Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-04-25

Gill, neI pe&keCt piiy Siquo uSeWSdy ouv-
lined against the clear sky. She was
clothed in pure white, with a single
bunch of wild violets at her throat. Her
features were startlingly classic; the
neck and shoulder, partly barred, were
like Parian marble, SO spotless in their
dazzling whiteness; her hair, unconfned,
fell in shimmering waves below Ecr
waist-"golden meshes to entrap the
hearts of men," her eyes, rivaling in
color the violets at her throat, were
briihniilg with heavenly light, while
a bewitching smile played about the cor
ners of her perfect mouth.
And /? Awed, inspired by this glimpse
Of an Eve in paradise, / could not move,
until, my divinity turning tO go, bound
ed toward her. But she was gone--hke a
mist she fled before me. Over hills and
hills l leaped, bruising my hands with
harsh branches and hazarding my life in
the mad chase. In vainl had lost her.
When the realization of the fruitlessness
of my search dawned upon me sat
down exhausted to collect my scattered
thoughts.
Good heavens! what had been doingi
I, the hoary cynio, the irrepressible scott
er of love and it's bold intrigues!
Was it not all wild deliriumr 1t
must be. l had been duped, enslaved,
captivated by mad, insane dream.
Away with, such boshi l will go and
eat a good dinner. &f asg
The is nothing like q well cooked din
ner to bring one out of the realms Of ro-
nance into the cruelty sensible plane Of
realism.
The illusion has not been dispelled.
The same phantom came to me in the
night; the same thrilling eyes looked in
terrogatively into mine; the same ire
sistible smile challenged my daring, and
I awoke-alone. / felt out Of patience
with myself. With the desire to forget
this tantalizing witch maiden resolved
to throw myself in the crowd of pleasure
seekers at the resort.
But oh, the resistlessness of fate! Pass
ing through the flower stalls, saw again
the form of my divinity. The eyes looked
worlds into mine and seemed entreating-
ly to draw me to her, / followed to
where she stood behind huge punches Of
purple piolets; but, laughingly throwing
me a spray from knot of flowers in her
hair, she vanished again like a will-o'-
the-wisp.
passed my hands over my eyes in per-
plexity. Surely this was no delusion
She was flesh and blood like myself. ]
had seen her in a crowd of mortals
Farewell, cynicism! Welcome, love!
am conquered.
And SO, day after day continued the
search for my witch maiden, and day
after day successfully she eluded me.
One night while sitting on the COO
verandas Of the hotel, she glided past me
-spiritlike, radiant with the reflected
light of the stars. stretched my arms
toward her--she was gone. And yet
hoped increasingly. She had looked
upon me not disdainfully, but ever with
q teasing pleasure in her eyes. would
win her in the end.
Life took on new phase. It was nj
longer the dull, istless, half hearted
thing 1t used to be, but an eager, am
bilious, consuming fire. There was some
thing to live for--something besides tn
mere qualification Of my own selfsl
desires. I would live for her-for m.
beautiful witch maiden. To make he
happy-what God given mission!
New aspirations, new ideals, new hope
came surging through my being, filling
me with strange ecstasy-an exquisit'
yearning. Happiness! Ah, now knew
its meaningl
How laughed at my old time scorn o
love, my condemnation Of womankind
/ was fool then-now l am wise.
What. q heaven is open to me! Un
worthy that am, dare to kneel befor'
the throne and crave the love of its scep
ter queen-my peerless witch maiden.
| 1t was the full of the moon. A cain
almost divine had settled upon the sta
kissed tips of the hills, while all natur
slept. Only the fond, caressing murmu
of the waters as they touched the shore
and again receded disturbed the weir'
enchantment of the night.
Iwalked along the beach. My fanc.
reveled in pictures Of the future. saw
myself in a sumptuous home, surrounds
by all the elegancies and luxuries Of lif
my sweet witch maiden, the guardian
angel over all, the dear companion of m
Joyous hours, the sympathizer Of ever.
thought, my solace in all earthly trials
A sudden splash in the water and
cry of distress. | look up; I see--
nymph bathing in the moonlight. Sh
has dared too far into the deep; she
struggling to keep her head above th
waves. It needs but glance to reves
her to me. It is the witch maiden.
make one desperate plunge; she is In m
arms-my own, my beautiful Undine;
clasp her to me with fierce ardor. TIL
long golden masses Of hair, dripping an
sparkling with the spray Of the lake, co
about my neck.
/ But her arms hang limp; her face
pale and expressionless. lay her teI
derly upon the beach, chaff her col
hands and rain passionate kisses upo
the velvet lids that cover her purple eye
implore her to speak. Breathlessly