The Red Cloud chief., 1902-12-12

N'I'''h"' ''N~' ".
II had been such n trying. wearing
day and she was SO weary, 40 unut.
terably tired. II vas n blank, blank
wall she faced and to-day hcr courage
would not respond to her efforts. The
weight of her afniction was 81 heavy
and she SO longed for rest. Years OF
gray monotony and dependence
stretching their sombre lengths before
her. Years OF dull inaction and
changcless. level existence. Her bed.
her invalid chair. her room-how her
horizon had narrowed. And II had APP
pearcd SO broad. SO beautiful, 30 glow.
ing.
Two hot. soaring tears stole from
between the fringcs Of her eyes as
she thought that but for that fateful
ride she should even now be rcaliz.
ing the most luxurious dream of her
life: she should be wandering through
the memory mists OF rich old Italy,
finding an objective answer to those
years OF hard, ambitious preparation.
which she had made. She should rev.
ell In the fact that for two years longer
tutIt WOulu Dt uOtIllh6 w wv p"' w
open her eyes and her heart to h
impressions which travel would give
and to store those impressions away
to be metamorphosed later n touch
the minds Of others through her songs
and stories. Surely II she had been
broadened by this experience the
small success which had met her pre-
vious work would have been warm
and triumphant and she would have
gained that place In the affections OF
a people that he- ambition and her
yearning love desired.
But II was gone now. The luscious
dream had fallen into ashes. Long.
long years! Bleak. colorlcss years!
And she so young! Her life thus
nipped and marred just az 1t was
opening into fullest rosehood. The
dull heaviness Of It all oppressed her
heart until the tears were weighted
down and, stepped in utter life weari'
ness. she turned her head toward the
window. and gazed where the pallid
November sunset sank listlessly into
the west.
Slightly toward the south. where
the yellow hung most clear, q wooded
hill arose, the BLUSH tenderness OF
the haze, which distance loves to fold
around all objects, clinging softly
about its base. though the trees on the
summit shook back their vestments
and, bare.armed and dark, raised
their many hands In striking silhou'
cite, as IL performing their evening
sacrifice.
Only a part of this hill and that part
| framed on either side by buildings
heal at hand, could be viewed from
| the window where she reclined, but
there was enough to ease her eyes
and her mind and to emanate a
mighty vibration OF peace that softly,
gently, imperceptibly began to roll as
incense over that unhappy heart. 81
lently, unconsciously 1t diffused Its
soothing beauty through her thoughts
and changed their bitterness into ten
der melancholy. Gradually she felt
her soul responding to the scene. A
deep religious exaltation awoke in her
breast, q strange, beautiful yearning,
cropping peace, a sensation that was a
prayer, a longing that was an apoca'
lypse. And life was new.
This was the beginning Of an alb
sorbing personal love which the girl
learned to feel for that bit of wooded
hill. 1t was different from the love
she felt for picture or other inanimate
object. Indeed the hill was no IMAM
innate to her. It possessed a soul. a
mighty soul, and It stood before her
as some strong, beautiful priest that
was to purify her heart for perfect
love of Nature and for the Spirit that
quickens and is manifest in Nature.
Every morning she longed for her
first glimpse of 1t as some earnest
souls long for the m OF secret
prayer. Every evening she could not