Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-07-20

after him: "Why DID you not tell us
that you were man? We would have
hidden away from you; we would have
refused to teach you, SO that your shad-
owed eyes would have failed to see
Flower-o the Water, the Undine of the
spring. You came to US with seeming
innocence, the innocence of the dumb
animals, and now today you show us
the spirit of man. Look, you are crush
ing the beetles, you tear our leaves, you
break our branches; the spirit of selfish
ness is sweeping you away-you would
steal our very soul!" And the hawthorn
added: Simplicity, pause in pity. If
Flower-of-theWate should desire to
breathe the perfume of my starry bios
SONS, why not leave them to grow freely
on my branchesy" And the moss said;
"Stay. Simplicity; come dream on the
velvet of my fragrant carpet. In the
distance among the trees thou canst see
Flower-of-the Water playing. Thou
shalt see her bathe in the spring and
casting glistening pearls around her
throat. Thou canst share the joy of her
glances; stay with us; thou shalt live
and see her." And the whole forest
cried: Stay, Simplicity. A kiss will
kill thee-do not give that kiss. Dcst
thou not know? The evening breeze,
our messenger, has he not told thee:
Flower-of-the is the celestial
flower, whose perfume is death. Alas!
poor child, her destiny is strange one.
Have mercy, Simplicity: do not drink
her soul ON her lips"
Flower-of- the Water turned and saw
Simplicity; she smiled and beckoned
him to draw near, as she said to the
forest, Here comes my we'll belovedr'
Three days, three hours, three minutes
had the prince, pursued her; the words
of the oaks still rumbled around him
he felt half tempted to turn and flee.
Flower-of- the Water already clasped his
hands; she tiptoed ON her tiny feet;
her smile was reflected in tho young
mans eyes.
'Thou didst long delay" murmured
she. "My heart recognized thee in the
forest; l climbed on moonbeam and !
sought thee-tbreo days-three hours
three minutesr'
Simplicity was silent, scarcely daring
to breathe; she babe him sit by her on
the brink of the fountain; she caressed
him with her glances, and he. long time
did he gaze!
''Dost thou not recognize me?" whis-
pered she. 81 have often seen thee in
my dreams; went to thee-thou didst
talxa INV bopd. fba,, +oUatbar ,,.o ,,-o,,1l
walk silent and trembling. Didst thou
not see me? Dost thou not remember
thy dreams| and as at last he found
voice to speak, DO not say anything"
she interrupted quickly. Il am Flower
of-the-Water and thou art my well be-
loved! We shall dieI'
The great trees bent forward the bet
ter to behold the young lovers; they
trembled with anguish and whispered
each other that the souls of the lovers
would soon fly away! All the voices
grew hushed. The blade of grass and
the oak were overcome with pity; the
leaves had forgotten their anger; Sim
plicity, the lover of Flower-of-the-
Water, was now the son of the forest.
She rested her head ON his shoulder,
and together they gazed into the stream;
they smiled into each others eyes!
Again, looking upward, they watched
the golden dust that trembled in the
rays of the setting sun. Slowly their
arms -slowly-slowly. They
awaited the coming of the evening star,
when they would blend together and fly
away forever.
Not one single word rutfied the har-
mony of their ecstasy Their souls,
breathing through their lips, mingled
together.
The day faded; the lips of the lovers
grew ever nearer. A terrible anguish
held the forest motionless and rigid.
Huge rocks, from which the water
sprang, threw heavy shadows around
them; they alone were radiant in the
growing night!
At last the star appeared in the blue
above and their lips met in the supreme
kiss, and through the oaks there quiv-
cred long sob-their lips had met, and
their souls took wing!
On the edge of the stream they found
Simplicity smiling in the sleep of death.
His feet dipped in the ripples, his head
reposed on the grassy bank. Closely
pressed to his lips was small pink and
white blossom, daintily exquisite, and
of penetrating perfume.
Short Stories, by Marion Opper.