Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-10-31
For the SPECTATOR
A LEGEND OF STANTON.

describes happened many long years
ago-long before the steam breath
ing, collaborating iron.horse flew
through this beautiful Valley, on his
seeming mad flight to and from the
centres of business and social lifelong
before this green landscape was SO
thickly dotted oyer with the abita-
tions of man.
This second Eden was in it's pristine
loneliness, and was very sparsely set
tied, there being only a few houses
within miles of what is now the Athens
of Virginia.
In the olden time, there was a lake
of clear, crystal water where the West
ern State Hospital now stands. 1t was
near to and on this sheet of water, the
events described in the Legend were
enacted.
In this little hamlet lived a maiden
named Addie, who was as pure as
Psyche, ere she became bride. Not
large, nor yet small, but a happy
medium, with pure, clear complex
ion, perfect teeth, rosy lips, light.
fluffy hair, and eyes in whose clear.
limpid depths you could read all that
goes to make up pure and perfect wo
manhood She was as beautiful as a
poets dream of heaven.
Of course she had many admirers,
but their love for her was hopeless as a
child's desire for star. There she
moved, bright, beautiful, and serene.
but utterly unattainable, as her heart
had never responded to the eloquent
and amorous pleadings of her numer
GUS SWANS. One bright Summer day a
stranger came upon the scene, a per
feet Apollo in appearance, but beneath
the handsome exterior lurked the heart
of a demon. He met Addie, and, en-
tranced by her beauty. wooed the ten
der maiden until her pure, trusting
heart was all his own, and then. with
the proyerbial tickleness of his sex, lie
tired of his conquest.
1.-THE maiden lavished on the choice
of her heart, all the fullness and rich
ness of her first, last, and only love
but love- like all else must fade away
And so with this gay Lothario's love
it could not stand the crucial test
that of time.
For some time he concealed from he1
the fact that he no longer loved her
and she was as happy as girl can br
who is tasting the joys of a first love
But this bright dream was soon to
fade, for one night, he, like the Arabs
folded his tent and silently stole
away leaving her to the almost un
bearable pangs of an unreqUi1ed affe.
ton. She grew weaker and more
ethereal each hour. Every day she
would go to their old trusting plaza, II
rock at the head of the lake, and sit
from morn till night where she had
spent such happy hours with her low
err. One evening she failed to return
home, and search was made for her
Soon the sad truth that she was drown
ed became evident, as her hat was
found floating on the lake. Her grief
stricken friends recovered her body
and laid it away to rest The sad It'd
ings were sent to her truant lovers
home, and it was learned that he haC
died on the same day the maiden mel
her death.
The days rolled on, and the circum
stances narrated above were almost
forgotten, but were suddenly recalled
with startling and vivid distinctnes,
. one night in October 1S-. The night
was one OF pure moonlit beauty, auc
almost as bright as day. All at once
it turned to Stygian darkness, and
with the darkness came burst oil
magical melody such as is not heard
on earth. The awe.insplring chord.
lasted for several moments and theI
changed to bright, sparkling strain
and the lake was illuminated by a
beautiful glow of light and the sight
which met the eyes of the beholders
transfiXed them with mingled feelings
of wonder. awe, and admiration-row
after row of seats, one above the other.
until they seemed to reach from the
land to the sky and in the seats were
the most beautiful beings imaginable,
with silver instruments of music in
their hands, from which issued the
most bewitching strains of more than
terrestrial harmony. The music grad
ually melted into a slow, soft, pulsating
movement, and as the measures rose
and fell, fairy like figures ranged them
selves around the lake, walking on the
bright surface, and leaving the center
vacant. But it did not remain so long
for misty, cloud-like shape settled
down on the surface of the water,
gradually taking the shape of young
and handsome man, who held out his
arms with a look of irresistible plead
ing, longing, and love. and pronounc-
ed the name of "Addie." As if in an
swer to his voice, a beautiful, girlish
form rose from the lake. Slowly the
lovers glided over the still, jewel like
water toward each other, seeming to
move like a thought in obedience sole
ly to the will, or like some gentle
memory over quiet heart, till they
met in a long, loving embrace, in
which heart beat to heart in its pas
sionate fold, and the long separated
lovers were again united.
Then came change which surprised
all who witnessed the scene. The low
ers separated, and all was again dark
and quiet All thought the beautiful
scene ended but no, it is light again,
and venerable white-haired man is
standing inside a golden altar with a
book in his hands. Before the altar
knelt the lovers and all was silent as
the tomb when the beautiful words of
the marriage ceremony fell from the
lips of the holy man. Coming in &C
cents clear as the tone of silver bell
they fell on the ears of the watchers
like dew on the flowers. 1t was pic
ture worthy of the Gods. But before
the venerable man had uttered score
of words, the maiden rose and drew
back from the altar AS she stood
there, SO fair, pure aud autiful, it
would have raised an Egyptian god
from his stony silence, and startled the
very sleep Of granite kings TO have
seen her. Raising her white, set face,
over which the tears were streaming
in torrents, she flashed glance of
mingled contemptous anger and heart
breaking pleading on her lover.
"Oh Ethelbert the one fond desire
of my youth, the one hope of my life,
the one pride of my heart, l once
thought the happiest day Of my life
would be when you clasped Inc in
your arms, your loved, loving wife, but
my own lost darling, it can never be,
Oh! my love, my love, it breaks my
heart to say it, but l must, l must
You belong to 'Blackford's Band"
and | can never marry you"
He looked at her moment, and one
could see that her cruel words had
hurled his reason from its throne; then
he SLOWLY and sadly said
...e Royal Decree has gone forth