Life — December 3, 1898 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Land of Pearls. NE day I lay on the rocks, gazing dreamily out to sea, Fur away on the clear blue water floated two ships, their white sails lapping lazily in the calm. The day was bot, the murmuring water among the rocks made me drowsy— my book fell from my relaxed hand, I had nover been a realist; the story, therefore, irritated me; the author had struck a false note, Was be merely un ape?—a hing’s jester with cap and bells, whose business was to amuse the crowd? I sighed, and looked over the edge of the rocks, down into the calm of a deep xreen pool. To its walls long seaweed clung, which floated with the rising of the tide, The water was so clear I saw tho bottom. It was covered with flne white nd, behold, in the centro swam a maid, swishing her tail and laugh- ing as she played tag with a bluefish, 1 watched the game, till at last the blue- fish grew tired and swam moodily away. With a toss of ber head she blew him a kiss, and, swishing her tail, she swam to a rock near by, Up she climbed and seated herself in the warm sun, She then shook out her hair, which bung to her waist in long, fair waves. I gazed enraptured, She looked toward mo finally; her eyes twinkled,a pretty smile stole over her face, and, putting both dainty hands to her mouth, she blew me a kiss, With a coy look, but with roguish eyes, she then said: “ Won't you come down, fair sir, and sit by me on the rock? It's cooler here; besides, we can talk and be merry. Please come down.” I descended and leaped upon the rock, As did 80, she held out her pretty arms and laughed with delight, I seated inyself by her. Placing her hand in mine and looking up coquettishly, sho asked: Don’t you think he was very rude?” “Rude! Why, who was rude, my pretty mermaid?” “The bluefish, He left me ina tiff, be- cause he couldn't catch me, You see, ho thinks—I love him, But I don’t, you know, Now, you wouldn't be so rude, would you?” Sho was so bewitching, I put my arm round her and kissed ber lips. “Nay, my “LIPE « pretty maid. How could he have been 80 rude?” A faint blush stole into her cheeks; sho cast her eyes shyly to the ground, sighed, and moved a little closer. My arm was still round her, A moment's pause, The bluefish swam cautiously round tho edge of a rock; ho watched ber with jealous eyes. I saw a tear roll down his cheek, “Where do you live, my pretty one?” “T live in the Land of Pearls,” sho answered. “And where is that?” “The Land of Pearls is at the bottom of the great green sea, Would you go with me?” She raised her hand and stroked my face. “I should so like to have you go!” The blueish splashed his tail savagely and darted away. “ But how can I go to the land where you live? I don’t know how to swim,” Bhe looked at me archly from the corner of her eyes, and leaned her head against my arm. “You don't have to know how to swim, Just take my hand, be nice to me, and I'll lead you to the land where I live.” I took her hand, and we jumped from the rock, down to the bottom of the pool, We stood upon the flne white sand, holding each other’s hand, her lithe figure shining like silver in the sunlight, her fair hair fall- ing slowly round her, a shower of gold. Hand in hand we wandered out into the deep blue sea; the rocks rose high, covered with clinging seaweed; the waves rolled overhead, but all was silent and motionless: at the bottom of that deep blue sea. Great fish sailed lazily by, gazing at us with won- dering eyes. A clumsy cod swam towards us and stared stupidly into my face. “You're very rude!" said my mermaid ; “the gentleman’s a friend of mine.” Then a porpoise came, rolling from side to side. As he passed he made a very drunken bow, My mermaid returned his bow; then, heaving a little sigh, she said: “It’s a pity he's so dissipated ; he’sawfully nico ut times.” And so we wandered, till we came to another land; the blue sea faded—it became an emerald green ; beautiful shells lay atour feet; here and thero dark-green lobsters crept slowly over the fine white sand; mer- maids danced about us, their exquisite figures flashing like silver in the light of the green, Ono of them sat on the sand, holding a shell to her ear, and as she lis- tened to the roar within she laughed and shouted for joy. About us, beautiful little sea-fairies gath- ered, graceful and happy. My mermaid presented me, saying: “The gentleman's a friend of mine; I met him at the pool. HER \ sE WORT “A INGH ROLLER.” He's going with me to the Land of Pearls, Won't you come, too?” “Why, yes,” they answered, “and thank you, too, Let’s all go to the Land of Pearls.” The fish that were swimming round us laughed aloud, and cried: “ Let's all go to the Land of Pearls!" My pretty mermaid shrugged her shoul- ders and pouted. Sbe then pressed my bund and said: “I think they're very push- ing. I don’t like a crowd.” We went on, the mermaids dancing about us, the rabble bringing up the rear, “When shall we get to that land of yours?” I asked. “Oh, very soon, It’s yonder in that deeper green over the brow of that hill.” At last we stood on the brow of the hill. In the valley lay a city of pearls, far as the eyo could see. The houses were of pearl; tho streets; and the meadows beyond were scattered with pearls. Through the streets swam beautiful fish of many colors, and lovely mermaids gracefully wound their way among the throng. The water was an emerald green, ever changing; now dark, now light, ‘As we descended the valley, I saw that the crowd of fish that had followed us halted at the top of the bill, They watched us with staring eyes, then swam away. I turned to my mermaid and said: “ Tell mo, sweet one, why do they go away?” “Why?’ They couldn’t come with us; the King wouldn't allow it, They are tho com- mon throng, who live in tho blue sea through which we came.” “The King! Pray, who is your King?” She tossed her tiny head, and with a touch of scorn she replied: “ You're very igno- rant. Have you never heard of our King?”