The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-06-14

ful than ever. The dawn of a smile
nad come upon his face, and it was
lard 10 believe that he was not pleas
antly dreaming.
:. But the instant my lips touched his
forehead that illusion left me. 1t was
succeeded, ard Immediately, by the
thought that he was living, awake and
alert, with an intense vitality--with a
tulmess of life-:hat until now he had
never enjoyed. rose, indeed. with
. Sigh; bat it was not all sad. He had
zone from me-far, and suddeniy-but
could not help believing that in all
he excitement of that new and larger
life, eur friendship still lived in his
leart-.that he would remember me,
md would think of my coming to
join him.
Emotion exhausts the strength more
than exertion, and l began to feel that
ibis sleepiess night in which [ had
gone through SO much was telling on
me. had no desire to sleep ;and we'll
it was. for every hour now was pre-
:ious. Make what haste we could it
would take more than two days to lay
his dear body down before his moth
er. Hours after she could receive my
telegram she would wait for him-and
FOR me. 1t was the one thing before
me in life from which shrank.
plunged into the lake and swan
far out. A delicate flush, spreading
from the Iipe of the eastern hills up
toward the zenith, was reflected in the
waters. A slight breeze had driven
off the mist. The morning was one
of tender purity and clearness. 1t
seemed an expression of Natures
sympathy with me. The lake, too.
seemed to buoy nae up with a friendly
eentleness. lis GOODNESS invigorated
and greatly refreshed me; while an
ineffable peace stole into my heart
again from the skies, the hills, the tend
er, plying waters, from the very
sounds that began to break upon the
stiffness. and from all that made that
pure, calm. Frightening morning.
Sitting with Zeph at the breakfast,
| which ate without tasting, thought
occurred to me. Giving him few
directions about packing up, and stor-
ing awav the tent and buikier articles
where Creme, whom we expected to
| meet on cur way out, should find
them, took his skiff, and gathered
great quantity of the lily-pads. and all
the fairer lilies. After we had drawn
up the boat upon the beach, we made
| in it bed of the green. fine, shore-
grass, and covered this with the lily
pads. Then we brought the dear boy
tenderly down and laid him on the
cool bed. Yes, he was peacefully
sleeping, and we were careful that he
should lie there comfortably-for the
way was long.
At first I had thought to cover face
and all. But could not bring my
self to hide it; perhaps [ wanted to
keep alive the deceit that he was but
asleep. His face shielded only with
nv. handkerchief, and often through
that day 1 lifted the covering and
looked upon him. How loved him
in all those marvellous hours. How
lopged that he would open his eyes,
and look through them into mine
again.
Well, we covered him deep under
the fresh, cool 3ily-pads; and while
the guide went through the woods to
distant camp that had been pitched
that morning by party coming from
above the falls, 1 arranged the lilies
about the bier-putting some wet
mosses to the stem of each-and by
the time Zeph returned l had all
things in readiness to start.
He had gone to borrow another
skiff. They were very kind to us,and
promptly made new plans to grant my
request. Two of them came back
with the guide. and never shall for
get their deep and delicate sympathy
delicate not only in what they said,
and in the help they proffercd, but in
their thoughtful silence.
The sun was just appearing above
the pines on the eastern hills when
they helped me to gently move the
skiff down until it f1oated. A short
line fastened it to the boat we had
borrowed of them, in which the guide
a I'd I-he nearer the bow, and at tho
stcrn-took our seats. They lifted
their hats and stood reverent and ST.
lent. as we slowly rowed away, and
we were many score of rods on our
sad journey when we saw them cover
their heads again, and turn into the
wood-path that led toward their camp.
MAY God bless them.
That is not the longest. nor the full
est day, in which the mind notices the
greatest number of outward events.
Not even if the events are important.
Our thoughts, our emotions, that build
themselves into our characters, and
tnakC Ill CLOulAHS WI ia oS-eASSS
lengthen the hours and make the day
memorable. These only make silence
golden.
Iwould not disparage our common
life. And men of action and learning
[ reverence; the more, perhaps, be-
cause L see them looming up above
me through haze OF distance. mar
vel at their patient industry, and at
their knowledge of facts, and their
laws, and the reasons for those laws;
yet when remember that day-with-
out any loss of a certain lowliness of
spirit-I cannot help looking down
upon all life and thought that are not
in sympathy with it. / passed that
day with God and His Christ. I
! thought their thoughts. L saw Efe
! fhair oyas Aud auoin onA