The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-02

yellow overhead and yellow underfoot, with
only this endless chaSm of Erebus cleavlng
the yellow earth in halves with its bottom
less pit Of endless and indissoluble black
ness.
After time-and all the world still one
sea of softened yellow. torn in two by Char
on's chasm of black waters-1 silently leapt
back, replaced my boots on my feet and then
held my breath. For had seen, or perhaps
felt, an object move on the lifted levels of
sand between US and the moon.
Cautiously | sank down on my breast and
peered low and long up the horizon. | saw,
heard nothing. CHANGING around to where
my companion lay | saw that she still had
not stirred from the half reclining position
she had first taken, with half lifted face in
her upturned palm.
Then she had seen nothing, heard moth
ing. This, however, did not argue much.
Her life had not been of the desert. She had
spent her years in the study Of men and,
women. | had spent mine with wild beasts.
| could trust Ter to detect motives III men,
give the warning note of danger from dan
gerUus men. but tn wild beasts and wilder
men Of the border were mine to watch and
battle with, not hers.
She had seen nothing; evidently she
feared nothing and so was resting, resting
in mind as in body. And as / glanced
again over my shoulder and saw how en-
tirely content she seemed, | was glad.
Surely she depended entirely on me; on my
watchfnlness and my courage. And this
made me more wdtchful and more reSOlute
and stout of heart. A man likes to be
trusted. 4 true man likes true woman's
trust much indeed. A strong man likes to
be leaned upon. 1t makes him stronger.
Drawer, better. Let women never forget
this. Admit that she, too, has her days of
strength and endurance; and admit that
she, too, has her peculiar fortress of
strength and courage; and these also man
respects ana regards with pteous tender
ness. But man, incapable OF her finer and
loltier courage and endurance, resents her
invasion OF his pref 0gative.
1t is only womany man who can really
love q manly woman. But to continue:
Looking up third time to this woman at
my side | saw that she had let her head sink
low on her leaning arm. She was surely
sleeping. How ! liked her trust and her
faith in me. And how | liked her courage,
too. and her high quality of endurance. 1t
was her courage that had brought me up
here this night to the contemplation of aw-
full and all-glorious Africa. Silently and
without lifting finger she had shown me
a world of FURNISHED gold. l had surely
seen God through her. We stood nearer TO-
gether now than ever before. This single
hour OF indescribable glory should forever
stand as an altar in the desert. Our souls
had melted and flown and tided on inter-
mingled like molten gold in the golden at
mOsphere and the yellow scene that wrapped
us round about and no word had been said.
When God speaks so audibly let man be
silent
| must have looked longer on the sleeping
and truStful woman at my side than | ought
to have looked. for on turning my eyes
again to the horizon there distinctly on the
yellow sand and under the yellow moon
moved, stealthily as cat. yet graceful and
grand, the most kingly beast ever beheld.
He did not lock right nor left, but moved
along with his huge head in the air, slow
and stately and triumphant in his fearful
symmetry and strength.