CHAPII^ Vl.}j

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1994, 18 April 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPII^ Vl.} j

In tha blue tf Kca'. m af sr Shines many n brilli mi •?- ir ; Down oa tint dull en'Mi i>>lk./ Thou ait the only st ir v,e l~l ~ io ,' 1 The young men sidpp r ,d tyri *; ' i." 5 with thoir caps raise 1, a, it t> -„. ' ; i . goddess. The beautiful a--^ i■ . i > wonderingly and sparchu' y- l . a o.i ' j other. Her face brighttn^d ; ". " '''■", < shone with an yxpnHsion of dca ;' *;, •■ ../ ', and welcome. She wm roVi m •'*•< n ' white and cloud like, rriu-v. 1 ** i i • monious tints of tha purj c'ou , "v" 1 <. i dung to her form ana !\.l -ytj' j<s li >. •-' '- , movement. Her arnv3 woia o:\-',Al' <\\ -"> exquisitely rounded. Oi her fnj T ; ..= wore sandals. She advancsd tow3rl3 t~2 v'r'x hands outspread. "Ye are come from t!'3 71; -.", V '"> i ■aid, in tones that thnllcl b r t< - en. Barely, if ever, had they howl <i rjitj 'u ■weet, yet so resonant, so nci i i m ' r!/. The voice itself wa3 something to'ii't'. but the words, and their bein^ hi th^ j : English, made it still more extKio-dia'uv. The young men looked at each other, unable to speak. " Yes ; I expected you would corns somj day," continued the strange baing, " soma day when the sun was shining and tha skj clear. For you live away bayond the heavenly gates of blue, beyond tho glory of the azure, beyond the crimson acd golden and purple portals of the •lun^et ; you aorna from the brilliant Achernar, fir bsyond tae bounds of this universe. Tfiiuk not, bsaui.'ful strangers — for you are beautiiul, all bu6 one, and he, I think, is beautuul ia soal — that I have not worshipped your star— it i<3 my favorite in the heavens. Listen for a moment — I have composed a h/<na to your glorious home, the abode of those wno coma from the Hereafter." And while the young men stood by, ntterlj bewildered, the lovely girl paur'jj fo?th n-jr glorious voice, filling the air wiih m'lod/, in these peculiar words, wedded to an air ia tin minor key, with remarkable intervals : When the sun has sunk to rest In the splendors oi tk'j u-osr, And tho darkness deeply falU In its many-folded palls, And the dreamy diamonds shine In the canopy Divine, Then I wander forth in dreams, Worshipping their glorious gleams ; But amidst theso lamps afar, One I name my homo, my star — 'Tis the glorious star, Which is named Acher;:ar, Which shines from afar Through the spangled sea ; And a voice I hear | Fiom that glorious sphere Calling " Home, home," to mo But a few and wetry years, \ But a few though bitter tears, But a sorrow more or less, And some days of happiness, And tbe struggle toon is o'er, We will reach the silver ihoro, Take from earth one final flight, From the regions of the night, To the happy homes af,\r, To my golden lighted star — 'Tis the glorious star, That is named Achernar. Which shines from afar In the spangled sea ; And a voice I hear From that sacred sphere Calling " Home, home " to mi !

The song and its marvellous enc:hvjtmeuS ceased, the echoes died away, and the beautiful girl advanced to take their hy/jdi ,i br gh; welcome making her faca a'o3olut3ly lovj.y beyond power of pen or of pencil to descioe. The magio of her manner and prejsnee w&3 such that even Harry completely lost his snrcasm and invariable habit of looking si everything from the ridiculou3 light. Ot/aorwiiQ he would have regarded thj fair siager U;t demented, and concluded bo hid lighted upon an island that had besn created a reiuge for lunatics by some paterna E iropean Government anxious to g£t rid of its burdens. A<i for Herbert and Ebby, men with de >p^r fee»ings and true poatical instincts th^y wire spellbound. This was utterly bsyond their experience. The loveliness of this calld oi nature, her sweet simplicity, her utter unconsciousness of the formalities ha>l a charm that to them seemed not o[ this world. " I told my father," ahe said, " tait wa would have visitors from tb.9 HjraaEfciT, And that no one would come here from the Und he hates so terribly, the Worll of Sui; welcome, you are welcome to tha Happy Isle." She took Herbert's hand la luri an 1 guzjl wistfully, inquisitively into ii.i ha4v.ljji.ifaoe. How her touch tlinlied luta U thi wry soul ! Presently oho raiasdhis hand ati'l I~ Vo I u» its strong but delicate foinrUion w.vii J * ;^» Then she passed nee hand o/o; hi: io*.m vf -a wondering delight, dud tnroiijja ix'i ea lj hair. " How very beautiful yoa aoa,' 1 lie t-m >. ; "beautiful, buc with a b'sut; il if ,cii mine, You are like thu goi* m y Ijl. describes — tho gods ofstu w j 1 v! <.<f <k .." " You have se3n all tiid. j woisl-., .i .' ; j > ' not, even tho world oi sia I fcuu i > j i. > wrong. What i 3 it to do wrong ? " Herbert could not reply [>„ 0:3 ■ . * 3 taken Ebhy's had and ni^p-a.: 4 'i.iv w.. * that sweet scrutiny that Wti;. ox * „ I^6 most charming. "You are not like him," thi j.1 1 ; •> 1 are from another star, froai F»">jpl o O.; A ui, and yet I like you ; taeio io -> > j 1. ( ; c * good and kind in jour ficd. toa ait. - •.*..• tiful, too," sha continual p» >( 3.'..>,' j <± •.«.*, " but I don't like yoar looki. I">.i>m, tt j tho satyrs my father tiiaw'o, aaa \. \oi u< says live on the coasts of t'n Won ia •. . — only you aro more b.'aatif jl 1. . .". ' 1 „ . <■/ very beautiful, bai it u a Uj-u , 1 w.^ui understand." "Beautiful larly of t'l2 Kwoj ~ " ■. I Herbert, advancing 5 wo are ia.i^ I c .... -ways and did not expeoo t>u:h u r.m 'aou. iYo are, I am sorry to say, Iroia u^ no.v 01 sin." "No, no," she s&id qu^kly, pa- Ijj nvorn him, "you are noc ; you citio. os — u [pointing to Harry] ra*y. Ho/ v~ ■_> , v<; very handsome you are. I rnu-^ J»>' -> , a. ' And before Hsrbetfc coula ia:j. c nuj puS her two hand? upua his t>buul J-ju »n i kwjoJ him — on the lips. (To be continued.)