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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
“DOINGS” OF 51. 509
another, which continued a small but
steady blaze—boldly now I walked forward and by the dim uncertain light recognized old Hall—he sat upon a log by
the smoldering embers and remnants of a
fire, covered with an old blanket which
he hugged about him with folded arms,
and his chin hung heavily upon his breast.
[ laid my hand upon his shoulder, he did
not notice it, I shook him gently, calling
him by name; raising his head slowly, he
cast upon me such a look as I never shall
forget, such despair, such anguish, such
a terrible expression was there in that
face, that I trembled asI returned the
gaze—those features are before me now,
and I can see them as I did then by the
light of those brands and with utter darkness all around. I sat beside him, and
asked the cause of so much distress;
mournfully he turned his head and looked
upon the fire. After a few moments silence he spoke, but his voice was so
changed that I scarcely knew it. ‘“ All
is over,” he said, “there is nothing left
me now but to die; the spring is lost,
never again will the water flow into the
basin.”
“Oh yes, it will,” I said, “the spring
always lowers at night, the basin will be
full again to-day.”
“Never! never!! never!!!”
“But why not, has anything happened?
Tell me about it; I cannot believeit to be
so bad.”
He drew his tattered covering closer to
him, and holding one. of my hands heneath it, commenced in a tremulous whisper to narrate the following; at times he
was firm and wildly earnest, then his
voice would grow deep with pathos, and
his words broken with emotion.
“Last night I was in the elder grove
by the spring till long after midnight. It
began to rain; and feeling very cold, I
made a fire here, and sat by it as I do
now. With that stick lying there I stirred the brands and coals, and as the
sparks flew up, I laughed to see them
take all kinds of shapes and dance about.
When the air was full of figures, a puff
of smoke burst from the fire, and amid
the sparks and smoke I saw a female
form beautiful beyond description. She
was robed in pure white,.and her hair
fell in ringlets to her waist. She wore
upon her head a wreath made of young
green elder sprigs ; in her hand she held
a wand of elder, studded with dew-drops.
She waved the wand, and pointing to the
hollow between the road and spring, said
in a voice full of melody—rich and sweet
with music—“ Thy reward is there!” 1
found a pick and shovel, and running to
the spot, commenced to work. Six feet
below the surface I removed a rock, and
water came rushing in upon me. Atthe
same instant I heard an exultant and derisive laugh. Looking up, I saw on the
bank above me the same form I saw in
the smoke, but her face was old and
wrinkled, her hair disheveled. Then
came a chorus of a thousand voices,
shouting, “Zhe evil genius of the garden!” and the form was gone. I sprang
upon the bank, and rushed to the elders.
Just as I reached them, a wail, piercing,
loud and sorrowful, burst forth, and the
hill caught up that mournful cry and
sent it back again; then all was still.
Twas the lament of the Water Spirit—
it came, and the spring was dry.”
His head dropped upon his breast, and
he was silent. J did not care to disturb
him ; gathering some fuel, I threw it upon the dying embers, and then sitting
again beside him, I also for a time remained quiet. At length I ventured to
address him; he made no reply. The
fire was blazing cheerfully, and we sat
within a halo of light. He must be
sleeping, I thought ; and bending down,
I looked up into his face... An involuntary shudder came over me. Seizing a.
lighted brand, I held it near, and looked
again. Alas! the spring was lost—the