The age-herald., 1900-05-29
KNOWN AND UNKNOWN
 ON THE MOUNTAIN
BY THE MURMURER.

Between the dawn and the eelipsing shadow of the moon upon the sun yester- day morning. a man breasted the noun tain, and listening to the song of birds in the shaded trees, and drinking the in- toxicant of the perfumed young day, he counted not his own steps, nor breathed he until the highest summit was reached.
 The space about him there was stony and
 bare, save only for the wild clover and here and there a little white flower that he knew not by name. A bird of song, there as if to make love to the modest flowers | frightened flew away, and it's flight gave | him an indefinite sense of surprise, that
 even a wild bird should fly from him in
 the mood that in that hour moved him. f Noting these impressions in instant, he
 looked at the sun and the only shade rest
 ing there was cirrus cloud seemingly
 white and thin as the veil of bride.
 He felt that he stood at the foot of the
 throne of morning, and he knew he was
 upon the throne of his world; and poor
 and uncared for it might be to others, 1 it yet was high place to him for himself. | That fact filled the little measure of his 1 longing As if at his feet, all around and
 about him, were the countless trees ot the mountain, green glistening and not robbed of the touch of last nights dew. The mighty sweep of woods was splendid in
 the sunlight. Below, near and far, spread | the valley like some vast park with gar
 dens and summer houses, and cool re-
 treats; places of prayer and of charity.
 League on league the noble prospect
 reached, until it faded in that dim outline
 where the sky seemed to have pended to
 union with the green earth. framing the
 vast picture of life and superlative splen-
 dor, light, and glory. He turned his i vision to the cirrus clouds. white against
 the grey-blue sky To the southward in the
 upper deep a star was shining faintly.
 Turning again. he saw With clear eye the
 apparent edge of the moon touch upon the
 apparent edge of the sun, and the eclipse
 had begun. Some instinct or emotion
 caused him to uncover, and he no longer
 stood erect He was in the citadel of si-
 lence and even his prayer and his thanks l giving were not spoken of the tongue.
 The unexampled glory or that hour awed
 him, and the working of mightiest of all
 miracles gladdened infinitely. The shadow
 against the sun grew, and the light upon
 the earth faded, as the moon-globe rolled
 in majesty indescribable. The man looked
 and wondered in dumb reverence at the
 unanswerable denial of unfaith, and mys-
 tery of the worlds amazement.
 The shadow grew.
 By and by he heard laughter joyous ripping, bounding laughter, the invoca- | tion of innocence; and it softened his happiness It was pure as the breeze that
 stirred the leaves never so gently, and it
 gave him fuller measure of gladness.
 Looking, he saw in the near distance the
 radiant laugher, maiden resplendent as l flower of springtime upon the mountain. | He wondered if her name were Mary He l couldn't know; but he thought it might be 1 that even hoped so He was in the mood l to call that hour with all it's riches for l him by the name Mary, and hope to pray 1 to it forevermore! He remembered some 1 lines, conned by rote years before, and he 1 found himself addressing them to the un- l known maid of the mount though she | heard not neither did she know.
 Is thy name Mary, maiden fair? l Such should, methinks it's music be; l The sweetest name that mortals bear Were best befitting thee;
 | And she, to whom it once was given | Was half of earth and half of heaven. hear thy voice, see thy smile | I look upon thy folded hair;
 An, while we dream not they beguile Our hearts are in the snare;
 And she who James a wild birds wing, Must start not if her captive sing. So lady, take the leaf that falls, To all but thee unseen, unknown; When evening shades thy silent walls Then read it all alone;
 In stiffness read, in darkness seal, Forget, despise, but not reveal. He called her Mary in his heart. That was his way of trying to bless her; for Mary meant love, prayer, benediction,
 blessed and in all that he clothed the maid of the mount, beautiful and laughing in the divine morning, when all the range of his vision and all the impulses of his spirit bore the impress of the Masters touch. Yet the maiden was to him L'Inconnue!
 The shadow grew and the light faded up- on the earth.
 Two woodmen of Ham came up the slope. The man was unaware of their coming un- til they paused within few paces of him, and looked with mild and amiable aston ishment. He bade them a cheerful good morrow which they answered cheerfuly and with some show of deference. They walked little further. and pausing at the base of an old oak, but recently dead of the storms of a century, they threw down
 the tools of their craft and looked at him with bovine interest. He did not need to ask their intentions, but did so in speech of civiity. They were going to fell the traa nd i'm mi for no roina of iron deep down into the mountain under
 them. They proceeded with their work, talking to themselves of their womenknd of yesterday, of last night. They were Jake and Major, to the other. And Bill a fool about Sally and jealous of everybody, especially of Jake. But Sally