Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-08

while tIey whirled and danced, eX-
hibitfng the true poetry of motion, a
half-score of wondrously comely and
symmetrical young women sang a ce-
Iestial melody-a strain wholly unlike
anything to which the youth had ever
listened, ar Intoxicating harmony that
strangely aroused his soul with its
message from another sphere.
In the center Of the rocky platform
rested choice, beautifully woven bas-
liet of golden willow which, as the red
man understood. had brought these
spirit like visitors to the earth. AS the
young tribesman became more absorb
ed by the woodland drama. the more
: he was fascinated ty the most lovely
, damsel of the group. until in his Gag
e1ness to possess her, reason was
thrust aside: he sprang forward to
prevent her departure.
The ethereal dancers, thrown into a
sweet panic ut his abrupt appearance,
scran bled into the basket with maid
| eniy shrieks of fright, proceeding in
that appropriate manner by which il
| is ever the custom of the maidenly
! breast to show disapproval of mere
man! Up sailed the golden basket car
with its burden OF celestial posies di-
| rectly toward that particularly bright
star, which, as you may be aware, still
shines over the enchanted rock, and
| which, rs the Young Indian quickly
aurmised. was the home of these rap
| turous singers.
Night followed night the frenzed
youth seereted himself near the scene
/ where he had become so deeply en-
amored. He became a dreamer, de-
! voted star-eaZef. So distant was the
-, lovely star and SO cold: yet, at times,
he fancied that il was not SO far above
[ him bat that it shone INTO his eyes
+, with more than human kindness
The procession of summer months
/, advanced and 1t was autumn: the
| leaves fell by night and day and win
| ter's drifting snow filled the hooks and
crannies Of Sleepy Hollow. There came
more JOYOUS and wonderful tidings
| from Naturet for the bithe messen-
gers which she sent speeding every
where announced IT was spring where
! of late the withered leaves had felt the
chill and icy fingers with which the
frost king had searched over hill and
| valley
Then an evening fell when the star
| virgins reassemhled to indulge in their
| mysterious rhythmical dance. While
in the midst of their happy gyrations.
/ the rash youth again thrust himself
| among them seized and firmly de-
| tanned the damsel Of his admiration,
| while her companions hurriealy van
| ished in their aerial basket convey
: ance.
Having been too long a bacne,or the
-, swain carried the Star Maiden off To
I his wigwam, where. apparently, she
/ was eentented as the weeks moved
| onward. and. instead of being wroth
| female over her ungallant undignified
abduction. was thoroughly pleased at
/ becoming the bride Of so resoluic Il
| forester.
y pleasant year rolled happily along,
when the wife became a mother. One
sadly remembered afternoon the In
5. dian pushed aside the portals of his
! lodge after being elsewhere for day,
/ to find his child sobbing there. but his
| celestial bride nowhere in sight. In
curry and seeking failed to reveal her
though he crossed valley, swamp, hill
| top and ravine, travelling through q
hundred strange and denSely grown
| woods in his treless pursuit. Then
| while he ga Led fondly and intently al
| the star blazing so splendidly aloft
| with its leans falling through the
1 night watches on the great table, rock,
| he realized that his gentle companion,
disturbed by restlessness such as
/ Urdine knew. had retraversed the
1 boundIess void TO that far world.
The child. now motherless. early
| sickened and heard the noiseless foot
fall of Death approach through those
/ avenues where the melancholy tawnS
/ thrush chants 4 deep throated requi-
| eu. The father made Il grave for his
| offspring in a high bank near the edge
| of tie Pocantico's rivers current
| Soon. morning dawned when he was
| missing; never afterward was he seen
| in that indian encampment. His hab-
| itation, unoccupied, unattended by wo-
manly hands soon fell in. was claimed
by decay. and his very couch present
| Is became a bed of weeds
| DAYS. weeks months, even years
| elapsed. when the astonished village
| beheld tie Star Maiden again moving
| among them. inqniring for her hunts
| man and deserted child. She imagined
| so quickly had lofty pleasure made
| time vanish in the star-realm, that
| she had been absent only few hours;
she was puzzled and dumbfounded
when she was assured over and over
| that not few hours but that three
years had INTERVIEWED
she FASTENED to the grave at the riv-
[ erside, and soon after disappeared
within Sleepy Hollow woods, evidently
| to gain some trace of her husband,
however it may lie, the villagers an
nounee that she returned to them no
| more.
Yet light is, even in these prosaic
| latter wears, reported to illuminate the
| table-rock after midnight during a
| certain halmy period of spring: light
| which is not wholly from the star
| above it: while it is Whispered when
| the hours of darkness creep upon the
| last sunbeams, and the mournful com
| plant of the night wind has a weird
| tone and IA stranger sadness, the misty
| form of the star beauty has been dis
] eerned searching through the wood
4 loo L..