The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-12-19
4 SWISS LOVE STORY.

CadIu A'NN VIZ ~ ANA
daughter Marie
lonely home you would have thought
+ INIT the fir trees that walled so in your
..rs whispered good cheer to Marie.
When fierce winds came rushing down
+ba mountain side she knew the trees
rould bend their tall heads together and
irvine their strong arms around her home,
r,tH. robbed of his victim, the baffied
storm rushed by
When morning broke, the same friends
stood erect and stately, drawing aside
their leaves and branches, that the sun
beams might not linger in their soft en-
braces hut hasten down to awaken their
favorite, Marie.
Very lovely was the little Swiss maid,
with violet eyes that now danced and
sparhled and then grew soft and tender as
aHtlle childs. Two rose red lips shut in
her pearly teeth, and when she smiled a
riav dimple danced for moment on her
n-achy cheek. Her hair chung in caressing
curl- around her low white forehead and
fell in Tippes of golden sunshine far below
her slender waist. And her voicei All!
that was Marie's greatest charm. Soft and
clear, not a discordant note marred it's
sweet, pure harmony. Sometimes as she
sang at her evening devotions the herds
men far below in the valley catching faint
notes of her song, looked up and crossed
themselves, half believing they heard the
echo of an angel choir.
But very few knew of Marie's beauty.
For when she went with her mother on
one of her rare visits to the hamlet below
she brushed her wavy hair straight and
smooth back from her forehead, and braid
ed it in long, stiff plaits, which fell down
her back.
Her eyelids with their curtains of long,
silky lashes, dropped over her dancing eyes
until one looked in vain for glimpse OF
their beauty. Her red lips shut firmly over
her pearly teeth, while the dimple hid itself
resolutely away from sight. And her sweet
voice, frightened at it's own sound so far
from home, grew faint and husky, until
in this shrinking, sober damsel walking
so timidly beside the Widow Neur, you
would have found it hard to recognize the
beautiful Marie of the mountain.
So it happened that only her mother and
one other person knew how good and sweet
and how fair Marie was.
This other was stranger who came
AIOA1 d ldIdWdy 1uu SpcuU LIE
summers in little house on the noun
tain's very top.
The simple villagers called him ''the
wizard" and told strange tales of how he
spent whole nights gazing at the heavens
through a long tube; that he could fore
tell to an hour when the sun would cover
itself with darkness; but strangest of all
he had a little wire stretched for miles
over hills and valleys to the great city.
This wire talked TO him in queer language
which no ole else could understand.
Tick, tick, tickety, tick" it said, and it
told him things that happened miles and
miles away.
Marie did not know how wise the wizard
was when he came to her home one morn
ing and asked for drink of water.
He followed her to the spring when she
went for it, and stopped by the way to
break Open a curious stone. He showed
Marie how queerly marked it was inside,
and then told her story about it. The
usually timid maiden was so interested she
forgot to be frightened, and thus a strong
friendship between the two was begun.
After this the wizard often came to the
widows chalet for rest and refreshment on
his long rambles, and Marie unconsciously
revealed her charms to him, one by one,
until long before the first summer was
ended the stranger knew that no girl in
all the canton could be compared with
Marie
On the other side of the mountain from
the Widow Neur's home lived another
widow. She, too, had but one child-a son
who was the pride and delight of her life.
This was the brave young hunter and
guide, Gustavus Friel.
Every one knew and liked Gustavus.
He was tall, straight and handsome, with
flashing brown eyes and laugh as frank
as a child'S; he was the favorite of the can
ton and there was not a girl within its
bounds who would not have been proud to
plight her trOth with him.
Gustavus, however, cared little for the
Obgadin maidens. He would far rather
chase the channels up the mountain side
or guide travellers through it's dangerous
passes than spend his time with the finest
OF the maids of the hamlet
His mother often said, 'My son, when
wilt thou bring me home a daughter and
myself a wife?"
And Gustavus, smiling and pressing a
Kiss on her forehead, would answer:
hen | find a maid as good as thee,
mother; but | want no idle, shrill voiced
Vile TO disturb our quiet home"
But one day his mother said more sadly
and seriously than ever before:
GustavuS, | am growing old and feeble.
Lean no longer make and mend thy clothes
ana keep our home Thou must have a
VIE. Promise me at the fete next week
tnou wilt choose one from among the maid,
ems there"
Uustavus reluctantly gave the desired
promise but it weighed heavily upon him.
he could think of nothing else, and the
more be pOndered the heavier his heart
grew.
AT last he seized his gun and went out
Uh the mountain, but the perplexing ques-
ZION followed him, until in despair he
ont" himself on the ground grooming,
OA, that some wise man would make this
choice for mer'
a \ moment after he looked up and saw,
= II IN answer to his wish, the wizard ap-
Preaching him.
why" he exclaimed to himself, "did l
noV InInk of him befores Surely he, if any
one can help me-" Then with q throb-
lug neart Gustavus sprang up to meet
lie wizard greeted Gustavus warmly,
-Oi lie felt strong friendship for the
lung guide who had taken him safely
ulo'sh many dangerous mountain ex-
eursion
.o AnQ now his sympathetic question,
why, what's troubling you, my boy?"
AZ Rened the way for Gustavus to pour out
FL - us perplexity, ending his recital with
the question:
ME Oanst thou not help me choose good
n le VINO will make my life happy? For
toS. | nave given my mother my promise
~ t-lu wife at the fete next week"
Iue VIVA I'd lod and