The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-06-04


man met her, who had long, white
it was written Reason. And he asked
her what she wanted, and she said, Il
am a woman, and am seeking for the
Land of Freedom"
And he said, 'sIt is before you"
And she said, Il see nothing before
me but dark, flowing river and a
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
hand, think see on the further bank
trees and hills, and the sun shining on
themr'
He said, ''That is the Land of Free
DOM"
She said, s'How am 1 to get thereP"
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 bridget"
He answered, None"
She said, "Is the water deep?"
He said, Deep"
She said, rs 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?n
He said, Some have triedr'
She said, rs there a track to show
where the best fording is?"
He said, ''It has to be made"
She shaded her eyes with her hand,
and she said. Il will CO."
And he said, You must take off the
clothes you wo, in the desert; they
are dragged down by them who go in
to the water so clothed"
And she threw from her gladly the
mantle of Ancient-received-op
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 it 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 clung close to
her.
And he said, ''that you may keep.
So they wear clothes in the Land of
Freedom, In the water it buoys; it
always swims."
And | saw on its breast was written
Truth; and it 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 it 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, II am ready; let me
60"
And he said. ':No-but stay: what is
that-in your breast?"
She was silent.
He said, "Open it and let me see."
And she opened it. And against her
breast was a tiny thing, who drank
from it, 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?"
And she said, See his little wings
Ahd Reason said, ''Put him down" !"
And she said, He is asleep, and
he is drinking! 1 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 l
have dreamed he might learn to say
Friendship in that land"
And Reason said, 'Put him DOWN.
And she said, 81 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 a man then, not a 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 to 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 ot
the river And she said, For wha
do 90 to this far land which no one
has ever reached? o. am alonei
am utterly alone!"
And Reason, that old man, said tt
her, .Silence! what do you hear?"
And she listened inteutly. and sh'
said, Il hear sound of feet. thous
and times ten thousand and Thousands
of thousands and they beat this wayn
He said. ''They are the feet of thos'
that shall follow you. Lead oni max
a track to the waters edge! Wher'
you stand now the ground will be beat
en- flat by ten thousand times ten thous
and feet" And he said, ''Have yo
seen the locusts how they cross
stream? First one comes down to tn
water-edge, and it is swept away, an
then another comes, and then another
and then another, and at last wit
their bodies piled up a bridge is built
and the rest pass over"
She said, s.And of those that com
first some are swept away and ar
, heard of no more; their bodies do nc
i. even build the bridgep