The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-24

and Harold loved Marian more dearly
every hour; he was unhappy if she
left him for a moment, and the clouds
of gloom on his brow were turned to
looks of sunshine when she made her
appearance again
One beautiful evening, Harold and
Marian entered ssThe Garden of Love-
which was bounded on all sides by
golden hills, where lovely fairy maid
ems Enthusiastically danced until the
midnight hour; at this hour of entranc-
ing solitude, the lovers reclined on
ivory touches, which were lined with
the purest silver, and drOwsily lis
tened to the liquid notes of the p1ash-
ing fountains; castles of flashing dia-
monds rose up before their gaze, as
if by magic, and the sweetest music
came whispering toward them; clouds
of perfumed incense stole through the
air of harmonies toward the sky of
the star, which was turning from pur-
pie to green and red and gold; thou
sands of glorious lights shone
through the incensed air and
myriads of elves united in one
great effort to load the evening
breeze with the 1ulling music of en-
chan tment.
In this world of joys, Harold forgot
Lycia entirely. He never once paused
to ask himself why he was in the star,
or how he had entered it; all his
looks, his words, his thoughts were
lying like serfs at the feet of the
fairy beauty-Marian. But pleasure
cannot last forever; the greatest pleas
ures receive the severest blows of
fate! and so it was with Harold's-
A grand dance was announced that
o@ hi nh at
The music began, and all the people
whirled gracefully over the marble
floors; when the excitement
was at its highest point a
rose fell from Harold's bosom-it
was the rose which Lycia had given
him.
1t was the flower of remembrance.
Yes, he seized it, rose to his feet, inn
printed fervent kiss on its whitening
petals, and called it the flower of re-
membrance! Maddened by the en-
chantment he had undergone, he
rushed madly from the ha1l-out into
the cool evening-out into the air of
freedom.
s'Ho1dl'' cried voice in the dark
ness, ''you can not escape me thus
And the next moment Marian was
standing before him, breathless and
angry.
ssHaroldi'' she sternly cried, when
her breath was under control, you
must not think of escaping me! oh,
no. you must become my husband!
The priest will soon be here, and we
will be married"
Il think not" was Harold's cool re-
tort.
s'What?'' she screamed with rage;
cam not fit companion for your
future life? Have 1 not wasted my
time with you? Will 1 not become an
object of laughter to my friends?---''
1T is no fault of mine You lured
me to your lovely shrine, and made
me forget my sacred vows to Lycia,
the princess of the star; you obeyed
the commands of the witch and
nothing more; you were to receive mo
as a recompense for all your endeav-
Ors, but Lycia'S rose has dispe1led the
threads of the magic web, which you
were weaving around me, and 1 am
free againl Farewell, Marian!''
And with these words he ran
swiftly toward the gloomy prison
tower, in which the queen of the star
was placed. After a long search he
found her in horrid dungeon on the
left wing of the tower. She could
not speak because she was enchanted,
and sile ntly he led her from her pri-
son.
The next difficulty which suggested
itself to Harold, was to depart from
the witch's dominions, free. If he
succeeded in eluding her, golden
showers of rewards would be heaped
on him.
At length they entered silver road
which wound round the witch's castle,
and led to Kaldemar's kingdom If
he could only pass the witch's castle
without moles sta ton, he knew that he
could travel through the remainding
part of the country with safety. AS
he came near the castle in question,
he saw numerous dwarfs with torches
u.s.