The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-05-17

yet asked of the Water Lily why she
passed all her time gazing upward to-
ward the sky, although they might well
have observed that the Lady Moon
shone there in all her splendor When
the foolish ones slept the Moons rays
grew brighter and brighter, glinted full
across the lake and embraced the flower,
which was transformed by love into
Wili-o' -the-wisp, which danced and
fiirted constantly with its beloved.
The Tulip was the first to be aroused
by this Will 'the-wisp, for as he had
lived at court he was used to watching
and slumbered lightly. He drew him
self up with great austerity, for he saw
that the Water Lily was a person Of
doubtful reputation, who allowed her
self to be embraced in most unbecom-
ing manner by the Moon, danced about
like a siren, threw aside all modesty
and provoked and leased her neighbors,
who nevertheless revered her and look
ed upon her as quite saint
So the Tulip lost no time in relating
his discovery to his nearest neighbors
in the flower world.
The Forgetmenot opened its blue
eyes 80 wide, so wide in their inno-
cenoe, that they actually remained lar
ger than when they first saw the light.
The Lily of the Valley, who tenderly
loved the Water Lily, wept bitter tears,
whereupon the Tulip grew bright red
with anger and continued to repeat his
story to the surrounding plants, who
drew together in groups and chartered
and recounted it to the South Wind,
who was just then passing over them.
The Wind repeated it to the Flags, to
the Water, to the Clouds, who frowned
in anger and Immediately covered the
Moon with veil.
The tall blue Gentian, perohed like
cavalier on the slope of the mountain,
had heard tell of the beautiful Water
Lily. He imagined that there lay at the
bottom of his heart spirit of fire equal
to that of the Will-o' the-wisp.
He had for some time been enamored
of the Edelweiss and would gladly have
fondled her velvety leaves. He was all
the more in love because the two cas-
ties, under the walls of which they
dwelt, were separated by deep ohasm.
For all time cavaliers have given proof
of their easy conscienoes and have de-
manded moral perfection from their
own wives only. The cavalier brandish-
ed his lance in the sight of the Edel-
weiss. to make believe he was going
a-fghting, and the Alpine Roses ad-
mired him as he passed and blushed
and regretted that the cavalier Gentian
had set out in search of adventure in
stead of contenting himself with their
charms.
But the Edelweiss was of too proud
and ancient lineage to show the least
regret at his departure and remained
frigid and cool in her velvet robe near
the terrace of her castle and barely bow
ed her head as the cavalier couohed his
lance on passing before her.
Some time afterward falcon, wheel
ing overhead perceived that this indif-
ference was but assumed, and spoke to
the Edelweiss of the water in the valley
below and of the beautiful white Lily
which reigned over it. He told her how
the cavalier Gentian had fought with
and been vanquished by Prince Mar
cissus, whose perfumed darts had caused
him to fall s4nseless to the earth. The
Edelweiss did not allow her emotion to
appear, but she felt a cold shiver run
throughout her frail body and would
willingly have listened to further de-
tails, but the falcon had already flown
away, and her dignity did not permit
her to recall him.
Prince Narcissus thus became hero,
and was nightly astonished to find
himself such. Hitherto his chief occu-
patton had been to contemplate his own
reflection in the waters of the lake, to
perfume himself, and to languish in the
wake of the Water Lily, and so render
himself more interesting in the sight of
the neighboring flowers He looked
with disdain on the evergreen Ivy,
whom he regarded as mere poet and
would not even deign to glance at the
worthless Reed, but stopped up his ears
with a weary, scornful air when the
Reed thought good to rustic.
Prince Narcissus did not care to harm
the Laburnum. He felt pity for it,
though he could have annihilated 1t
with one watt of his pungent perfume.
The Poppy and the Dandelion were,
for him, personages of too low born ex-
traction, and for trifle he would have
adopted rude manner toward them.
But with Cavalier Gentian it was
quite different affair. He had come
down from his heights and defied all
those who were enamored of the Water
Lily. Narcissus had accepted his chal-
lenge and had overwhelmed him with
his pungent odor.
AS his reputation for valor was now
firmly established he would have liked
in his vanity thousands of voices to be
raised in his praise and grew angry
when the frogs croaked requiem in
compliment to the fallen cavalier.
However, such is the way of the world.
AS long as one is alive it refuses to pay
one homage. One must die before being
appreciated and honored.
What would Narcissus have said had
ho hAOWA blldt bu0 IIuo1W6l5b IODh Lu6
veil ON account of her deep sorrow on
the death of the cavalier Gentiani
Toward evening, when he had rested
from the fatigue of the day, he cried in
voice so loud as to be heard all around {:
"Come to me, thou beauteous her.
. NIT, SO white and pure. Thou art meet
and fit to be my own princess.
Hardly had he pronounced these
words when he was attacked by prick
ing pains, which seemed to be burning
him on all sides, but he determined to
grasp and conquer his enemy.
He succeeded in catching hold of the
Will-o' the wisp and grasped it so firm
ly that it was soon inert and grew cold
er and colder and heavier and heavier.
Eventually the burden became so great
| that be let it fall at his feet, and there
lay monstrous jewel, white as the
Water Lily, but bearing in its depths a
marvellous blending of all the colors in
heaven and ON the earth, with fire as
vivid as that of the Will-o' -the-wisp.
Suddenly the Reeds were pushed
aside, and long bearded gnome issued
from the lake and gazed with google
eyes at the newborn Opal.
r L.. 4, 4,