Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-18

Down by the river, where the lawn
bent softly to the wooing of the water,
stood two ancient willows of unusual
size; they were gnarled with age, but
vigorous and long imbed. The story
ran that once u Pocahontas Mason, the
lady of the manor here, had lovers
twain-twin brothers who being also
Masons were her distant cousins. One
she loved and one she did not, but both
loved her, and being passionate men
both swore that they would have her,
come what might, and cause any man
that came between most bloodily to rue
it. Between the brothers there arose
quarrels and i'll feeling, which afflicted
the lady, who was good woman and
averse to breaking the peace of families.
That brothers-twin brothers should
be scowling venomously at each other
because of her appeared grievous thing,
and she set herself to &end it.
BY marrying the MT she loved she
could end the affair at once, but his
brother would never forgive him, and
before love had maddened them the
men had been friends us well as broth
ers. She gagged their characters
thoughtfully, and hit upon a plan which,
at the expense of some self sacrifice,
would arrange the matter peacefully.
Bidding both lovers attend her one day,
she brought them to this spot, and cut
ting two willow wands of exactly the
same length and thickness she stuck
them deeply into the moist soil and an
nounced her decision. They would wait
three years, she said, and at the end of
that time the man whose tree had grown
the strongest should come and claim his
answer. She would attend to both will
lows herself, giving to each the same
care, and treating them with equal fair
ness. Then she made the men shake
hands in amity once more and swear to
abide by her decision.
The story further tells that both will
lows fourished finely, but that in the
last year the true lovers tree outstripped
its mate, as was right and proper. AS
the lady had anticipated, when the term
of probation expired only one of the
twins appeared to claim an answer to his
suit. And in the pocket of the constant
man, when he kissed his own true love,
lay letter from across the seas, full of
brotherly affection and congratulation.
This little story was favorite with
Pocahontas, and she was fond Of relat-
ing how her observation-disclosures,
by little wit and generous self sacri-
fee, averted q feud between brothers
and kept family peace unbrolsen.
The trees were always called 1.-THE
Lovers" and under their sweeping
branches the young people were fond Of
gathering on lnoonlit summer evenings.
Pocahontas seated herself under the
larger tree on the dry, warm grass, and
Jim leaned against the rugged trunk,
silently drinking in, with his eyes, the
| still beauty of the night-the silvery
sheen of the water, the pure bend of the
sky, the slope of the lawn and the gray
tranquility of the old house in the back
ground. And as he gazed there awoke
in his breast, adding to its pain, that
| weary yearning which men call home
sickness.
With shuddering sigh and a move
ment of the strong shoulders as though
some burden were settling down upon
them. Jim dropped himself to the ground
beside his companion A. suffered her
| gently to possess herself of his tobacco
pouch and pipe. The girl felt that the
peacefulness of the scene Jared upon his
mood, and set herself to soothe him into
| harmony with himself and nature. Jim
watched the white fingers deftly fill the
bowl and strike the match for him; then
| he took it from her hand and breathed
softly through the curved stem until the
fire circled brightly round and the to-
bacco all was burning. He leaned back
on his elbow and sent the smoke out in
long, quiet wreaths, and Pocahontas,
with her hands folded together in her
lap, watched it rise and vanish dreamily
81 wonder" she murmured presently,
"if the nights out therein Mexico.
mean-can be more beautiful than this.
have read descriptions and dreamed
dreams, but | can't imagine anything
more perfect than that stretch of water
shimmering in the moonlight and the
dark outline of the trees yonder against
the sky
ats more than beautiful; it's home. u
Jim's voice shook a little. ''Do you
know, Princess, that whenever the mem,
DRY Of home comes to me out yonder in
the tropics it wiz be just this picture
1 shall always see. The river, the lights
and shadows on the lawn, the old gray
house. and you, with the flowers or
your breast, and the moonlight on YOU
dear face. Don't be afraid, or move
away; I'm not going to make love e
you-all that is over; but your face
must always be to me the fairest ant
sweetest ON earth" He paused mo
ment, and then added, looking steadily
away from her: "I want to tell you
this last time may ever have an OPP
portunity of speaking to you alone
that you are never to blame yoursel
for what has come and gone. It's beef
no fault of yours. You could no NOR,
help my loving you than could help i
myself, or than you could make your
self love me in return"
"Oh, Jim, dear!" spoke the girl quick
ly and penitently, 81 do love you. do
indeed"