Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-04-17
DID SUN AND MOON DANCE?
BY #. r.. Burton.

An did yer mamma never tell We of that,
Elsie, me darlin'? How the sun an the moon
dance together, the bot of thin, on Easter
mornin'2 Oh! oh! what shame it is, it is!
Might be she never heard of it, for there be
a heap of innocint ignorance in America
waitin' to be putt in the shtove an burnt
up like pack o. peat, SO it is. Fait', an
I tink the most beautiful things is Irish, 30
an do!'
''But really, Maggie" and little Elsie's
&. ne eyes were wide with wonderment,
really and truly, does the sun dance with
he moon on Easter morning."
"What would be tellin' ye for if it
wasn't so at ailo They do In Ireland; just
as sure as the blissid sun comes up drip
PIN out av the say, LAWN onId England in
the dark, bad luck to her! The moon runs
hopp,ty skip across the sky an joins hand
with the sun, an they dance a rale Irish
s.That must be dreadfully funny said
Elsie gravely; then, a last doubt lingering in
her puzzled thoughts. "Did you ever see
them, MaggieP"
s.See thin, is itp Oh. oh! run away, now,
to YER mamma an shtop axing me bother
some questions. Don't I tell ye it's so?
What more do ye want, dunno?"
Elsie put her little finger in her mouth
and walked slowly and with distracted
gaze into the sitting room where her mother
sat sewing and her father was reading the
evening paper. She sat down upon low
stool under the mautel and studied the
brown and yellow figures of the carpet. In
the soft light of the big lamp on the center
table the brown seemed darker than it did
by daylight. and the yellow was almost
white. Elsie wondered vaguely whether
the yellow moon would be white during the
dance with the sun, for she remembered
that waenever it appeared by day it was
yofully pale; and would the sun turn his
dazzliug face aside for just one minute SO
that she could have good look at himf and
would the moon have feet? and would the
SUMS legs go right down from the great,
hot circle of flame, or would there be
body like papa's? or would both, and this
seemed more likely, would both just tilt
from side and laugh in each others face
before they resumed their regular dutiesf
1t was strangely interesting to the eight
years-old, and in happy reflection she for
got all about the odd figures in the new
carpet. The bronze clock above her head
began to buzz with immense Importance
and then uttered a single tiny ring and
went on ticking hurriedly, as if in haste to
reach the next hour mark, when its buzz
ing should prelude more significant an
nouncement. All we'll regulated clocks are
subject to this vanity; they puff out the
cheeks of their faces, rattle away as if all
their precious insides were falling to pieces;
the pendulum is silent and then the com
motion ends with a few silvery strokes,
more or less, after which the timepiece re-
covers its modest self possession aud goes
on about it's useful business.
''Half past g." said Mrs. Durant, CLAN
cling up at the clock. "Time little girls
were in bed"
Mamma" exclaimed Elsie, taking a
tuck in her dress with her fingers and looA-
ing hard at her feet, 'mayn't sit up all
night, Just this once?"
F'Mercy on us?' cried Mrs. Durant, lay
ing her sewing down in her lap: "what
does the child meabW
Papa Durant looked inquiringly over tbs
top of his paper.
II want to see the sun and the moon
dance together" replied Elsie, land can't
wake up early enough if go to bed.'
Mamma Durant was too astonished to
speak, but papa with an amused smile said:
"You would have your trouble for no.
thing, Elsie; the sun and the moon don't
indulge in such antics"
Elsie did not understand her fathers
words exactly, but she felt the denial and
she responded:
maggie says they do every Easter
morning, when the sun comes out of the
sea, and the moon hop, skips and jumps,
and they take hands and dance in the sky,
at least in Ireland, the both of them,
and perhaps. If just sat up all night,
they'd do it for me. Please. papa"
Papa laughed
''If you sat up, little one" he said, f'you
would not be awake in the afternoon to
sing with the other children in the Easter
festival. You wouldn't like to miss thats'
Il think I'd rather see the dance" re-
sponded Elsie.
"Maggie shouldn't put such notions in
little glrls' heads" said mamma, and forth
with Elsie was bundled off to bed. Her
lips pouted with something more than affec
tion when she kissed her father good night,
and two or three lonesome tears rolled
slowly down her face; but she went to her
room without a murmur, and when her
head was on the pillow she looked out at the
stars and wished something would keep
her awake. Her father had re aroused her
doubts as to the entire truth of Maggie's
vs.
than that to convince her, for the event
was too interesting not to be believed, and
she was more than willing to see for her.
self whether it was SO.
As she lay wondering about il all a
thought suddenly sprang into her head.
Why should she not stay awake and see the
dance? Papa and mamma had not said
that she must not, and they would not care
very much when she told them at break.
fast what she had done. This thought be,
came a fixed determination, and for several
minutes she looked at the stars steadily
with open eyes. Then she caught herself
dozing and she sat up in bed. Even in this
attitude her head speedily dropped, and
she got out and stood in front of her half
opened window. Across the road street
lamp made fantastic shadows Of the trees
aud houses, and far away a dog barked.
From the room below came the clear, high
tones of her mothers voice and the deep,
somber murmur of her fathers replies.
Mellow sounds from the top of the little
hill back of the house told that the church
clock was striking 8. How slowly the time
passed for Elsiel She. looked up again at
the stars and thought how tired the angels
must get watching through the dark silence
of every night. Then somebody walked
rapidly by, and when she could no longer
hear his footsteps she wondered if it were
nearly 10 o'clock. At last it grew chilly,
and she climbed into bed again, just for one
minute, to get warm.
The evening had grown old for country
folk before Mrs. Durant put aside the work
that had lain idle in her lap for many min
utes, and followed her husband to their
chamber Her thoughts had gone back to
a happier time when her son Willie was
with her. Only five years ego, and how
long it seemed! He had yielded to a resi-
less disposition and wandered away, where
she knew not except that it was credibly
ienOrted that ha had shinncd aboard an