Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-25

been dad not last. Leaning little forWaro,
he said:
"If should 60 with you to our mountain
station on the Sierra Madra, from which
point we reach the railway station by horse,
woul1 you feel more secure?"
"Ah, if you would but CO."
And so we parted for the night; with the
| agreement that we should take the upbound
mail train in the morning, breakfast with
| the Hardshell Baptist convict" at the hos
pital and then take the air ship for the Sierra
Madra mountains.
The beautiful air ship hung as perma-
nentlv in its place as pine cone. Theplace
of starting was as well established and as
well appointed as that of any railway sta
ton. The conductor opened the little door
OF the airy little car and beckoned me to the
nearest of the two silken cushioned seats.
| The priest stood at the open door, one foot
half within. He was about to enter
and take the remaining seat. half
turned my face from him to the
seat opposite which he was about to occupy,
when my heart leaped so wildly that the
little quivering car trembled. For there
she sat! Sat serene, SILENT in all her per-
feet and imperious beauty. surely did
not speak. But must have thrust out my
hand toward the priest to impel him back
from the seat he was about to take; for he
hesitated, as il understanding that now at
the last did not fear or need his company,
and stepping back with another bow the car
bounded into the air.
Boom! boom boom! We were being i'm
PEELED on our course by the force of sound
from the saltpeter mountain.
1 lifted my eyes to her tilnidly, tenderly
as we sped on. Never was being of this
earth so divinely, so radiantly beautiful.
What need of word or deed. 1t was enough
| to be- and be silent.
Soon our swift and wide winged bird ALT
at its station on another mountain top
AMONG the pines. Looking out through the
window l caught my breath with dismay.
For now l knew that must leave her and
60 on my darkened way of life alone to the
other side of darkness. There stood ten
horses waiting for the outgoing mail. One
of these horses was to ride, to reach the
railroad station few miles below.
She did not leave the car. The conduc-
tor and engineer stood eraiting for favoring
breeze. And she reached me her hand, hel
warm, streng and beautiful hand without
moment of delay. Many at the other end
of the line were waiting for their letters and
she would not prolong their waiting; still
thinking of others than herself I held hei
hand long time, held it tight and close, al
if to keep her with sme always. Words are
idle, empty things, and neither of us now
|
ing hard to be at least little like her an6
think for a moment of others than myself
| MADAM, many men come to me, many
good young men and many good young
women, asking the right wayof life. Now
this is the right way; this is their own idea
way. Let me send them to you. I beg you
madam, my princess, my madonna, let me
send them to you, to your city, your soul
your heart"
Her face grew bit sad and troubled for
moment, and then suddenly looking up anG
out under clump of pines where grew &
very tall, rank weed that reached in vair
for the sun, she made a sign that should
bring it suddenly from the shadow and lay
it in the sun. I hastened to do as she de
sired and soon set the plant with good
handful of rich earth still clinging to it
roots in the sun at the door Of the car. Bu
alas, had scarcely set it down in the full
blaze of light when its head dropped, i
hung low and heavily, and in the hot ali
and the fervid light of the sun it slowly
sank down, withered and dead at her feet
I saw. I understood. The young an(
eager and imaginative souls who came to m,
from the shadows of the world would not
could not wisely and well endure this new
one little portion of the world by so mucl
endurance, long suffering and uuselfshness
I saw and understood that too much is de
pending on this experiment OF hers to risl
;. its failure by promiscuous multitude o
strange and untried souls.
There was breath of air. It did not re
yive the once aspiring little plant, but th
3 air ship moved restlessly. and hat in han,
, and head held low, 1 stepped back still
s further from her serene presence. Then up
3 upl up! on and away.
A wave of her hand from The ship,
wave of my hat as tip-toed up in the al
toward her. And then turned, mounte
4 my horse and rode on down the mountain
e and soon was again with the pigmies of &C
r tion and OF thought; thankful indeed that
had been permitted to see at least one spo
! of the earth as it may be.
;, 1.-THE END