Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-03


and the drops stood out on her.
And l said, Surely he who stands
beside her will help her?"
And he beside me answered, He
cannot help her; she must help her.
self. Let her struggle till she is
strong"
And I cried, cat least he will not
hinder her! See, he moves farther
from her, and tightens the cord be-
tween them, and he drags her down"
And he answered, He does not I'M
derstand.. When she moves she draws
the band that binds them and hurts
him, and he moves farther from her.
The day will come when he will I'M
derstand, and will know what she is
dong. Let her once stagger on to her
knees. In that day he will stand close
to her and look into her eyes with
sympathy"
And she stretched her neck, and the
drops fell from her. And the creature
rose an inch from the earth and sank
bank.
And I cried, 80, she is too weak!
she cannot walk! The long years have
taken all her strength from her. Can
she never move?"
And he answered me, "See the light
in her eyes?"
And slowly the creature staggered
on to its knees.
And I awoke; and all to the east and
to the west stretched the barren earth
with the dry bushes on it. The ants
ran up and down in the red sand, and
the heat beat fiercely. 1 looked up
through the thin branches of the trees
at the blue sky overhead. l stretched
myself, and | unused over the dream l
had had. And fell asleep again with
my head on my saddle. And in the
fierce heat had another dream.
| saw desert and | saw a woman
coming out of it. And she came to the
bank of dark river; and the bank
was steep and high And on it an old
*The banks of an African river are some
times hundred feet high, and consists of
deep shifting sands, through which in the
course of ages the river has worn its gigantic
bed.
man met her, who had a long, white
beard; and stick in his hand, and on
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 at is before you
And she said, Il see nothing before
me but a 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, II see nothing, but some
times, when I shade my eyes with my
hand, [ think l see on the further bank
trees and hills, and the sun shining on
them!'
He said, THAT is the Land of Free
DOM
She said, 'How am l to get there?n
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, SIS the water deep9"
He said, Deep
She said, us the floor worn?''
He said, ut is. Your foot may slip
at any time, and you may be lost"
She said, Have any crossed al
ready?"
He said, Some have triedr'
She said, .Is there track to show
where the best fording is?"
He said, ut has to be made"
She shaded her eyes with her hand,
and she said II will 60"
And he said, You must take off the
clothes YOU wore in the desert; they
are dragged down by them who 90 in
to the water so clothed.''
And she threw from her gladly the
mantle of Observation-Disclosures
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
Que 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; 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, Il 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
Aid 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 | 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-'P assionr |
have dreamed he 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
fiUht the WATER