Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-04
when he was bruised and cut, the
hunter .crept away into the woods, and
it was evening about him"

when he was bruised and cut, the
hunter .crept away into the woods, and
it was evening about him."
AT every word the stranger spoke the
fellows eyes flashed back on him
yes. and yes. and yes! The stranger
smiled. 1t was almost worth the trou-
bic of exerting oneself, even on a lazy
afternoon, to win those passionate
flashes, more thirsty and desiring than
the love glances Of woman.
He wandered on and on" said the
stranger, "and the shade grew deeper.
He was on the borders now Of the land
where it is always night. Then he
stepped into it, and there was no light
there. With his hands he CROPPED, but
each branch as he touched it broke
off, and the earth was covered with
cinders. At every step his foot sank
in, and a fine cloud of impalpable ash
es flew up into his face, and it was
dark. So he sat down upon q stone
and buried his face in his hands to wait
In that Land Of Negation and Denial
till the light came.
"And it was night in his heart also.
'Then from the marshes to his right
and left cold mists arose and closed
about him. A fine, imperceptible rain
fell in the dark, and great drops gath
cred on his hair and clothes. His heart
beat slowly, and numbness crept
through all his limbs. Then, looking
up. two merry whisp lights came dane
ing. lie lifted his head to look at
them. Nearer, nearer they came, SO
warm, so bright, they danced like stars
Of fire. They stood before him at last.
From the center Of the radiating fame
in one looked out woman's face,
laughing, dimpled, with streaming yell
low hair. In the center OF the other
We're merry, laughing ripples, like the
bubbles on glass Of wine. They
danced before him.
WHO are you, asked the hunter
who alone come to me in my solitude
and darkness:'
We are the twins Sensuality! they
cried. Our fathers name is Human
Nature, and our mothers name is Elk.
cess. We are as old as the hills and
rivers, as old as the first man. but we
never die they laughed.
"'Oh, let me wrap my arms about
you! cried the first. .rhey are soft
and warm. Your heart is frozen now,
but will make it beat. Oh, come to
Mev
4 will pour my hot life into you,'
said the second. Your brain is numb.
and your limbs are dead now, but they
shall live with a fierce free life. Oh,
let me pour it i'm
oh, follow u.s. they cried, and live
with us! Nobler hearts than yours
have sat here in this darkness to wait.
and they have come to us and we to
them, and they have never left us, new
er. All else is delusion, but we are
real, we are real. Truth is shadow,
the valleys of superstition are a farce,
the earth is of ashes, the trees all rot
ten, but we-feel us-we live! You
cannot doubt us. Feel u.s. How warm
we are! Oh. come to us! Come to usn
Nearer and nearer round his head
they lowered, and the cold drops melt
ed on his forehead. The bright light
shot into his eyes, dazzling him, and
the frozen blood began to run. And
he said:
"'Yes. Why should die here in
this awful darkness? They are warm;
they melt my frozen bloodv And he
stretched out his hands to take them.
"Then in a moment there arose be-
fore him the image of the thing he had
loved. and his hand dropped to his side.
"'Oh, come to us! they cried.
aBut he buried his face.
You dazzle my eyes he cried. you
make my heart warm. but you cannot
give me what desire. will wait
here-wait till die. Cor
HE covered his face with his hands
and would not listen. and when he
looked up again they were two twin
king stars. that vanished in the dis
lance.
And the long. long night rolled on.
All who leave the valley Of supersti-
ton pass through that dark land. but
some so through it in few days. some
linger there for months. some for
years. and some die there
The boy had crept closer. His hot
breath almost touched the strangers
hand mystic wonder filed his eyes.
AT last for the hunter faint light
played along the horizon. and he rose
to follow it, and he reached that light
at last and stepped into the broad sun
shine. Then before him rose the al
mighty mountains of Dry Facts and
Realities. The clear sunshine played
on them. and the tops were lost in the
clouds. AT the foot many paths ran
up. An exultant cry burst from the
hunter. He chose the straightest and
began to climb. and the rocks and
ridges resounded with his song. They
had exaggerated. After all. it was not
so high, nor was the road SO steep. A
few days. Il few weeks, few months
at most. and then the top. Not one
feather only would he pick up. He
would gather all that other men had
found. weave the net. capture Truth.
hold her fast, touch her with his hands.
clasp her!
He laughed in the merry sunshine