Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-05-16

When she went to walk a wolf
sprang up in her path, sharp stones
cut through the deer skin and wound
ed her feet.
Near by was a spring of healing
water, but when Maxtella went to
drink Of 1t q foul odor of poisonous
gases arose.
She sought her couch, but Azul had
driven sleep away. When she was
alone the black-hearted vassal chief
would suddenly appear and with
thongs of the deer would beat her
white body until his savage lashes
drew drops OF blood.
All things could he make MaXtella
do but love him. False words she
spoke to her counselors and did I'M
holy deeds that made her courtiers
bow their heads in shame. No more
was MaxtelIa just OF merciful. Cruel
ty. pitiless cruelty, turned her love of
her subjects to hate.
OF her attendants who remained
faithful, none was more so than Il
little page, boy of not more than Il
score of years. These two sat one eve
within the palace; the dusky shadows
were gathering without, but the night
could only bring added wretchedness
to Maxtella. The boy sang to her,
and as his song died away a black
shape entered the room. 1t was Azul.
''Thy song is sad" he said to the
page why do you not weep, Max
tella?'
The rivers of Maxtella's eyes were
dried up.
"Now will teach you how to weep"
| and he struck her with his cruel
thong.
Maxtella turned upon him her timid.
pleading eyes. With a mighty bound
the youth leaped toward the chief and
seized the magic wand. Its possession
| gave him the strength of many men.
He struck the wretch blow and
pinned him to the floor. AZul writhed
in pain, and the blood dyed his dress
of feathers crimson. None but wiz
ard might ever loose him. With the
blow the spell he had wrought on
Maxtella was broken, and all her gen.
tleness and purity returned. 1t was
this that caused her to pity the
bleeding wretch, squirming in agony,
yet furious with rage. She reached
down her delicate hand to withdraw
the wand, if it We're possible, when
Azul seized her by the arm and buried
his sharp, cleaning teeth into the
hand extended in mercy.
| Maxtella, unable to release herself,
shrieked with pain, for the bite of the
sorcerer was as deadly as the poison
| of the snake with the castanets in his
tail.
"Now is thy blood mingled with
Miner Kissed Azul, "and of thy own
free will. sNow are we one forever.
BY my living hate and the minglins
of our blood have supremest power
over thee. Coward thou hast ever
been; coward thou shalt ever be.
Thy spirit shall pass from thee in
the form of the creature thou most
resenblest-a doe-timid of heart,
feet of foot and spotless white. None
may slay4 thee, yet thou wilt ever long
for the dart that would release the
spell. Thy speed shall shame the
feetest of the herd and thy match
less beauty shall ever lure the hunter
to his DEATH"
| And with these words milk-white
doe darted from the palace walls,
trembling with fright. 1t hides in
brakes and canons and fees when no
hunter is nigh.
| Hundreds have seen it and many
have been lured to pursue it. The
fallen rocks from canon walls hides
the corse of many hunter who
sought to STAY the milk-white doe.
None have ever returned to tell the
story Of those chases. And those
who escaped the canon's dangers
their bones lie bleaching in eternal
| snow.