Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-10-22
S. Barring GOULD
CHAPTER XVI.
Watt.

The hot July sun brought out their
resinous fragrance. Cleans Of fire
fell through the boughs and dappled
the soil at intervals, and on these sun
fakes numerous fritillary butterflies
with silver under-wings were futter-
ing and countless flies were humming
The pines grew only at the bottom Of
Che crags, and here and there in pat
shes on the slopes. The woods were
composed for the most part Of oak,
aow in it's richest, fullest foliage, the
golden hue Of early spring changing
10 the duller green Of summer. Beech
also abounded with their clean stems,
and the soil beneath them bare Of
weed, and here and there a feathery
birch with erect silver stem struggled
up in the overgroWth to the light.
The wood was full Of foxgloVes, spires
pink dappled bells, and Of purple
columbine. Wild roses grew where
in the sunshine and burst into album
dant bloom over it's face. Eve car
ried her straw hat on her arm, hung
by its ribands. She needed it's shell
ter in the wood no more than in her
fathers hall.
She came to brook, dribbling and
tinkIing on it's way through moss and
over stone. The path was fringed
with blazing marigOlds. Eve had
already picked some, she now halted,
and brimmed the extemDorised basket
with more Of the golden flowers.
The gloom, the fragrant air, the
flicker Of color made her think OF the
convent chapel at Lanherne, whittier
she had been sent for her education,
but whence, having pined under the
restraint she had been speedily re-
moved. As she walked she swung her
hat like a censor. From it rose the
fresh odor Of flowers, and from it
dropped now and then a marigold like
a burning cinder. Scarce thinking
what she did, Eve assumed the slow
measured pace of religious process
sion. as she had seen one at Lanherne,
still swinging her hat and letting the
flowers fall from it whilst she chanted
meaningless words to a sacred strain.
Then she caught her straw hat to her,
and holding it before her in her left
arm, advanced at quicker pace, still
singing. Now she dipped her right
hand in the crown and streWed the
blossoms to left and right, as did the
little girls in the Corpus Christi pro
ccsaiOn round the convent grounds at
Lanherne Her song quickened and
frightened, and changed its character
as her fighty thoughts shifted to
other topics, and her Changeful mood
assumed another complexion. Her
tune became that OF the duet Laci
darem la manO, in Don Giovanni,
which she had often sung with her
sister. Size sang louder and more joy
ousIv. and her feet moved in rythm
to this song, as they had to the &C.
clestastical chant; her eyes sparkled,
her cheeks flushed
1t seemed to her that a delicate
echo accompanied her-Very soft and
spiritual, now in snatches, then low,
rolling, long-drawn-out She stopped
and listened, then went on again.
What she heard was the echo from the
rocks and tree boles.
Rut presently the road Became
sleeper, and she could no longer spare
breath for her song; now the sacred
chant was quite forgotten, but the
sweet air of Mozart chung to her mem
DRY, as the scent of pot-pourri to a
parIor, and there it would linger the
rest of the day.
AS she walked on she was in a
dream. What must it be to hear these
songs accompanied by instruments,
and with light and scenery, and acting
on the stage? Oh, that she could for
once in her life have the supreme
felicity of seeing a real play!
Suddenly a flash of vivid golden
light broke before her, the trees
parted. and she stood on the Raven
Rock, precipce that shoots high above
the lamar and commands a wide
prospect over Cornwall-Hingston
Hill, where Athelstan fought and beat
the Cornish in the last stand the Bri-
tons made, and Kit Hill, dome of
moorclad mountain. AS she stepped
forth on the rock to enjoy the light
and view and air, there rushed out
Of the oak and dog-wood bushes a
weird boy, who capered and danced,
brandished a fiddle, clapped it under
his chin, and still dancing, played La
ci daren fast, faster, till his little arms
went faster than Eve could see.
The girl stood still, petrifed with
terror. Here was the Pixy of the
Raven Rock Jasper had spoken Of.
The malicious boy saw and revealed in
her fear, and gambolled round her,
grimacing and still fddling till his
tune led up to and finished in a shrek
There. there said he, at length
lowering the violin and bow; how I
have scared you, Eve.'
Eve trembIed in every limb, and
was too alarmed to speak. The seen
cry, the rock. the boy, swan in a blue
haze before her eyes.
There. Eve, don't be frightened
You led me on with your singing.
followed in your fowery traces. Don't
YOU know me?'
Eve shook her head. She could not
speak.
You have seen me. You saw me
that night when I came riding over