Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-11-18

pafl. Tie RACKS rolled down OF their own
folitionand strove 10 entrap him; the
IHs uipped his heels; the butterflies,
! ching lis oyelids with their wings.
b!!aa4l biin.
iiuwcr-of.the Water, neither seeing
nor hearing him. still few onward. Sim.
piieiiy, with anguish, fcl, that the mo
ment was approaching when she would
again vanish. and desperate. breathless.
he dashed on.
lie heard the old oaks call angrily
after him, why did you not tell us
that yon 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-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, yon
break our branches; the spirit of selfish
ness is sweeping you away--you would
steal our very soull' And the hawthorn
added: simplicity, pause in pity. If
Observation-Disclosures should desire to
breathe the perfume Of my starry bios
SONS, why not leave them to grow freely
on my branchesl" 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
criedi Stay, Simplicity A kiss will
kill thee-do not give that kiss. Dost
thou not know? The evening breeze.
our messenger, has he not told thee.
Flower-of- Water 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, rs 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 10 turn and fee.
Flower-of-the-W Water already clasped his
hands; she tiptoed on her tiny feet;
her smile was reflected In the young
mans eyes.
Thou didst long delay" murmured
she. My heart recognized thee in the
forest; climbed ON moonbeam and
sought thee-three 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 hei long time
did he gael
'Dost thou not recognize me?' whis.
pered she. II 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 me2 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-the Water and thou art my well be.
lovedl We shall der
The great trees bent forward the bot
ter TO behold the young lovers; they
trembled with anguish and whispered
each other that the souls OF the lovers
would soon fly awayi 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 entwined-slowly-slowly. They
awaited the coming Of the evening star,
when they would blend together and fly
away foreverl
Not one single word ruffled tho 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
smiling in the sleep OF death.
His feet dipped In the ripples. his head
reposed on the grassy bank. Closely
pressed 10 his lips was a small pink and
white blossom. daintily exquisite. and
II penetrating perfume. Translated
from the French Of Emile lola, for
Short Stories, by Marion Upper
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