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

Lille RAYS WDRk.
OF all the beautiful things in this
beautiful void there was none that tho
little ray loved SC well as the snn.mer
He and his comrades would Play
by the hour together with the rippling
wavelets, dartin, from one to another
in dazzling, mad flashes of light, spread
ing themselves over the waters, a sheet
of molten gold, till a tcEch Of the
winds light lips broke it Up into il thou
sand shimmering fragments. And the
waves loved their playmates, too, and
each, as the rays kissedi it, became itself
a little golden Sun. sending forth its light
into the radiant air, for the sea, like a
tickle, lovable woman, answers back to
all in their OWE moods and is loved just
because she cannot be trusted. Then,
where the waves broke on the golden
sands or round the clean, dark rocks,
the little rays would fill their foam with
light till it shone more brightly white
than the Jungfrau's crest, ard the music
of the waves breaking was a joy song
for their own lovcliness. Laughing. they
ran up the smooth sand and embraced
with teasing play the small pink feet
which scanpered away before them,
while the suH' Is rays flashed frGm their
surface to meet the light, brighter still,
which shone from children's eyes. Oh,
those were happy days. and rs the little
ray danced along over the waters he
hoped that they never might end.
But a time came when the voice Of
the wind sounded from afar. The sea
heard it and was troubled to its depths
at the new life of power and strength
which was tearing within it, while the
wavelets far and wide raised their tiny
crests. and in ripples of white foam
whispered the news one to another. The
clouds, too, heard the voice and gath
cred together at its bidding to spread
themselves a thick, dark curtain yer
the sea and hide from the suns face
the things which were to be. And SO
the little ray could visit the SEA no
longer nor join any more in sport with
his favorite playmates. At this his
heart vas very sad, and he took no de-
light in the other pleasures to which
his comrades called him. They told him
Of the wild games they played with tho
wind shaken leaves Of the forest; Of the
snow cold peaks which they crowned
with dazzling splendor Of jewels; of fog
laden valleys filled with dream forms Of
weirdest, strangest loneliness; Of mys-
.teries Of beauty revealed midst the
worlds most squalid dreariness. But it
was all in vain. The little ray longed
for his lost playmates and would care
for none Of these thingA
As he wandered sadly among the
heavy, driving clouds, losing himself
in their sullen masses, searching for
some crevice through which he might
penetrate, one Of them pitied him.
''Sinoe you will it So" said she, Il
will let you through, though I fear you
will find that dreams that are past can
never be dreamed again" Then she
shrank back from her neighbor. and
with one swift word of thanks the little
ray darted down through tho opening
she had made.
Down he went to the sea below and
there lay quivering and lost in its black
guilt. Oh, what a changed world it
wasa Above him the tempest hurried
along and shouted to the waves as it
went, and the waves threw their white
heads up and answered back in crashing
thunders. death, death, and the end
Of all things!' passionately yelled the
tempest. "Ruin!' reared the waves.
''Nanght is that can withstand us!''
= world of darkness and tumult and
terrible unrest. The little ray lay where
he had lighted, tremulous and afraid,
% glimmering for an instant among
cataracts Of rushing foam and then lost
again in the dark depths of the water.
HAT" cried the waves when they saw
him. $50 you are here, little ray. The
world is changed since you saw it last. p"
Changed indeed" said the ray. ooh,
why cannot you be as you were before,
my playmates?" But the waves laugh
ed, shaking spray from their crests till
the tempest caught it and whirled il
mountain high in the air. "Give us
the winds for playmates," they cried,
land the mems lives for our sport. Talk
to US not of the wretched, spiritless
days that are past. The world is worth
living in now" "But you were happy
then. You rejoiced in the earth's beau
ty and were happy" said the little ray
wistfully. Because we knew no bet
ter" they answered. "We have learned
since then that there is something fairer
than beauty, more glorious than joy.
Oh, the rapture of fury when we raise
the ship high in the air to hurl her
down ON the rocks beneath-the crrel