The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-09

lilies come in contact with others, lose
some of their prejudice and lay aside
some of their vanity.
The crusades, by throwing the Chris
tian and Turk together. in the end meas
urably benefited them and finally con-
WINGED them that what they called their
religion and faith was but a selfish
superstition, prompting them to murder
till brooks ran red with blood. After
numbering until they were tired they
went to making love and getting mar
ried, to continue the quarrel, perhaps,
on a smaller scale.
The people fenced in by the hills in
this wild country where the woman had
staid so long, nursing a broken limb,
constituted a little world unto them
selves. and like all people who live a
secluded life, degenerated into igno-
rance and superstition, twins that are
born in darkness.
The seclusion of the monk is the cause
of his narrow-minded bigotry. The re-
cluse of the cloister may enter as
sweet girl: to remain. is to become a
benighted old maid
When the hour for her departure came
the pale, detected woman mounted
stump near the cabin where she had
staid so long and received so much rude
kindness. Unpublished humanity may
be rough gentleness. Her emotion be-
trayed that, though deformed, though
ugly almost beyond endurance, her
Looking at her now silent auditors she
waved her hand for them to come near,
and extending her hand, taking the
hand of each in turn stretched toward
her and kissing it. Again surveying the
people gathered about her she said:
MY friends. before l take my de-
parture from the presence of your kind
eyes and from beneath the hospitable
roof that has sheltered me all these
weeks. must needs thank you, though
l know no words by which L can con-
Vey TO you the deep thankfulneSS of
helpless heart. / was sick and wounded
and you cared for me. You are the first
faithful and devoted friends whom 1
have ever found that could look into my
heart without wOunding my feelings by
making fun of my unfortunate appear
ance- The culture which you have not
has made the greater part of the world
proud and unkind. Your human religion
has pitied my human frailty. While
these rugged hills have walled you in,
they have walled out the selfish tide
that flows from the great strife that
goes on in the cities and over the plains.
Though fame has not crossed the green
robed barriers, neither has ambition
come to burn out all the love and joy of
quiet life. Genius has not lighted her
lamp in your quiet cabin, nor has pride
stabbed through your plain attire TO
your palmer heart. You have cared for
me and loved me. because your hearts
have not been poisoned by the fangS of
greed that strike from million mouths
beyond this little vernal world that
you possess. Your religion is all love,
because no minister among you has a
dream of that glittering bride received
by those who make religion a business
for the profits they find in it, and
whose fashionable church would close
were there not financial gains, as
quickly as the bank when its interest
ceases to come.
while the world has not touched you
much, it has not hurt you any Could
l take you in my frail arms and carry
you beyond these hills and drop you
down among the hiss and sting that 1
have seen, that | have felt. would not
/ found you as children. and so I leave
YOU here with your hopes and loves to
bend over your cradles and lead your
little ones quietly through the shaded
dells and bright mornings. the twilight
and the hush Of the starlight. and when
they fall asleep TO lay them to rest and
await the dividing clouds to make an
opening through which you may meet
them. After all, you are happier than
you could be where ambition and hate
lie beyond these hills. Now l go hence
on my Journey. IL is for you to live in
quiet and peace, il is for me TO pass out
into anxiety and fear. l have a mis-
sion. I go from the dead to bear It'd
ings to the living. I carry with me
treasure Of human love and human SYM
patty and faith in humanity | never
would have found had 1 not stumbled
down into these hills. Though I see you
no more while yet | am permitted to
hobblc about with my deformed body.
/ shall return many times. and oft in
spirit. over the crags. across these dells.
and look into your kind faces and be
with YOU again." and saying, she
quietly withdrew as mysteriously as
she came