The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-01-07


~ amazing but how much more 50 was the
! beautiful figure which occupied the carriage,
Il vision of iovelness which filled the artists
| soul with ecStacy.
| \ graceful Water-nymph, modeStly tirar-
| ed, with sweet blue eyes and pale yellow
| hair, on which the moon beams caressing y
/ fell, rejecting golden radiance from a thous-
and pearly drops Of water Lustrous fresh
Water pearls encircIed her neck and arms,
and i'll her bosom repcsed d single water lily.
sweet and fragrant. She was attended by
ten other nymphs ON foot, yet seemingly
! floating on the ground, and barely disturb
ing the daisies and clover blossoms in their
course
i Driving to an adjoining field the na!ad in
4 the carriage alighted, and WITH her hevy of
/ l"vels companions r"nlpei and lisported in
+ tile grass. reIting one another iwlth clover
/ heaGs and filing the rhatou with hHttercups
and DAISIES, They had not seen the art st,
and I'LL unolstrNed hr watched t,4rir inllo-
cent g.mbois Ike one cnttanced. lie even
tried t0 sketch them, In II It himself power
less to adequately depict the lovely scene.
Absorbed III contemplation If th.s he-
W.tchn- view lie failed to notice liz. az
lroacll of 1t lalf-druullen TRAMP until with
screams Of fright the maidtnS 3ew to th,
/ Lake and disappeared hentatn its surface.
I Too late was the queen ny nph,hoWrYrr and
~li" WAS rudciy grasled by the tram! and
/ dragged from the carriage Just as 1t VA,
sinking into tine water. He drew Hrrtr nh
. ling form to his rough embrace, and WAS
about t. degrade her pure irs hy d Kiss
from ins uMu polluted muuth When the an
tst dashed upon him. Albeit tat the raint-
er was man Of peace, and not much given
to fstic encounters yet his righteous md =
nation gave him strength, An. 1t was but
sholt work to lay the tramp PROSTATE in the
road; although not until he himself had rc-
c'ivcd severe blow over the right eve from
the rulti,tns knotty stick. making a cut
winch bled freely. Immediately on her re-
lease tie nymph sprang into the lake, and
the tramp with many a muttcrcd inlprecatjon
limped away.
The enanored artist fingered for long
time, hut nuught did he see of the naiads,
and lie was about to depart III despair of
ever, he approached the edge IF the lake,
and reached fnr handful of waiter to hathe
his cut temple. Bat the instant his hand
entered tie water il was gra>ped hy many
soft fingers, and he was drawn into the lake
and beneath its mounlt surface. He was
surrounded by the nNmplI> that had attentl-
ed their queen, and led hy them through the
Il +1,.
though submerged in water, it did not wet
him, nor did it at all tmharrass him as to
breathing.
He was conducted along through fragrant
groves of PUSHES. and past golden beds of
yellow coW-iilies, each holding III its heart Il
gliStening pearl. As they advanced the
scenery became more and more beautiful
and entrancing until at length they reached
! d dainty hoWec of pure white Water-lilitS
amidst which, under the silvrry sheen of
the moonbrams which here penetrated the
water sat cn>Irined the lovely wAter-Vueen
still palc FROM her recent fright, yet pure
and sweet as the lilies which surrounded her
SLENDER form.
The attending nymphs here sang an en-
lions, accompanied by Sweet sounds as Of
dropping water When the last cadence had
soft died away, the cnralturtd Wis tor up
preached The queen. and touching his irs
gently to he'. Land, kno.t before Ter.
In ii sWe,tIy lnudUlated and somewhat
! trrmuiull> VOICE she said: ''Dear mortal
You who ar, the first to1tnetrate our abode !;
BE water-sprite: who 50 ValantiY and ol'-
portunelY came to my defence this night
whose fair brow il now married by the citlp}
blow from that monster: to YOU dear fri, nd,
u'r thanks are due. Know You that | am
Una the Queen of Kirby Lake. MANY times
have emerged from my domain and as you
have doubtless seen Tonight, disporte,l upon
the land. Embroidered hy success | have
become careless, With the result Iust eNpe-
rienced. Had it not been for your timely as
sistance | should have died from grief and
shame. Never again shall | venture away
except as an inNisibility. | pray You think
| me not ungrateful, for YOU have Tonight
won my respect and love | would that |
might he Your good spirit, to ever attend
y
have shown yourself sufficiently self reliant
and above my aid-and besides, it would
perhaps be considered unbecomiug in me to
do So But if in the cares of life YOU feel II
cool hand upon your brow, or If during per
pleNities before the easel YOU utrcliance eX-
perlence some modest glow of inspiration
then, dear mortal, may You know that YOU
are not forgotten by | ma, the humble maid
OF Kirby Lake
In words Of emotion the artist thanked the
beauteous queen Tor her gracioIlsness for
her kind and Hattering over valuation of his
poor service in her behalf; and lastly her
sweet and welcome proifer Of invisible aid.
Taking from his finger a small but valuable
diamond ring the only article Of worth he
happened to have it'll him, he elapsed it ~
ON her necklace and dropping it into her
pure white bosoln asked her to wear it in
remembrance Of the nights adventure.
The attending maids again sang their
sweet melody, whilst the queen bent toward,
and with tears III her beautiful blue eyes
pressed light, chaste kiss near the blow on
the artists forehead, and murnurel fond