The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-10-27

strength; to watch men gasp In their
death agony as we lift ourselves above
their writing bodies, and then to crash
down and dash the life from their lips
this is power, little friend; this is pow
CT. and there is no glory in the world
like the glory Of power"
The ray grew chill and wan and trem-
bled rs he listened. lis there nothing,
then, left which is fair to look upon in
all this waste of waters?' he cried, and
he wandered dismally III. Everywhere
the same dark CULTS and white crested
mountains mingling together IL tcnul-
tnous chaos; everywhere floating frag-
,oents of wreck and the stain OF earth
torn from its parent shore; ruin AID de-
structicn and nothing that was fair to
look upon.
Far out 10 sea q woman, with c child
in her arms, floated alone III d small
open boat. Alone they had been saved
from q wrecked and sunken ship-saved
from drowning, as it seemed, but to die
Of hunger, and for hours they had tossed
helpless at tie mercy of the waves.
la ~ GA4P tS SoallS 1tNAA lASllig III
the woman's cries were not heard in
the bowling Of the tempest, and be-
meath the darkened sky the futtering
rag she waved was lost in the spray
which enveloped her. So'thc ships Went
on. The woman's voice grew l,S.t, and
despair was in her heart. 'Lot death
but come quickly" she cried, land but
ror ,n,- child - U-cpll bo r,oloo-o Init
for my child and for his father await
ing him at home. I have cried. have
prayed in vain. No help is left in earth
or i'll heaven"
But the little ray wandered OH toward
her over the sea, and tho woman, lift.
ing her heavy lids, saw the coming
glimne7 on the water. Her breath cane
quicker. her pale lips tremb1ed, her
glance followed swiftly up to the patch
of blue sky above, while over her death
like face and in her dulled eyes there
broke a light such as the ray had never
seen before. At the sight of it now he
flashed back up to the heavens beyond
the clouds. Come he cried to his
comrades, ''come and see, for there is
something fa,rer than aught that has
been before, fairer than the sunlit sea
Of than the laughter ON children's lips"
His comrades 1ocked to his call and
poured down through the crevice in the
clouds, widening it as they went. Then
they stretched themselves, a broad path
of light. from the sky above to the lone
~ boat. which they bathed in their soft
radiance.
Across the storm driven sea, cleaving
the waves asunder with stately motion,
o great ship came. The eyes of those
on board her, wearied with gloom, turn
ed gladly to that bright spot on sky
and Sea, and turning saw the boat, saw
the white face of the woman and her
waving signal. So the ship altered her
course, and soon the mother and her
burden stood safe upon the decks.
! Evening drew near The tempest had
fed now, and thus left alone the tired,
gray waves, their strength failing and
their fury spent, were heaving in sullen
/ impotence to rest. The clouds, falling
away from the sky, gathered themselves
in soft, changing masses Of vapor
around the edge Of the sea. The sun,
sinking lower and lower, called to the
rays to come. Sadly they heard the call.
They babe farewell to their beloved
earth in a passion of fervid color. Upon
wave and cliff, mountain and cloud,
, they rained their glowing kisses, and
earth's beauty quivered into new glory,
as does a maiden's in her lovers en-
brace. Then they drew together, a road
of golden splendor on tho sea as they
crowded westward after their depart
ing king. With slow, majestic motion
he sank to rest.
But the little ray hung back. He had
found tho cloud who had stood his
friend that morning, and he waited to
give her goodby. He was filing her
now with his own golden glory of light
as he whispered to her Of all the beauty
which was in the world. Alas, she
would stay with it still in the wonder
Of the night, the great dark peace which
he I'VE might know. He thanked her,
too, in loving words and kisses till she
blushed red with pleasure, and then
with tender, slow reluctance he drew
away from her. AS he went the flush
faded, passing in gentle change through
every shade of russell and purple till the
cloud was left alone. resting soft and
gray on her twilight couch.
But the little ray was thinking of the
light Of hope which he had seen in the
woman's eyes that day. "Ah," said he
to himself, "if I could only shine like
that!' And with this wish in him he
fingered still in the sky beneath, color.
ing it a green SO pure and SO tender that
to the woman Watching from the shin's