The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-04-16

could not remove his eyes from the tide
of flowing blood. He saw it swelling
slowly, and visibly getting larger; the
rivulet became peaceful stream that a
child could have easily leaped over; the
stream became an ever-increasing tor
rent. bursting over the ground and
throwing up red foam on all sides !;
the torrent became an immense flowing
river.
The river was ever carrying away the
dead, but cold shiver ran over him as
he saw that it was supplied by the blood
running from their wounds.
Gneuss kept moving backward from
the ever-increasing tide he could no
| longer distinguish the opposite bank, and
/ the valley was changed into lake.
Suddenly he was stopped i'll his course;
"A cluster of rocks impeded his flight.
He soon felt the waves leaping round his
knees, and the dead drifting on, insult
! ing him in their course, each one of their
wounds becoming a blood-stained mouth
to scott mt his fears. The dreaded sea,
ever increasing, now touched his waist.
He made final effort, by clinglng to the
cracks in the rock but alas the rock
gave way. and the tide covered his shout
ders. The moon, pale and sad, watched
! this sea where her rays were not reflect
ed. The light fioated. heavenward this
immense sheet of shadowy and clamor-
ous blood seemed to be the entrance to
some great abyss. The waves, ever as
cending, touched and covered with their
red foam the lips of the tortured Gneuss.
III.
At dawn Elberg returned; he woke
Gneuss, whom he found sleeping, with
his head pillowed on n stone.
Friend, said he, 81 was lost III the
shrubs, and, sitting down to rest mt the
foot of tree, sleep overlook me, and my
soul was troubled by strange visions, the
remembrance of which disturDs my
waking thoughts.
1.-The world was i'll its infancy; the
sky was one eternal smile. Earth, n vir-
gin still, was baslling i'll Mays rich sun
beams: each blade of grass was rlpenlng
and surprising i'll beauty the finest oaks;
the trees were bursting into gorgeous
leaves and fruit totally unknown to me.
I The sap was ever flowing through earth's
deep veins, and in its abundance drifted
into the receSSeS of rocks and gave them
life.
"The horizon rose calm and smiling
in the distance. Nature, waking from
its sleep as child, knelt and thanked
God for His light; it spread out its arms
toward heaven TO give praise for It's songs
and perfumes, SO graceful and SO sweet
that my mind was overwhelmed with the
divine impression. Earth, gentle and
prosperous, engendered without pain.
Fruit trees sprung ont of every corner,
the roads were hedged with fields of
ripe corn, where, to-day, plains of
thistles and thorns would rise. The air
was not laden with the weight OF human
SORROW. God was alone working for His
children.
Man, like the birds, fed on food sent
by God, gathering fruit on his way,
drinking the water from the cooling
spring and sleeping under shelter of
leaves, whose lips seemed to shudder at
the sight of flesh, not knowing the taste
of blood, relishihg only the dew-sprinllled
and sun-ripened fruits.
$50 man remained innocent, and his
very innocence anointed him King over
all living things. Earth had assumed n
new touch of purity, and was Graded in
supreme peace Birds fled no more ut
the sight of man To far-stretching for
ests; all Gods creatures lived together
under one supreme law-goodness.
Il was walking with them, enjoying
their perfect nature and feeling myself
growing stronger aud better under their
united influence. | felt the delicious
breeze so pure after the laden breath of
earth.
GAS the angel of my dreams watched
beside me- my eyes strayed TO forest.
| saw two men following a narrow, shady
path. The younger took the lead, sing
ing gayly and smiling at the beauty all
around; now and again he turned to
smile on his companion, and the smile
made me guess they were brothers. But
the lips and eyes of his companion did
not respond; he followed the youth with
Il look of hatred, and fastened his step
to keep up with him.
81 saw him cut down II branch and
make it into rough club; then he hast
ened his step, fearing to lose sight of his
victim, and hiding his weapon behind
him. The young man, who had been
resting, rose at his approach, and kissed
him on the forehead in welcome.
IntN Scb OuJ Olltt again vi IlltlI
walk. The day was drawing to close.
The youth hurried on as he perceived in
the distance the sun gradually sinking
behind hill The man Thought the
youth was trying to escape and lifted
his club. His young brother turned,
with happy speech on his lips the
club felled him to the ground, crushing
his face, from whence gIshed stream
of blood
"The first blade of grass it touched
shuddered and shook the drop on to its
mother earth earth trembled and was
startled II great cry of repugnance was
wrung from its breast, and the sand in
the road turned into foaming red cur
rent.
"The scream from the wounded youth
seemed to scatter Gods creatures far
and wide they fled into deep and dark
places, the strong attacking the weak.
saw them in the gloom polishing their
hooks and sharpening their claws. The
great work of the brigandage of the
creation has begun.