Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-02-07
The Guide-Post-A Fable.

thou done to deserve favor at our
heavenly hands? Speak and tell of thy
good deeds and worthy"
The innloeper, who was indeed
worthy enough, was of modest turn.
Not used 10 dignitlries except per-
chance on rare occasions TO serve them
at his hostelry, he stood abashed, eyes
dropping, unable to command words to
answer fifty or even at first at all,
Perhaps thou hast built temple in
thy time?n said the door god, not with
out touch Of mockery in his tone.
80 no." answered the new immortal,
80 no, indeed ! never thought of do
ing that. "
Has. thou ever sent u gift OF jewels
or OF gold to Dclphi?'
''Nevcr."
"Or Of kline on kid?"
"Never."
"Not even young dore?'
mo, answered the poor innkeeper
sadly, mot even Il young dove, nor any
other thing
And what then in the way of good
didst thou do in thy life? Cans't thou
think Of Cught?n
IL kept my tavern" the man said
very hUnbly. "All people who passed
that way used to relate how | kept it
well, serving the best always and car
ing well for beast and man
And getting thy reckoning?"
Surely. Why not? Twas my
due"
The gods" was the reply, surely
and scornful "hOnor thcm not who
for pay do their duty. Is that thy
notion of the heavenly lingdom?"
Now was the inuileeper NIGHTLY
put about at all this sharp
questioning. in his heart he felt him
self not knowing nor asking why, to
be verify worthy, but unable TO give
account OF himself. he was embarrassed
and shamefaced, till. at last and get
ting his brains, he vCntured TO speak
aloud in his own behalf respecting one
thing he had thought of that might
he humbly deemcd-be permitted to
| count for something.
Zone thing did said he.
another duty doubtless. II that
alone, spare thy breath
mo, twas no duty; and in my bust
ness was Of "a truth hindrance; for had
/ done it not, many who else would
have tarried over night with me, or
when Boreas ruled and the storms of
winter ragged, even longer, hide away
quickly"
And this great thing?n-
Twas 20 great thing" replied the
supplicant, twas only that beyond
my gate where the ways parted, set up
n guide-board, and kept it there; two
hands pointing, one TO either town,
one north, one east.
'Har' jeered the warder. 'callest
thou that a worthy thing? Now step
down, for here cometh one who set up
golden shrine. BY the glow upon
his face | can tell twas OF least as
much.n
The innkeeper in sore tribulation,
confident, it is true, of his own purity, but
all the while himself to be a mote in the
sunbeams of Olympus. hung his head
! disconsolate.
Disconsolate, till he was aware Of a
new presence, and looking furtively
up, perceived before him the afOretime
eurly warder, now with changed de-
meanor; and over agains, him radiant
being with the glow upon his face. His
| face | say, but as well might | have
| said her face, save that in the calm
majesty of those deep eyes lay cou-
! chant power. seldom found in woman.
Il am Themis," said the being calm
", and then at once both knew
! that here was one neither man nor
woman, nor any other bodily shape,
save as shape was taken because the
eye was made to see. SO also the being
spoke (thought materialized), because
! in no other way was it given TO the
brain TO hear.
II am Themis, the being said, 'and
! have heard the contention betwiXt We
two. warder of this eternal realm, and
thou, oh new immortal.
Il am justice and knowledge. Fear
not, for ! tell thee that thou art well
come to this my holy hill. Thou didst
not know, but ] know; thou didst not
understand, but | understands thou
didst not see, but | see.
I'm the way of our judgments, of q
truth, this werder sufficeth to judge of
the results Of duty, to tell the meaning
of acts, and to reward according TO the
deeds done in the body. But It's mine,
oh new immortal, to look deep into the
heart, and into the mystery of motive.
"Now l look, and beheld, for all
the fifty years of thy earthly life, keep
ing thy humble tavern in Argolis, that
thou didst set up at the parting of ways
beyond thy gate a simple guide-board.
No law compelled thee to set it there,
nor did law compel thee to keep it,
with its two hands pointing, one north,
one east.
'Dost know what came OF this work
of thine?" Themis gazed, friendly. in.
TO the new comer's eyes.
II know not" was the answer, "savc
as l believe that from time to time il
served TO help some stranger"
"Strangerp Then twas not for thine
own acquaintance and kinsfolk thou
diGst set the guide-board.
mot so; for surely they know the
way already"
Hast thou enemiesg"
81 have some; some | know; more
am sure that | know not of, because In
my way of livelihood l turned moi
aside to fawn for the favor of any NOR
tai"
Gould it then be that this guide-boarC