The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-09-02
imulicity beheld her at the Wsaindin.g 81


tree trunk. Sometimes it seemed to
him that he saw her gliding through the
coppice; but he found only the great
shadows of the poplars, swayed by the
winds of heaven.
The forest became silent now; it mis-
trusted Simplicity. 1t pressed low its
leaves, and threw dark shadows of night
on the young princes path. The danger
that threatened Flower the Water
made it melancholy; it gave no more soft
caresses, no more loving prattle.
Undine came again to the glade, and
once more Simplicity beheld her. Wild
with longing, he pursued her. The
child, mounted on moonbeam, did not
hear the sound of his footsteps. She few
onward, light as a feather floating in the
wind. Simplicity ran. but could not
oVertake her. He wept bitterly-despair
filed his soul; but still he pressed on
ward, while the forest watched with
growing anxiety this insensate race. The
bushes barred his way: the thorns held
him i'll their sharp embrace, grimly ar
resting his progress-the entire forest
was in arms to defend its child. Still
he kept on, though the moss grew treach-
erous and slippery beneath his feet. The
branches interlaced more firmly and
faced him, immovable as wall; fallen
trunks of trees threw themselves in his
path; the rocks rolled down of their own
volition and strove to entrap him; the
insects nipped his heels; the butterflies,
brushing his eyelids with their wings,
blinded him.
Flower -of-the- Water, neither seeing
nor hearing him. still flew onward. Sim
plicity. with anguish, felt that the mo-
ment was approaching when she would
again vanish, and desperate. breathless,
he dashed on.
He heard the old oaks call angrily
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
FloweT-of-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 soulr' And the hawthorn
added: "Simplicity, pause in pity. If
Flower of-the- Water should desire to
breathe the perfume of my starry bios
SONS, why not leave them to grow freely
ON my branches?" And the moss said;
"Stays Simplicity; come dream on the
velvet of my fragrant carpet. In the
distance among the trees thou canst see
Flower-of-the-Wa playing. Thou
shalt see her bathe in the spring and
casting Siistening pearls around her
throat. Thou canst share the joy of her
glances: stay with us: thou shalt five
and see her." And the whole Forest
cried: Stay. Simplicity. A kiss will
kill thee-do not give that kiss. Dost
thou not know? The evening breeze,
our messenger, h4s be not told thee?
Flower of he Water is tie celestial
flower, whose perfume is death. Alas!
poor chilli, her destiny is ,i~strange one
Have mercy, Simplicity: ,lo 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 well 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 tsrn and fee.
Flower-of-the-W W later already clasped his
hands; she tiptoed on her tiny feet:
her smile was reflected in the young
mans eyes.
Thou d1dst long delay" murmured
she. My heart recognized thee in the
forest; climbed on IA moonbeam and !
sought thee-tbree days-three hours
three minutes!''
Simplicity was silent, scarcely daring
to breathe; she bade 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
take my hand: then together we would
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. II am Flower
of=4he- Water and thou art my well be
loved! We shall dier'
The great trees bent forward the bet
ter to behold the young lovers; the.
trembled with anguish and whispered
each other that the souls of the lover
would soon fly away! All the voice
grew hushed. The bla. ie of grass AM
the oak We're overcome with pity; tn
leaves had forgotten tn, ar 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 eye:
Again, looking upward they Fratche
the golden dust that rembled in tn
rays of the setting su n. Slowly the
| arms entwined-slowly slowly. The
| awaited the coming of the evening sta
when they would blend together and f
! away forever!
Not one single wort ruffled the ha
mony of their costa sy. Their soul
breathing through t. aeir lips. mingle
together.
The day faded: the lips of the love
grew ever nearer. A terrible anguli
held the forest mo ti5nless and rigi
Huge rocks. from which the wat
sprang, threw hea' " shadows aroul
them; they alone we're radiant in t
growing night!
At last the star ippeared in the bl
above and their lip met in the supre1
kiss, and through the oaks there qu-
cred long sob-tl teir lips had met. a
AI- L. l.