, 1889-01-24

LLltG -il-9 va L-tAl lt-
march. There Is one legend which profound
ly represents their sEIrit, Of how u 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" Eo looked upon them gravely. Il
have sought IT," lie said. over the most part
ot the world. Three such pairs as l now
carry on ny feet have l worn out upon this
pilgrimage, and now the fourth is growing
slender underneath my steps And ali this
while l have not found the city" And he
turned and went his own way alone, leaving
them ustOntshcd-
And yet this would scarcely parallel the
intensity Of Wills feeling for the plain. II
he could only go fer enough out there, he felt
as If his cycSight would 10 purged and clnri-
fed, as if his hearing would grow more deli
cate and his very breath would come and so
with luxury. He vas transplanted and
withcring where he was; he lay in strange
country and was sick .or homo 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 majes-
tic ocean: of the cities, full of brisk and
beautiful people, playing fountains, bands Of
music and marble palaces, and lighted up
az night from end to end with artificial stars
of gold; OF the great churches, wise univer-
sites, brave armies and untold money lying
stored il vaults; of the high flying vice that
moved in tho sunshine and the stealth and
swiftness of midnight murder. l have said
he was sick as If for homo: the figure halts.
He was like some one lying in twilit, form
less pre-existeuce, and stretching out his
hands lovingly toward many colOred, many
sounding life. 1t was no wonder he was IN
IL, ell. tl,arr
were made for their life, wished for no more
than worms and running water and hole
below a 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 .! to see this sunlight once before he
died! to move with Il Jocund spirit in q
golden land! to hear the trained singers and
sweet church bells and sec the holiday gar-
dens! "And 0 fish" ho would cry, 'if you
would only turn your noses down stream.
you could swim so easily into the fabled
waters and sec the vast ships passing over
your head like clouds, and hear the great
water hills making music over you all day
longr' But the fish kept looking patiently in
their own direction, until VIII hardly knew
whether 20 laugh or cry.
Hitherto the traffic ON the road had passed
by VIII, like something seen in q picture; he
had perhaps exchanged salutations with q
tourist, or caught sight OF an old gentleman
in u travelling cap at n carriage window; but
for the most part it had been mere symbol,
which he contemplated from apart and with
something of n supcrstitious feeling. y time
came at last when this was to be changed.
The miller, who was a 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 opportunely, built stables
and got tho position of postmaster on the
road II now became Wits duty to wait
upon people, rs they sat to break their fastS
ia the little arbOr at the top of the mill gar
den; and you may be sure that lie kept his ears
open, and learned many new things about the
outside world rs he brought the omelct or the
wine. Nay, ES v>ouiti vftv.,t aSt into con-
versation with single guests, and by
adroit questiens and polite attention, not
y crafty his own curiosity, bat win
j goodwill of the travellers. Many compli-
-nted the old couple on their serving boy,
II 4 professor was eager to take him away
.ith him and have him properly educated in
tho plain. The miller and his wife were
nightly astonisAed and even more pleased.
They thought it a very good thing that they
should have opened their inn. You sec,"
the old man would remark, 'he has q kind OF
talent for q publican; he never would hayo
made anything elseln And so life wagged on
in the valley, with high satisfaction to all
concerned but VIII. Every carriage that left
the inn door seemed to take q part of him
away with it, and when people jestingly
offered him lift he could with difficulty
L. 4.
would dream that he was awakened by
dustered servants, aud that a splendid equi-
page waited at the door TO carry him down
into the plain; night after night; until the
dream, which had seemed all jollity to him
&C first, began to take on : color of gravity,
and the nocturnal summons and waiting
aquipage occupied q place in his mind as
something 70 be both feared and hoped for.
One day, when Win was about 1G, fat
young man arrived at sunset 10 pass the
night. He was q contented looking fellow,
with q jolly eye, and carried a knnpsack
While dinner was preparing he sat in the ar
Dor to read book; but as soon as he had be-
gun to observe VIII the book was laid aside;
he was plainly one of those who prefer iiv
ing people to people made of ink and paper.
Win, on his part, although he had not been
much interested in the stranger at first sight
soon began TO take q great deal Of pleasure in
bis talk, which was full of good nature and
good sense, and at last conceived great re-
spect for his character and wisdom. They
sat far into the night, and about 2 in the
morning VIII opened his heart TO the young
men and told him how he longed to leave
the valley, and what bright hopes he had
connected with the cities of the plain. The
young man whistled and then broke into a
smile
my young friend,n he remarked, 'you
are 4 very curious little fellow to be sure,
and wish great many things which you viii
never get. Why, you would feel quite
ashamed if you knew how the little fellows
in these fairy cities of yours are all after the
saIne sort of nonsense and keep breaking
their hearts to get up into the mountains.
ana IeJ me tell you, those who go down l,..U
the plains are q very short while there before
they wish themselves heartily back again.
The air is not so light nor 50 pure. nor is the
sun any brighter As for the beautiful men
and women, you would see many of them in
rags and many of them GeforTned with hor-
rible disorders; and city is SO hard place
for people who are poor and sensitive that
many choose to die by their own handn
You must think ne very simple" an
swered Will ''Although have never been
out of this valley, believe me, have used
my eyes. 1 know how one thing lives on an
other; for instance, how the fish hangs in the
eddy TO catch his fellows; and the shepherd,
who makes SO pretty picture carrying home
the lamb, is only carrying it home for din
ner do not expect TO find all things right
in your cities. That is not what troubles me.
1t might have been that once upon n time;
bat although [ live here always, l have asked
many questions and learned great deal in
these last years, and certainly enough to cure
me of my OLD fancics. But you would not
nave me die like dog and not SEQ all that is
to be seen, and do al that Tlan can do, let
it be good or evil! you would Tot lave me
spend all my days bctvC2E TINS road here and
tie river, and not 50 much IS make motion
t3i5c up and live my Ele.-I would rather die
out of hand" lie cried, than Inger on as 1
am doing"
Thousands of people y said the young man,
live and die Ike you and are none the less
happy"
''Ah" said VIII, 'if there are thousands
who would like, why should not one of them
I,r.-- IL.