Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-07-03

Hi Il NOluhu, ulu L ulli lOA WV
Land of Freedom" ,.........
And he said, 1T is before YOU
And she said, II see nothing before
me but % dark, flowing river and
bank steep and high, and cuttings here
and there with heavy sand in them"
And he said, and beyond that"
She said, Il see nothing, but some
times, when | shade my eyes with my
hand, | think see on the further bank
trees aud hills, and the sun shining on
them!'
He said, That is the Land of Free
dom"
She said, How am l to get there?"
He said There is one way, and one
only. Down the banks of Labor,
through the water OF suffering. There
is no other"
She said is there no bridge?"
He answered, None
She said, as the water deepa"
He said, Deep"
She said "Is the floor worn?'
He said. 1T is. Your foot may slip
at any time, and you may be lost"
She said, Have any crossed al
ready?"
He said, Some have tried!'
She said, us there track to show
where the best fording is?"
lie said, 1T has to be made"
She shaded her eyes with her hand,
and she said. Il will 60"
And he said, You must take off the
clothes you wore in the desert; they
are dragged down BY them who 60 iu-
to the water so clothed.
And she threw from her gladly the
mantle Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
she wore, for it was worn full of holes.
And she took the girdle from her waist
that she had treasured SO long, and the
moths flew out of 1t In a cloud. And
he said, Take the shoes of dependence
off your feet
And she stood there naked, but for
one white garment that chung close to
her.
And he said, that you may keep.
So they wear clothes in the Land Of
Freedom. In the water it buoys; 1t
always swims." ...
And saw on its breast was written
Truth; and 1t was white; the sun had
not often shone on It; the other clothes
had covered it up. And he said, Take
this stick; hold it fast In that day
when 1t slips from your hand you are
lost. Put it down before you; feel
your way; where it cannot find bot
tom do not set your foot"
And she said, Il am ready; let me
60"
And he said "No-but stay: what is
that-in your breastP"
She was silent.
He said, open 1t and let me see."
And she opened it. And against her
breast was a tiny thing, who drank
from 1t, and the yellow curls above his
forehead pressed against it; and his
knees were drawn up to her, and he
held her breast fast with his hands.
And Reason said, ''Who is he, and
what is he doing here?" n.
And she said, See his little wings
-" .. o.. ... ........ ...s ~
Aid Reason said, Put him down"
And she said, He Is asleep, and
he is drinking! ! will carry him to
the Land of Freedom. He has been a
child so long, SO long l have carried
him. We will walk together there,
and his great white wings will over
shadow me. He has lisped one word
only to me In the desert-'Passionr
have dreamed be might learn to say
Friendship in that land"
And Reason said, Put him DOWN
And she said, Il will carry him So
with one arm, and with The other will
fight the water"
He said, Lay him down on the
ground. When you are in the water
YOU will forget to fight. You will
think only Of him. Lay him down"
He said. He will not die. When he
finds you have left him alone he will
open his wings and fly. He will be in
the Land of Freedom before you. Those
who reach the Land of Freedom, the
first hand they see stretched down the
bank to help them shall be Loves. He
will be man then, not child. In
your breast he cannot thrive; put him
down, that he may grow" -.
And she took her bosom from his
mouth, and he bit her, SO that the
blood ran down on 10 the ground.
And she laid him down on the earth!
and she covered her wound. And she
bent and stroked his wings. And |
saw the hair on her forehead turned
white as snow, and she had changed
from youth to age. .
And she stood far off on the bank of
the river And she said, For what
do / go to this far land which no one
has ever reached? o, am alone! /
am utterly alone!'
And RoaeAp fhnt old man ca;l -
her, "Silence! what do you hearP"
And she listened intentlY. and she
said, II hear sound of feet. thous-
and times ten thousand and thousands
of thousands aud they beat this way!"
He said. "They are the feet of those
that shall follow you. Lead on! make
q track to the waters edge! Where
you stand now the ground will be beat.
| en- fiat by ten thousand times ten thous.
and feet" And he said, Have you
seen the locusts how they cross 9
stream? First one comes down to the
water-edge, aud 1t Is swept away. ant
then another comes, and then another
and then another, and at last will
their bodies piled up a bridge is built
and the rest pass over" #-a
| olic cdidt anu VI lnuVC THAI Soiue
first some are swept away and arr
heard of no more; their bodies do mo-
even build the bridget"
And are swept away, and are heart
of no more-and what of thatP" b,
said.
"And what of that she said.
| They make track to the water,
edge" H5
| They make track to the water,
edge" And she said, Oyer that
bridge which shall be built with bodies
who will passp"
He said, "The entire human race"
And the woman grasped her staff
And l saw her turn down that darl
path to the river
And ! awake and all about me wa.