Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-15

'''rnc deer was dying.
And perhaps you know that whch
wild creature is dying 1t can TAN. ~
talks through it's eyes. And TINS hthe
maiden, with all her savage SUI"
her love of the chase anu
the teachings of her parents that shc
must kill to live. saw the eyes oil the
dying creature. and pity stayed hcr
hand 1t was a long story that the
creature told the victor. but whch IL
was done the deer was dead. and the
child of the forest crouched beside II
and wcpt These strange upright
folks had then very little heart. Tor
they were not much above the Drutc
creation. Since then and now Is
long time. and the Master. the great
Sun, has warmed them much since
then.
Il do not know what the wood
nymph, the little daughter OF the
brown man who lived the long years
through in the hole in the rocks up
above. was thinking. but when she
went away she left her cruel spear OF
rough stone, and l never saw her
chasing any living thing again. un-
less in sport. She came every day to
ate the low and luscious water cress.
and the cucumber roots, and there
among the trees she reared a stone
above the deer's grave, and she came
every day to worship the Great Mas
ter, the Sun.
And she was the first priestess. She
taught her people to eat the plants
that have not feeling. and to Stay not
the wild creatures of the wood. And
mercy dwelt with peace upon her
brow. and wherever she walked
through the woods the flowers and the
plants kissed her bare, brown legs.
and loved her. Her people came one
after the other to look at her at her
prayers to the Master. the light, and
some of them half catching her spirit.
worshiped with her. But not all. The
rest reared through the woods, and
made war upon each other. particular
ly upon those of the upright sort
th2t had not yet walked upright and
slew every living thing that they could
for food
And because the flowers loved her.
they crcpt up Ia her little stone altar
and grew there in great abundance, and
many colors. we always joined with her
IN the evening hymn To the stars. and in
the morning song Of the birds Because
her people ate nothing but flesh she l.ft
her fa;hcr'S house. and came here To
dwell continually. and high in the arms
OF the spruce tree Sh. built her A nrs:
and lined il with moss. and there she
lived summer. and winter till sh. was
full grown. ana "A beautiful creature III
spite of her long hair. and her brown
skin, 50 much thicker and coarscr than
that Of the upright folk who come here.
now for water at our spring.
BY living among us she learned Ia tax
with MS. and we told her of he good time
coming when all the plants should be AN
imals. and all the animals should be gods.
ana all should live together in great
forest, and there should he no killing he =
caus" no one would he hungry We told
her all. and she learned to call US all by
name, and many nights she lay ON tn"
moss beside me. her ear to my yellow
mouth, listening 10 my tales OF the old
days when the earth was young and H.
trees and plants and the animals were
all more or less alike. and many VINO
now walk upon thc land dwclt always IN
the water. and the Master. the sun was
creating. was moulding and reforming.
every manner of creature after his own
kind. and telling him Ia 90 forth ana con
quer the cartn and subduc II. Mud there
was no love in the earth. save the love
of the Master. the sun. for IN. tnInEs 4
had called into shape.
'on" night wn"n tnc moon sailed nky
a hawk on silent, mui'lcd wings In tho
sky above the traCklcSS forest. and ""
OF the flowers ana plants had sang uur
goddess To sleep. and she lay on the
ground with her arm around the Stiang-.
little stone altar She had built. and whor ,
day and night, was always a bunch of
wild flowers. there came tn, tramp ~
one Of the upright folk through the wood
and we trcmblcd for We knew not what
4 stranger who knew her not might 10 t.
our beloved one. The slippers all called
their loudest hu; she slumbercd On. Tine
red bun thistle who stood Z Iard hcsidc
tn. path that led up to the altar leaned
far across the path with his ugly pIicktcS.
in his puny attempt TO stop tn" invader.
But on he came. brushing aside tho
bull thiStlcS little swords if h.. had
been a Jewel Weed. only. But when thr
hunter saw the maiden. our wood nymph.
sleeping on the ground with her round
arms about the stone. he parsed. Long
he stood there looking at the stone. at
the nymph. and at the flowers on tn.
stone. AS he looked his fac" softcned ana
=, new and tendcrcr light came to 1t. At
Vast hc pickle new bouquet of flowers.
and STOPPING. left them on the stone at
her side. an. silently slipped off among
the shadows. Many times he returned to
the spot. and always when the maiden,
our nymph, was gone on her ramblcs
through the forest and by The brook. lie
brought rare plants, some that grew not
there at all. Some came from far over
the hills where the cnChanterS night
shade cuddles the jewel weeds by III"
edge of the marshes. And he came not
back with his weapons lest he might meet
the goddess. and scare her, but he came
always with his hands full Of flowers.
And once he saw her worShipping the
Master. the Sunlight. and he came again,
and did likewise. once he knclt beside
the stone. and she returning through tn"
forest. saw the great. broad shoulders of
the hunter bending over her little altar.
and she crcpt up silently and STILL and
heard him saving over and over what
he had heard her say: oh great Mas
ter Give me light. And bring forth the
good time. And she sat down a little
ways off and when he had risen to 60.
she called him to her. and he sat on the
the secrets Of the wild woods. those gen
tie. peaceful truths that he had not
learned In all his life of hunting Great
urcs. She taught him OF the meaning Of
the good time. and why the birds sang
up the sun every morning. and sang il
down at night. because it was the master
the giver of life to everything that
brcathcs. or walks. or stands in its place
in the woods or fields. For many days
she taught him the secrets of the woods
and the brooks. the trees and the flowers
And last she taught him love. She told
him that il was love that the Master
gives to the plants and the flowers when
he shines upon them all day long.
He does it because he loves them and
so every little and big thing that has life
at all. tolls upward and onward genera
ton after generation. and age after age.
doing its duty because the sun loves all
the world. and smiles upon it. And when
she had taught him what love was sh"
went off with him one morning down the
long path from the altar to the woods.
holding his great brown hand in hers. and