Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-01-03
THE LOVERS LEAP.
Grace II. Duaield, in N. Y. 0bserv

THE LOVERS LEAP.
There is beautiful stream winding
among the green banks and rocky
cliffs Of one Of our New England states;
it empties into the broader river, which
in turn hurries on to the sea.
There is spot on the shore of this
stream high. rocky cliff which is
called 1.-The Lovers Leap"
Years ago young Indian maiden
took this fearful leap to watcry grave
with her lover, because she was denied
the husband of her choice.
Laura Cheney knows the story WE'LL
She has passed all her life on the
shore of this beautiful stream.
Her father is a lmberman, and Laura
keeps house for him in the little brown
cabin which they call home.
Laura is pretty girl in spite of the
fact that she is brown with the suns,
kisses, and her dresses are of coarse
material, and her shoes rough and
heavy.
Ali the young l,mbermen know this,
and one, Ben Herder, has paid in
cessant court to her for two years.
But Laura has never loved any one
besides her father and the big mastiH,
Bruno-her young mother died at her
birth.
Ben is brawny giant, with moody
black eyes and long black beard, and
Lanra is half afraid of him.
An excursion party from a distant
city has been spending some days in the
vicinity. Is
There is one young gentleman of
whom Laura sees a good deal.
He is not SO large man as Herder,
but is tall, erect, and graceful, with
keen, gray eyes, fair hair, closely curl
| inc about a fine head, and a long. fair
mustache.
His hands are winter and daintcr
than Laura's but they have muscles
like steel, and he is anything but the
"milk-sop' that Ben Hcrdcr calls him.
This Godfrey Duston is so we'll
pleased with the country that he allows
the excursion party to depart without
him, while he invests in tent and a gun,
and settles down to camp life near Abel
Cheney's little brown cabin and de-
clares his intention of staying through
the very last of the golden autumn
days.
Ben Herder scowls ominously when
he hears this.
He hates this newcomer, who treats
Laura with such gentle courtesy as she
has never known before.
As Duston becomes better acquaint.
ed with her his gun is neglected, and
they take long walks and sails to-
gether.
He tells Laura wonderful stories O
the great world from whence he came
secrets of the woods and relates, among
other things the legend OF Lovers
Leap.
Godfrey, weary of the restraints o
society. weary OF the frivolous wome,
one who has cruelty deceived him.
draws a new and delightful magnetism
from this pure and healthy child of the
forest.
She has just enough knowledge o
books to make her eager for more, anc
he becomes her teacher.
AS the days go by he begins to- asl
himself if this is not a better life thar
the other-would he not be happier t.
win this child-woman for wife ant
make home there, close 20 the grea
heart of nature?
think that this companionship wit
Laura is like tonic to his listless
world-weary spirit-all the nobility c
| his nature comes to the surface in hi
intercourse with her.
He has not thought of the possibl
effect upon Laura, but she loves him
although she does not know it,.
: She lives in a happy dream.
She has only one fear-the fear {
Ben Herder, who makes fierce love
her at every opportunity.
"Do you think that Duston wi
l marry you?" he queries one day, whe
, he has surprised her as she waved h,
. hand from the cliff to- the young ms
. who is padding along the stream. 81
. has wife or sweetheart at home
: is only amusing himself with you.''
! Laura gazes at him in shame and di
. may.
: II don't know what you mean?' s.
a stammers at last.
r. Ben grasps her roughly by the arm
q Don't know that he's bewitch
8 ye-like y snake charms bird befo
he kills it? Eff he seq es he loves V
3. it's lie; he couldn't love yo as I d
Laurie"
"He never said such thing" sa
Laura, with flashing eyes and crims
'r checks. ''Let Inc 60, Ben Herder, y
n hurt my arm.''
t, we've hurt my heart, Laurie.
IS was kind ter me fore that swell cam
Or Eff ye'll be my wife I'll never be rou
y. ter yer again, gal. It's because l
~ skeered of losing you makes me
r Laurie, can't yer like me little?
es love We so.''
ae They are frightfully near the ed
" of the cliff-so near that Laura shrir
back and tries to pull her arm fr
Ben's grasp.
m ''Let me 90, Ben. I do not care