Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-04-07

0s it ran over innumerable tree tops, hailed
him with encouraging words; branches beck
oned downward; the open road, as it
shouldered round the angles and went turn
ing and vanishing fast and faster down the
valley, tortured him with its solicitations.
He spent long whiles on the eminence, look
ing down the rivershed and abroad on the
fat lowlands, and watched the clouds that
Travelled forth upon the sluggish wind and
trailed their purple shadows on the plain; or
he would linger by the wayside, and follow
the carriages with his eyes as they ratified
downward by the river It did not matter
what It was; everything that went that way,
were it cloud or carriage, bird or brown
water in the stream, he felt his heart flow
out after it in an ecstasy of longing.
We are told by men Of science that all the
ventures Of mariners on the sea, all that
countermarchipg of tribes and races that
confounds old history with its dust and rumor,
sprang from nothing more abstruse than the
laws Of supply and demand, and certain
natural instinct for cheap rations. To any
one thinking deeply, this viii seem dull
and pitifl explanation The tribes that
came swarming out Of the north and east, if
they were indeed pressed onward from be-
hind by Others were drawn at the same time
by the magnetic influence of the south and
west. The fame Of other lands had reached
them; the name Of the eternal city rang in
their ears; they were not colonists, but pill
gri1ns; they travelled towards wine and gold
and sunshine, but their hearts were set on
something higher, That divine unrest, that
old singing trouble Of humanity that makes
all high achievements and all miserable fail
ure, the same that spread wings with
T<nv hat cnvxAN f<1, ,I,,,o
into the desolate Atlantic, inspired and
supported these berbarians on their perilous
march. There is one legend which profound
ly represents their spirit, Of how flying
party of these wanderers encountered a very
old man shod with iron. The old man asked
them whittier they were going; and they
answered with one voice: "To the Eternal
City!" He looked upon them gravely. 81
have sought it, he said, "over the most part
Of the world Three such pairs as now
carry on my feet have I worn out upon this
pilgrimage, and now the fourth is growing
slender underneath my steps. And all this
while l have not found the city" And he
turned and went his own way alone, leaving
them astonished .----.l'. 81.
And yet this would scarcely parallel the
intensity Of Wills feeling for the plain. II
|
as il his eyesight would be purgsd and clari-
led, as if his hearing would grow more deli
cate and his very breath would come and 60
with luxury He was transplanted and
whitening where he was; he lay in strange
country and was sick for home. Bit by bit
he pieced together broken notions of the
world below; of the river, ever moving and
growing until it sailed forth into the males
tic ocean; of the cities, full of brisk and
beautiful people, playing fountains, bands Of
music and marble palaces, and lighted up
at night from end to end with artificial stars
of gold; of the great churches, wise univer-
Bities, brave armies and untold money lying
stored in vaults; Of the high flying vice that
moved in the sunshine and the stealth and
swiftness of midnight murder. have said
he was sick as if for home: the figure halts.
He was like some one lying in twilit form
less pre-existence, and stretching out his
hands lovingly toward many colored, many
sounding life It was no wonder he was un-
happy, he would go and tell the fish: they
were made for their life, wished for no more
than worms and running water and hole
below q falling bank; but he was differently
designed, full of desires and aspirations, itch
ing at the fingers lusting with the eyes,
whom the whole variegated world could not
satisfy with aspects The true life, the true
bright sunshine. lay far out upon the plain.
And O! to see this sunlight once before he
died! to move with jocund spirit In a
golden land! to hear the trained singers and
sweet church bells and see the holiday gar
dens! "And o fish" he would cry, "if you
would only turn your noses down stream,
you could swim so easily into the fabled
waters and see the vast ships passing over
your head like clouds, and hear the great
water hills making music over you all day
longg But the fish kept looking patiently in
their swn direction, until Will hardly knew
whether to laugh or cry. -----
Hitherto the traffic on the road had passed
by Will, like something seen in q picture; he
had perhaps exchanged salutations with
tourist, or caught sight of an old gentleman
in travelling cap at a carriage window; but
for the most part it had been mere symbol,
which he contemplated from apart and with
something of q superstitious feeling. A time
came at last when this WAS to be changed
The miller, who was greedy man in his
way, and never forewent an opportunity of
honest profit, turned the mill house into
little wayside inn, and, several pieces Of good
fortune falling in epportuneiy. built stables
and got the position Of postmaster on the
road. II now became Wills duty to wait
upon people, as they sat to break their fasts
in the little arbor at the top Of the mill gar
den; and you may be sure that he kept his ears
open, and learned many new things about the
outside world as he brought the omelet or the
wine Nay, he would often get into con-
vsrsation with single guests, and by
adroit questions and polite attention. not
only crafty. his ewn euriosity, but win
the goodwill Of ths travellers Many compt-
n,entsd tho old couple on their serving boy,
and . professor was eager to take him away
with him and have him properly educated in
the plain. The miller and his wife were
nightly astonished and even more pleased.
They thought it very good thing that they
should have opened their inn. "You see"
che old man would remark, che has kind Of
salent for a publican; he never would have
made anything elsel" And SO life wagged on
In the valley, with high satisfaction to all
concerned but Will. Every carriage that left
the inn door seemed to take part of him
away with it, and when people jestingly