Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-06-19
Written for The GRANT COUNTY HERALD.
LITTLE STORM.
CHAPTER VII.


ilized cline. He was about fortv-fiv
years OF age; exceedingly poor in bod,
and poor in purse; with large eyes an,
larger head. How man of his cali
Der and ability came to be found il
such locality destitute of money ant
friends, and lacking every suggestion
of past precedence that would civ,
weight and dignity to the present, wa
tale that had never been unfolded
Perhaps the mystery of Professor Cams
poverty might be dissolved when vol
come to know that all his surplus casi
above spare living was donated to un
fortunates about him; for he was a kine
man and perhaps lack of money was
the cause of his being stranger in 6
strange land.
Professor Cam was a deep scholar
He would take his book toward the
close of the day, and walk away out oil
the village to green solitudes, and as he
moved along his eyes rested upon the
open pages, or were cast down as his
mind wandered out over the infinite
creation.
There were few things occurring on
this earth that possessed power enough
to suddenly bring the Professors mind
back to earth while taking one OF its
difficult astronomical ramhles; but il
came back so quickly at sight of Storm
lying beside the road in tears, that could
you have seen it, you would have reck-
oned human misery one of its chief at
fractions. As Fanny Dane did not raise
her face from the grass. Professor pres.
emily said:
''Child, what is the matter?''
Fanny did not reply, and the Profes-
sor, STOPPING down, lifted her face from
the earth, saying kindly:
Come, my child, and tell me why
| you cry"
Storm sat up and dried her eyes.
| She looked into the Professors face:
she read his large eyes, and, with an
instinct that is born of all mortals, in
telligent and ignorant, she recognized a
man whom thought and study had
made powerful in soul; she saw mind
capable of grasping and holding some
of the ideas. and intentions of the al
mighty power that governs alike mil
lion swinging stars and the growth of
an humble dandelion; she saw grand
gentleness mingled with all his power
of thought; she saw a true gentleman.
Come, my child, and tell me why
you cry when everything seems SO
bright and peaceful about here" he
repeated.
well, | don't know, sir. | suppose
I'm foolish, but wish | could die.''
The Professor took hold of her wish,
held it up before his mental vision and
studied 1t awhile before he answered.
NO" he said slowly, II don't know
as you are foolish in wishing you could
die. If you are prepared, death only
unbars gate that admits you into "a
beautiful pasture, whose countless
blades of grass stand for bright years
of peace, whose lilies count for white
robed angels and whose running brook
flows freely from the throne of God.
But perceive it is not the joy of death
you covet so much as the fear of some
burden living. Tell me why you cry,
for | am growing old and am used to
tears. Tell me about your father and
mother. child"
Il have no father nor MOTHER an
swered Storm, with half puzzled air.
Nor brothers nor sisters?'' asked
Cam.
mo, SIR" Storm replied.
''Where did yon come from and
whittier are you going?' asked the Pro-
lessor
Il don't know, sir. Jim Dane says |
came from an Indian and am going to
the devil" answered Storm ruefully.
''Well. now, that has the merit of be-
ing the most direct life line | ever saw laid
down, though to my notion it is entirely
wrong. Jim Dane-Jim Dane let me
sect seems to me | have heard the
name before. Who is Mr.. James
Danep" spoke the Professor.
Il don't know who he is,' Storm
answered. Il always supposed him to
be my father, until he told me different.
But one thing do know, and know it
with all my might hate that house
over there and every one in it, and I'd
like to burn it up
The fire flashed in Storms eyes and
she clenched her fists in spasm of an
ger. Professor Cam studied her indig-
nant girish face for awhile, and then
asked:
Can you read?n
Yes answered Storm; II learned
to read out of Bible. Danes have got
three Bibles, and heard Jim tell Mar
tina that she ought to have three more:
but don't see why, for neither he nor
she read the ones they have got. Bill
Dane. the one who ran away. learned
me TO read.
The Professors face frightened. IF
you have read the Bible, what is your
opinion of 1t, and how can You hate
your fellow man when Christ said,
love We one another ?''
Storm had never been asked for her
opinions and, further, in her reading of
the Scriptures she had not looked at it
as thing to be believed, so she made
no answer. The Professor continued:
''You know that away out in the GEN.
ter of space somewhere Is spot around
which every planet and star and all
that is in the heavens circles attend
ance. | believe that spot is heaven. If
it is, there dwelleth God there who
owns and engineers all these moving
planets. We, being numbered with
ealthy flesh and subject to earthly
laws cannot grasp the idea of God
who is able to overcome the governing
properties of this one single pigmy
planet and rise into endless space-rise
to the moon, the sun and the stars-to
anywhere his superior will may dictate.
| What we cannot see with our eyes or
feel with orr nerves, we are not willing
to believe. May it Lot be possible that
our nerves and eyes do not receive the
impression of some objects or substances
that are certainly about us-objects
whose shadows never fall across the
mirror of our eve? and might not God
| be everywhere present and we not see
| him? Brutes of the field are so far be-
| low mans intellect that we are gratified
often to find one evincing sense enough
to follow us about as master having
its life IN our hands. We do not kill
every animal because it has not the
sense to obey us. tell you there must
be a superior intellect over-ruling all
| things whom our puny senses cannot
grasp or follow. There must be a God
above who 'doeth all things we'll
Storm had never heard person talk
what, to her, was the highest wisdom
before. She had read enough of the
Bible to be able to understand his mean
ing. and as the Professor went on por-
traying the immensely of heaven and
the beauty of a well spent life, her hun
CRY soul absorbed it as desert drinks
in the rain. But formidable perplex-
ity arose, and with child like simplicity
she impaired il 10 Professor Cam as