The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-04-24

Arthur and His knights" IN 50. NichoLaa.
II UT when King Arthur had
x come unto the lake, there he
beheld the miracle that Mcr-
G lin had told to him aforetime
For To-! there in the midst Of the ex-
panse Of water was the appearance of
fair and beautiful arm, as Of a
woman, clad in all white samite. And
the arm was encircled with several
bracelets Of wrought gold; and the
land held q sword Of marvellous work
m2nship aloft in the air above the sur
face Of the water; and neither the arm
nor the sword moved so much as a
haii s-breadth, but were motionless like
to q caryen image upon the surface OF
the lake. And behold! the sun CT that
strange land shOnc down upon the hilt
Of the sword and it was Of pure gold
beset with Jewels of several sorts.
so that the hilt of the sword and the
bracelets that encircled the arm
glistened in the midst of the lake like
to some triangular star Of exceeding
splendor.
And so King Arthur sat upon his
war-hOrse and gazed from distance
at the arm and the sword, and he
greatly marveled thereat; yet he wist
not how he might come at that sword.
for the lake was wonderfully wide and
ceep, wherefore he knew not how he
might come thereunto for to make it
his own. And as he sat pondering
within himself, he was suddenly aware
Of strange lady, who approached
him through those tall flowers mat
bloomed along the margin Of the lake
And when he perceived her coming
toward him he quickly dismounted
from his War-horse, and. with the
bridle-rein over his arm, he went for
ward for to meet her AS he came
nigh to her he perceived that she was
wonderfully beautiful, and that her
hair was like silk ard as black as il
was possible TO be, and so long that
it reached unto the ground as she
walked. And this strange lady was
clad all in green, only that q fine cord
of crimson and gold was interviewer
into the pleats of her hair. And around
her neck there hung a very beautiful
necklace Of several strands OF opal
stones and emeraIds set in cunningiy
wrought gold; and Ground her wrists
were bracelets Of The like sort OF
opal stones and 'cmeralds set in gold.
And when King Arthur beheld her
wonderful appearance, he Immediately
Elclt before her upon one knee in the
midst Of all those flowers. Lady"
quoth he Il do certainly perceive that
thou art no mortal demoiselle Also
that this place, because Of its eXtraor-
binary beauty can be no other than
some land Of faerie into which 1 have
entered"
king Arthur" replied the lady
Chou sayst soothly, for I am indeed
faerie. Moreover, I may tell thee that
my name is Nymuc, and that I am tho
chiefest Of those ladies Of the lake OF
whom thou mayst have heard people
speak"
Lady" said King Arthur, "that
which thou teIest me causes me tC
wonder a very great deal And, in
deed am afraid that in coming hither
ward l have been doing amiss for t.
intrude upon the solitude Of your dwell
ing-place."
"Nay, not so, King Arthur" quotl
the Lady of the Lake; "for, in truth
thou art very welcome hereunto Like
wise, may tell thee that thou coulds
not have entered this land had W,
not been willing for thee to do so
Moreover, 1 tell thee truly that have
a greater friendliness for thee ant
those noble knights OF thy court than
thou canst easily wot Of. But l q
beseech thee OF thy courtesy for TO tel
me what it is that brings thee to GU
land"
Lady" quoth the King, II will tel
thee the entire truth. l fought OF lat
n battle with q certain Sable Knight, il
the which l was sorely and grievousl.
wounded, and wherein l burst N.
spear and snapped my sword and los
even my misericorde, so that l had no
4 single thing left me by way of
weapon In this extremity Merlin
here, told me of Excalibur, and Of HOY
1t is continuously upheld by an. arm
Ia the midst Of this magical lake. S