The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-09-28
5eleet Miseellany.
THE THREE FORMS.

vast plain; and an angel stood at my side.
The Angel laid his hand upon my eyes,
and they were strengthened, 50 that | saw
clearly the entire surface of the plain.
l saw that many forms were crossing
the plain and they all moved in the same
direction The side of the plain from
which they came was envelopeu in @ white
mist, from which other forms constantly
emerged; the side of the plain to which
thev travelled was covered by dark cloud
into which they constantly passed and
disappeared.
The Angel said: The plain is the
world
Then the Angel laid his hands upon my
ewes and saw yet more clearly. l saw
that the forms which came forth from the
mist were little children; when they reach
ed the centre of the plain they were of
full stature; they passed into the dark
cloud, bent and feeble. But all the forms
appeared alike: neither man nor woman
could distinguish.
The Angel said: These are the shad-
ows of souls, not bodies.
And said to the Angel: There are so
many forms, can see none clearly"
The Angel answered: Look now
straight before you. Three souls come
forth from the mist together. Let your
ewes rest upon them
And ! saw three little children come
forth from the mist, hand i'll hand; the
form of one was shadowy gray, and one
was black. and one was pure white. Each
child had Il tiny cross upon his back; but
the crosses were very small, and the chill
dren did not appear to feel their weight
The children did not at once start upon
their journey across the plain, but ran
hthcr and thithcr plucking the flowers
with which that e lge of the plain was cov-
cred but even in their play they gradual
" left the soft, white mist, and soon pass
ed beyond the little space were the flow
ers bloomed
Then | noticed that the three forms
were no longer as children, but were al
ready entering into manhood, and now
they paused, as if they dreaded to cross
the barren space before them. But sud
denly there sprang up, at short distance
in front of each, Il single scarlet mower,
and when the Forms saw the scarlet now
erS they hcsitated no longer.
The GRAY Form ran quickly up to his
flower: but when he glanced at 1t he pass
ed by, as if it were of little little worth
And when he had passed, the flower faded
and fell to the ground.
The Black Form stretched out his hand
and plucked his flower eagerly; then
tearing it asunder and crushing portion
in each hand he hastened on his way
across the plain.
The White Form approached his hover
SLOWLY, revcrently; even when 1t seemed
within his grasp, he stayed his hand, ana
stood rs if in awe beside the scarlet bloom.
Then the petals fell one by one, and on
the stem appeared golden fruit. Gath
er,np the fruit still revercntly, the White
Form went joyfully upon his way.
The Angel said: The scarlet tiov - is
Love-
And | saw that as the Forms passed
across the plain they increased in statue
but the crosses which were bound upon
them increased in size even more rapidly
so that they became very burdensome.-
But the Gray Form bore himself erect, and
took no notice of the burden; while the
Black Form stopped low and moved for
ward with difficulty. The White Form
| stopped orc, as if in pain, and tried tt
/ loosen the cords with which his cross wa:
| bound hut vainlv Then he bowed hi:
! head mcekly and went upon his way; MOI
quite erect, but with steadfaSt tread. Ant
whenever he looked upon the golden frui
/ in his hand the cross seemed to grow les
heavy; till by and by he scarcely appeared
to feel its weight at all
The Angel said: The cross is human
nature"
And now | saw that the Black Form
fell often, for the ground beneath his fee
was slippery and wet, and red as will
blood. Then | saw that from his hands
in which he still held the crushed petal
of the scarlet flower there fell a coEstan
scarlet stream The Angel said: He ha
made of love Il thing accursed.
And presently the Forms began to draN
near to the dark cloud on the other sid
of the plain.
As they went upon their way, saw tina
many other souls turned toward the Whit
and laid cross upon him. The Whit
Form shrank under it. as if he found
very hard to bear. Then many other soul