The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-02-17
Written for the ADVOCATE
THE DEER OF THE ISLE.
A PAR BE.


BY II. J.
Reader Have you ever read or hearC
Of the not entirely fabulous island, called
Atlantis Isle !" An island rising from thG
midst Of the ocean, and said to be richer
and more beautiful than any which God
ever made, beautiful far beyond the imag
ination of those who never beheld it. Yet,
while to the but superficial observer it, still
may appear very beautiful, its paradisical
beauty is horribly marred, and as the writer
of this has grown old and gray in the obser.
vatiOn Of this island, it may be presumed
that "the old man" has seen and knows
something concerning the real state Of
things, which here he would present before
you in the following lines
Imagine, then, large island, extensive
ly Of sandy, if not barren soil, with here
and there rich and fragrant pastures Of
miles extent, well rounded off with beau
tiful grove In the centre of each, and rich
fohage-giving ample protection against the
burning rays of the summer sun and the
fierce tempests Of winter, with soft green
moss beneath, throughout the groves be-
sides springs and lively little brooks, whose
sweet waters always joyfully sing and dance
over the rounded pebbles, through the
gorgeous grove and the fertile prairie, to be
lost in the dry and almost barren and shell
terless soil beyond.
! This island-in spite of its drawbacks
really beautiful-isinhabited by multitude
of beings which generally we call the Deer
of the Forest" These deers, by nature
gentle and kind, lived there once, as lived,
according to the book of old, the man
Jesus and those with him I" what one had,
they all had" The spirit of the mossy
groves of the brooks and the luxuriant
pastures Of the whole Isle of the rain !;
of the clouds and the sunshine-aye, of the
sun and moors of the starry heavens, and
the friend of ALL the Deer, had amply pre-
pared for them all the comforts and bless
ings Of life and happy were they together
In their common enjoyment of peace and
plenty No rivalry no envy; no strife
was known among them their great spirit
had granted full and lasting supply for
them all, and what more should they want !
They could feed on the sweet and aromatic
grasses of the fertile land quench their
thirst with the sweet waters of the dancing
brooks praise the beautiful spirit-giver by
their lively pranks and while rambling, at
pleasure, all over the land-which was all
theirs, as the air they breath-and find
protection against the elements, and the
needed rest, on the messy carpet Of the
quiet gorgeous groves, while little birds in
the boughs above, twittered their merry
song in harmony with the irfeelings of bliss
and lulled them to sleep.
And so they lived on together, none to
disturb them none to molest them and if
there were the horns Of the mighty ones
among them, were always ready to protect
the weaker or those in danger All, this
was indeed a beautiful island, full Of har-
mony, kindness, peace and good will. 'At-
lantis Isle, morally considered, was a real
Paradise indeed
But, as they grew strong in number, they
began, some Of them-though they saw
the arid land, in many places, gradually,
yet slowly, improving in its heritage, and
now and then showing, as a new spring,
trying to make its way out of the darkness
beneath up in the light Of day, they be-
gan, nevertheless, questioning the power Of
that beautifuls spirit to alwsysprovideab abund-
antly for their wants they doubted, lost their
faith in their great and kind provider, and
thus, falling from their high trust, they be-
came anxious and restless. The stronger
among them put their trust in their own
ACoA diAO WOhC bilcH lAAlkHLlcT uOTllS Ahiu
stronger sinews they became selfish, dom
lneerlng, and soon made contention and
strife rife in their once 80 happy communi-
ty. Those were as the fallen angels that
brought hell to the island, and the paradise
| of Atlantis Isle" was soon among the
things Of the past-for those fallen ones
had suffered their faith to be wrecked, and
had given to their puny self, and to their
selfshness, the high places of that all-giv-
ing spirit, while their hearts had ceased to
beat for their fellows
And the innocent and trusting multitude
were taken by sad surprise, when those of
the mighty frames leveled their horns, not
to protect them against others, nor to pro
tect them in their rights, but TO drive them,
with their little ones, out of their inheri-
tage, out OF the mossy groves, and at last
from the sweet waters and the nourishing
heritage of the ever green fields. In vain
they pleaded for themselves and for their
dear ones there was no mercy, they were
no longer to be as co-partners and partakers
with those mighty fallen ones. The arid
lands, with no shelter no messy couch no
palatable nor invigorating herbage ; no run
ming brooks, was their only refuge
And here they lived and died, starving,
thirsting, weary Of struggling for a mere
scant existence, sad and despairing, weary
of life. In vain they pleaded, again and
again, and when, tempted by want or ap-
petite, member of those unfortunate out
casts ever dared to enter the good spirits
ever green fields, or taste the sweet waters
of their brooks, it was with danger of life
and limb from those usurpers, who had
made such the law and such the rule. And
that, while the messy groves were more
than abundant for all, most of the pleasing
herbs Of the green fields we're consumed
but by waste, and sweet waters to quench
the thirst Of many millions, were daily
sinking in the sterile ground.
And so it came to pass that once upon a
time when the mighty ones beheld the
weaker nibbling among the luxuriant
grasses, and their ire became great, and
they resisted against them-one fell in
death. Some hungry wolves thus found
an easy prey, and soon after might have
been witnessed sight. Nothing was left
of that mighty fallen one but horns and
bones, even his robe seemed entirely con-
sumed but something like shriveled bag,
with the capital letter l. in three places,
apparent thereon, was lying about-it was
the empty covering for designed heart.
The hungry wolves had been tossing that
bag about, found no good in it, disdained
1t and feared it as poison, and left the
worthless and dangerous thing near the dry
bones. -. /. l." WAS the inscription.
This was the type and watchword of those
Etr0nO-hOrned ones Shall ax,a. .~..... ...,oh