The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-10-25
the HUNTER.



eyes why should die here in this awful darknesf They
warm they my blood and stretched
to take them.
Then in moment there arose before him the image Of
he had loved and his hand dropped to his side.
"Oh, to US" they cried.
But he buried his face.
You dazzel my eyes," he CRIED you make my heart warm;
but you give what desire. will wait here-wait till
die. Go'
He covered his with would not listen and
shed in the distance.
And the long, long night rolled on.
All who leave the valley of superstition pass through
land but through in few days. linger there for
months, some for years, and some die there.
At last for the hunter faint light played along the horizon and
he follow it, and he reached that light last and stepped
into the broad sunshine Then before him the almighty
mountains of Dacts and Realities The clear sunshine played
Them and the tops lost in the Clouds AT the foot many
paths An exutan burst from the hunter He choose
The sraghe and began climb and the rocks and ridges
sounded with his song. They had exaggerated after ALL
high the road steep few days. few weeks
few months post and then the top! Not feather only
would be picked he would gather all that other had
the ne-captue Truthhod her ast-touch her with
his hands-clasp her!
He laughed in the merry sunshine and sang loud Victory
very Nevertheless after while path grew sleeper
He needed all his breath for climbing and the singing died away
On the right and left huge rocks devoid Of chen MOSS
aud the avake earth chasns yawned Here and there he
sheen Of white bones Now the path began grow
and less marked then became trace mark
here and there then ceased altogether He sang more but
struck forth path for himself, until he reached mighty
rock smooth and without break stretching far the eye could
81 will stair against il and this wall climbed
shall be almost there he said bravely and worked his
shuttle Imagination he dug stones them would
not fit and half months work would roll down because those
below i'll chosen But the hunter worked on saying always
to himself "Once this wall climbed shall be almost there
This great work ended"
At last he upon the top and he looked about him.
Far below rolled the white mist the valleys superstition
and above him lowered the mountains They had
before they Of Unreasonable height now from
foundation surrounded by walls Of rock, that above TERN
mighty circles Upon them played the sunshine cut
tered wild cry He bowed himself the earth when he
his face white In absolute walked on He
very silent In those high regions raed air is hard
breathe by those born the valleys every breath hurt
him. and the blood ooed out from the tips Of his fingers Before
the wall Of rock he began work. The height of this
seemed infinite and he said nothing The sound Of his rang
night and day the rocks into which he steps, Years
passed him. yet he worked but the wall lowered up al
above him to heaven. Sometimes he prayed that little
lichen might spring those bare walls com
panon to him; but it
And the rolled he counted them by steps he had
cuta few for yearonly few. He sang more said no
more, 81 will do this tha'-he only worked And at night
when the twilight settled down. there looked him from the
holes and crevices in the rocks strange, wild faces
Sop your work. lonely man. and speak they cried
My salvation in work. If should stop one moment
you would creep down upon me- he replied they put out
their long necks further.
"Look down into the crevce your feet they said See
what lies there-whie bones As brave and strong you
climbed to these rocks And he looked up He there was
striving he would hold Truth her. never
find her. So be lay down here for he very tired. went
to sleep forever He put himself Sleep Sleep very tran
quill You not lonely when you asleep neither your
hands ACHE your heart And the hunter laughed
his teeth.
Have torn from heart all that dearest wan
dered alone the land Of night have resisted temptation have
dwe where the voice Of my kind heard and abored
alone to lie down and be food for you We harpies?"
He laughed fercey and the Echoes Of Despair away for
the laugh Of brave, strong heart is death blow them
Nevertheless they crept out again and looked at him.
"Do know that hair is whe?" they said 'ha your
hands begin trembe like chds? Do you the point
OF shuttle is gonet is cracked already you should
climb this STAIR they said t will be your last You will
climb another
And he answered. 81 know i'll" and worked on