Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-01-28
THE LORELEI.


IL quaint old houre. IN room thst
was large and bare, with curious noolrs
and corners, with windows deep and
dark curtainod, and q yawnlng cavern
ous fireplace. sat and pondered. The
fire was burned out, save a pile OF glow
ing Goals, which threw q ntful glare
through the shadows Of the room up to
the brown rafters overhead. without the
wind shrieked and howled and whis-
tied, the shutters clattered and the hail
beat upon the window panea The fre
CLEANS ceased. The wind shrieked load
or and the spirit OF fear entered into and
took possession Of me.
Oh, for light
Starting in q frenzy, raked some
Goals together, and seizing an old violin
that lay IN Il corner threw IL on the
Goals in hope Of light sufficient to dispel
the gloom for few moments at least.
There was a cracking, and there went
up a blue fame, and at that instant
there came a quick, singing blow ON
my temple-a blow like the shock from
an electric battery-and fell TO the
door, insensible. When my mind came
back 10 me, the room was filed with
darkness SO intense could discern moth
ing. looked toward the fire. Written
In letters Of flame upon the back wall Of
black, in letters that fickered and grew
pale and then bright, now with a blue
light and now with a red, saw this
strange story that try to tell 70 you:
OF old there was a race Of women
who were 1.-the and tall and fair. Thoir
eyes were like stars and their hair like
strands Of gold, or q veil covering them
below the knees. This was when Jove
reigned In Olympus and the gods and
goddesses paid homage to him there.
Now these women were slaves to the
goddeases, but when they sang, Jove left
his throne and all the gods wept and
thought Of naught save these-the Lore
lei
Then the goddesses were sore dis
pleased, and their hearts were bitter
with jealousy, so that they pleaded with
Jove and finally prevailed upon him to
cast the Lorelei out Uf Olympus and to
drown them in the sea.
SO the Lorelei were hurled into the
waters. But as they sank they cried
aloud, and the sweetness Of their voices
pierced Neptuno's heart, so it was filed
with compassion, and be sent ENJOYS to
guide them through the waters and into
the cavernous palaces under the sea--the
palaces whose walls were Of silver span
gled with gold, whose light was the
glimmer from diamonds. whose floors
were Of pearls, and many gems were IN
the sands around. The Lotelei sang to
thank kind Neptune, and the monsters
Of the deep drew near and ceased to
move. but stood BY tho entrances 10 the
caverns and were spellbound by the mu-
sic.
The Loreloi maidens were happy.
They danced and sang the livelong day,
and the queen Of Lorelei led them. The
water was warm, and its surface glitter
cd and sparEled and flashed, and the
Lorelei chased each other and sang for
very glndness There was q ship ON the
sea. and when the breeze reached II laden
with music-the music Of the Lorelei's
voices-the sailors were charmed. so
that the helmsman stood as one dead,
and the captain was silent, but reached
forth his hands. The winds and waves
bore the ship on, and the voices of the
Lorelei sounded more plainly than be-
fore.
The ship was without guidance. Il
struck upon the rocks and sank. But the
men we're e. dead men before Il went
down, for their ears were filed and
their pulses were stopped BY the songs
o. tho sirens. The waters closed over
the ship and her crew, and after r1any
days the bones Of the sailors were cast
upon the sands Of the shore, and the
summer suns and winter rains bleached
them. Other ships came. Tho crews
heard and perished, aud the shore was
alrown with bones, even o. the sands.
The Isoreioi nl0uFned and sang to warn
men away. But the voices were SO sweet
men came ever toward thom 10 their de-
structi0n.
The Loroiei were accused By man
Kind, 30 that the queen Of the Lorolei
came no more through the wassrs, bnt
wandered in and out through the coral
groves ia the depths Of the sea. Ships
ceased 70 be ioat and the bones upon the
aeahore were covered with moss and the
grass and nowors grew near 20 the wa
ter's odga
Now, back from. the shore was for
est. mighty and old The trunks Of the
trees were like great columns and the
branches formed arches oyolhoadi the
leaves were the canopy and tho whole
seemed like D great cathedral Tho
ground was soft with the fallen leaves.
and in this forest the sun noYer ahons
save when the winds came softly and
gently through the bonehh, lifted the
leaves nuttsringly and let sunbeam
through. which foll aslant upon the
ground IN tho heart oi this forest was
a castle. The castle was old. dark and
grim. and tho lord oi iho castle had
been wandering IN iogaign lands fol
many yoara
a now year had como and Was half
gone when the lord came home. The air
wna soft aud warm and allied with the
aonn u birds and the hum 81 insects.