Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-05-29

youngest heads. Rosetta, aged 8. and
the baby curls Of Pearl. the 2-year-oid.
Ida had climbed in last of all, and there
was hardly room for her, so she had
slipped one arm around the baby and
fallen asleep with the rest. 1t was
such fun. his game Of make believe
In the old trunk But as the mother
raised the lamp to look down at the
sleeping faces she gave a scream Of
terror that echoed through the whole
house.
Ii has been a game OF make-believe.
but there had been an unseen play
mate. n who had not played quite
fair. and 1t was Death, the reaper Of
young flowers.
One by one the kindly hands Of
~neighbors summoned by the mothers
cry for help lifted the little ones from
their trunk. Ida was still alive, but
died within a few minutes. 1t was all
SO terribly, tragically simple! They
had hidden in play in the old trunk.
and the lid had fallen and caught fast.
And they had waited for mother to
come-waited until they a fallen
asleep. n the Reaper had gathered
them mercifully as they lay uncon-
scious. After all, he was not such a
harsh playmate. merely a careless me-.
1t is an old. old story, this n so re-
cent and new out in Kankakee. Cen
turtles ago 1t happened In Italy. and the
sadness and mystery of it's a
have thrilled many a chance reader of
Samuel Rogers oem "Ginevra"-
Ginevra. child bride of Modena, who
ran Laughing and looking backward
from her wedding feast to hide in play
in the old gallery Of the palace.
Great was the JOY; but at the nuptiai
feast,
When all sat down, the bride herself was
wanting.
Nor was she TO be found. Her father cried,
It's but to make a trial Of our love"
And filed his glass TO all, but his hand
And soon from guest to guest the panic
spread.
Twas but thai instant she had left Fran
ceSco,
Laughing and looking back, and flying
Her ivory tooth imprinted on his finger.
But now. alas. she was not to be found.
Nor from that hour could anything be
guessed.
But that she was not.
Full fifty years were past and ali forgot
When on an idle day. a day OF search.
Mid the old lumber in the gallery,
That Wondering chest was noticed, and
twas said,
BY one as young. as thoughtless as Gin
ezra,
why not remove 1T from its lurking
place."
Twas done as soon as said: but on the
way
It burst, II fell. and 10. a skeleton,
With here and there a pearl. an emerald
stone,
A golden clasp. c~lasping a shred OF gold.
All else had perished-save a wedding ring.
And a small seal. her mothers legacy.
Engraven with a name. the name OF both.
"Ginevra."
There then had she found a grave.
Within that chest had she concealed her.
self,
Fiuttering with JOY, the happiest of tins
happy.
When a spring lock, that lay in ambush
there,
Fastened her down forever.
Centuries ago. Later, in England,
the story found Its way into a song.
and Christmas eve. the merriment was
hushed while some one sang Of the
mistletoe bough. and OF L0vell's bride,
who a played hide and seek. and
vanished, to be found years after. q
skeleton in an old chest.
Perhaps, IL the old trunk had been
concealed In a garnet. the mystery OF
the three little ones might never have
been u~nraveiled until years hence, the
trunk had been dragged from its cor
ner. and It's secret laid bare. But this
time the mothers hand opened IL to
the light and the story al revealed