Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-23


dreamily contemplating. the pale siiyery
moon, dimly visible in the darkening sky
We should watch her waxsn petals gradually
becominG tinged with the glory that
shining now a. q great golden flower over
head--and then we should behold how the
white lake blossom, kissed BY the moon
blossoms rays. expands and giows ana
qu,vers and Is at last transformed into q
fame that struggles to soar on high to
meet the immortal flame at which 1t but
now was kindled.
When the water-lly found that for all her
Efforts she could not break away from the
fine but tenacious little roots that held her
anchored fast to the floor of the lake she
was sad at first and paused IN her WHO
dance, but it was as If the moonlight cast
q spell over her that she was powerless to
resist, and in another moment she had
darted forward again in her mad career.
She seemed, indeed. to a certain extent to
to have put on a new character with her
new attire. showing herself lively and play
fui as one would never have expected from
the dreamy disposition she had hitherto
displayed. She was very much amused at
the foolish appearance of many OF her ad-
mirers. as overcome with sleep they hung
their heads and dangled drowsily on their
limp stems.
It must be owned that the wicked will-o'-
the-wisp took a special and malicious pleas
ure in disturbing the slumbers of some OF
this most highly honored Of the jewellers by
the pool. tormenting them by capering
around and waking them from their sleep
and then when her object was achieved
darling of again with the swiftness of sum-
mer lightning before they had more than
glimpse of the offender
The most indignant at her pranks was the
Tulip. q lady of certain age and OF Very
reserved and stately manners. as beseemed
one who had been at court in her youth,
and strongly objected to all frivolous and
thoughtless conduct. She was always the
most easily awakened by the Will-othe-
wisps gambols; indeed, she hardly seemed
to require any sleep at all. thanks to her
EARL training at court, and was popularity
supposed to sleep with one eye open. 1t
was perhaps for this reason that she was
able to keep such good watch over all her
neighbours and above all to spy out the be-
hayior Of the Water-liy. To such good pur-
eyes she did succeed in witnessing what
actually occurred and knew for certainty
that the Water-lily and the WilI-o'-the- wisp
were one and the same person.
She was not surprised, she told every one,
only most painfully shocked and grieved
to find her worst suspicious corroborated.
For very long time. Of course. she had
been perfectly aware that the Water-lily.
for all her pretended propriety. was In
reality no better than she should be. and
1t was only by sheer kindness OF heart
that she had held her tongue. But still,
she had not been prepared for anything
quite so bad as the truth that had now
come to light.
Such shamelessness she would never have
thought possible! That an apparently we'll
brought-up young person should not only
let herself be kissed by the Moon. but
should throw off all modesty to the ex-
tent Of running after her lover. dancing
like one possessed in order to attract his at
tention. and at the same time turning into
rIdicule the door dupeS who had been taken
in by her prudish airs-that was past all
belief, and no punishment could be sum-
cient for the offense! In any case, she, the
Tulip, could no longer hold her peace about
such goings-on, lest her own reputation SUI
fer in consequence.
The first to whom she told her discovery
was the Forget-me-not. who, in utter aston
ishment and incredulity, opened her blue
eyes to their widest extent looking more
childishly simple than ever, and the Tulip.
irritated at such countrfied ignorance.
turned from her in disgust. But the Lily
of-the-Valley, into whose ear she next
poured the story. was an old friend OF the
Water-lily, and began to cry so bitterly at
hearing the latter spoken III of that there
was evidently nothing to be done with her
either. and the busybody, flushing deep
er red with anger and spite, hurried on 90
spread the scandal among the Grasses.
They are born gossips, and they began at
once to chatter and giggle. and when
they had talked the matter over among
themselves they told 1t to the Wind. who
was just passing by, and the Wind confided
1t to the Rushes. who repeated 1t to the
Clouds. and the Clouds. frowning with
righteous indignation, hid the Moons face
from sight. But the GlOW-WOfnlS ana r lTo-
flies nesting among the grasses. had also
heard the, news, and were quite excited,
thinking they could perhaps persuade the
lovely new fantastic light to join in their
revels SO 1t was wonderful scene OF con-
fusion and tumult that now took place
upon the troubled lake.
The the-wisp, naturally feeling
herself being observed and discussed by all,
danced madly to and fro; the Firefiies,
thinking this was only done to lead them
on, closed round the dancer, trying hard to
catch her. Everywhere the little fairy
lights We're glowing. among the Rushes,
In the Moss and In the Grass; and all were
reflected In the water. that showed. too, the
bright image of the Moon, just escaped
from behind the imprisoning Clouds. Never
was there a fairer, stranger night, SO full
of mysterious yearnings. that seemed all
to weave themselves into a soft filmy haze.
a luminous mist, EMBEDDING all things. And
that enchanted atmosphere was only dis
persed at last by the rays of the rising
sun, dissolving 1t into a refreshing dew, to
revive the drowsy flowers. Amazed. they
lifted their heads and shook the crystal
drops from their leaves, as they tried to
live on in the wondrous dream. But the
revels were over and the lights had all
burnt out, and all they beheld was the still.
pale Water-lily reposing languidly on the
motionless waters. gazing into a gray. col
orless sky, IN which the Moon was slowly
fading away.