The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-11-27

1
| hair of the perspiration of his travel and
/ agony.
He was a country saint 10 look upon; his
| hair, which he had fancied TO be like that of
i Jesus, was long and curling like his beard,
that was worn al around his jaws lii the
manner of the religions paintings and both
/ hair and beard were Of the pale, fair yellow
/ tint which ST. John divided with the fleece
\ Of his lamb.
Even in the night the exquisite complex
! ion of Archy and his blue eyes relieved upon
| his fair and red skin told the reality Of his
| temperance; wdter and vegetables and fruit
were his diet, except when he was hard
worked carrying and dressing the hard
mountain stone Ills collars were worn
wide and low at the throat, exposing the
| column OF neck he was as vain Of as
woman of her bust
u hate TO see you writhing so, Archy,
and Il would moi be if yOu loved Perry as
much rs yourself No person in this world
have but you TO tell my few joys TO, and
with tender care have kept all my sorTows
from your mind. i love you as my noble
| friend; more than that, Archy, l must not
say. Fur, there Is not another man in this
world would let lay his head upon my lap
| aS You are doing, but one, and / feel the
He broke away again, violently exelaim-
ing;
"You dare say this TO ne? I'll teach this
devil that mountainrer can beat off dis
homer from his door. I'll mash his head in
with my hammer and bum his iucantatiOns
and set you free, Perry"
Take care, sir! Satan may have some
greater temptation yet for your wicked self
conceit You spoil my temper, too, to cali
Brian OCOnnOr a devil and threaten to
mash his head with yOur hammer This is
why the good Dunkers viii not have you
fur their preacher. They see that down in
| your heart are 5clf-l0yc aud resentment.
Yes, Archy, you may drink water and make
! yOur skin fair, but you can't make 10 thick
! No woman but Coor0O would live with such
thn-skmned mani"
He was so deeply irritated that he looked
as If he would strike her, but she faced him
from prOuder temperament and with eOur-
age which made him feel ashamed to be such
a coward. lie leaned his arms against the
fence and tremb!ed as if he might be weep
ing:
wrTCECRAFT! wITCHCRAFTI"
he Cnashed aloud. have saved you abuse
and toll fur years, have run your eTrsnds
and told lies for you and grieved my Maker,
and hRd y0G for my playmate sence a little
child. Along comes a man yOu never heerd
Of before last week, and in three days your
head is on his breast II can't be reason.
It's the old Witch of Ender that deluded
King SHuln
You were my playmate, Archy and all
that you have said. None took sich pride
as did TO sec you clean your teeth and
comb your hair and brighten your skin
j IL. 4. 4.
towels. 1t was the hard inside you could
not soften, and after you become religious
you changed to be a tyrin"
Ne tyTin, Miss? You mean a tyrint,
| a diSpOt? What n wicked accusationln
Yes, my old friend. You made the mis-
take too many makes, of thinking that be-
cause you wanted TO he a better man every
body else was growin' wickeder; that be-
cause you was clean the rest of the earth
couldn't smell sweet. If ] ever could have
loved you, Archy, it was when you walked
1 humbiy, locked at me kind and laughed
like child. Bat you have exchanged hap
piness for ambition. The kind Of religion
You carry around TO your work Is bitter
pride, like that caiamus root there IN the
Spring. You want to preach at somebody,
not TO let the birds sing To you; and this
dear, g6nile song tell yOu-the song OF AL
the parents of men-that, poor, dumb, ellet-
eTet as i am, ] have made some one love me,
IS the sweetest thing know, but you hear
it with hatred"
She bad made an impression Of some kind,
but what il was she did not know, and she
approached him again with OutstTetched
hands:
"Try, Archy, to be my brother, indeed
As If | was yOur sister, welcome and pro-
tect my beautiful tall lover! Say, TO him,
he gentleman, sir, to my friend and il is
all j ask That would be religion, Archy;
for religion is TO forgive your enemies. Can't
you forgive your friend and mine? That is
all dear Brian is"
He felt her hands upon his neck and they
had their influence An instant OF sympa-
thy had almost drawn him from the world
Of intellectual dogma and haughtiness to
perceive the opening poor Perry's beauty
aud spirit had made for her toward a change
of condition that would be heaven, hope and
charity.
Then he raised his brow and saw the
soWn crystal-touched fields OF Pleasant
Valley almost pulsing with the light shed
down from THAI ruined moon and the in
comprehensive stars; and the spirits Of
bsanty shining into his egotists soul, made
him sensitive to have been so well revealed
10 Perry.
You hate for me TO be a preacher" he
sneered. You want me TO be nothing but
n stonemason and have no influence in this
kcmunity. If il wasn't a sin j would bate
you as i hate the vile feller that has be-
witched you"
lie turned and folded his arms and stiff
ened has neck, walking back alone to the
House in the Woods.
She remained and looked long with SORROW
but gratitude upon the exquisite night.
Lord, let thy people lOye!" she said.
Let love be everywhere, az it is in my
heart, and may it put down hate!"
ITO De cOHiiHuedD