand bad shattered that poo
heart fro n IFS long rest
Nathless sin the heart Ol Nature Wocps thero Il
her Kindly breast;
| And the driU-lrop OF tho waters in that won
drous Cavern gloom
| Tells the story most pathetic ~ poor MOnds log
| aud doom.
| rnn ..nr /. n.nr Tho lnfr dnna.