La Junta tribune., 1903-04-11
AN EASTER VISION

1t was Easter Sunday. The streets
were thronged with well-dressscd peo-
pie on their way to church. and the
spring air was full OF the joyous
sound of bells.
What a hollow mockery!" thought
one sad-faced woman rs she stood
amid the worshipers In the crowded
transept.
The priest stretched out his hands
toward the kneeling flock and spoke
OF the butterfly and the chrysalis. the
marvel OF revivified and blossoWing
earth. Yet his words we've meaning
less. cold and empty In the ears OF
the sad, black-robed woman who
sought in vain for consolation.
Were they indeed. those mansions
Had these people founI them? Why,
then, were tney barred to her? All. In
her bitterness. she doubted II she
really cared for such Joys. All she
yearned for was the one tender,
human smile which they told her was
forever banished. Her heart rose up
in a spasm of rebellion. 1t could not
be true that anything 80 good was
irrevocably gone.
Christ Is risen-is risen from the
dead!" sang the choir; but the sad
and lonely woman turned and left the
church.
That afternoon she walked along
country roads. through the delicious
oaors OF the spring filed air. As she
trod the brown meadows the sky was
aglow with the dulling gold Of the
sunshine and the wind bore to her the
scent Of fresh hyacinths.
Still she wandered on. unheedinE,
absorbed in the bitterness OF her own
heart, until she saw before her .
country churchyard. where . woman,
black.robed. like herself. bent sobbing
above q new-made grave. Drawn by
some intangible chord Of sympathy,
she walked over to where the other
Aneeled at the tomb.
':It is Easter" said the second
woman, mechanically lifting her
heavy eyes. and no 10 dead" A
sudden comprehension came to her
glance: she reached out her hand
and touched the strangers gown.
"You understand she cried. "You
too"
''Yes. I understand" answered the
first woman. monotonously. Your
story is also mine. He is dead"
They are. gone from us forever"
cried the woman at tho grave. with
q burst Of wild weeping. "Ah. for
one sign Of immorI.....y. for ono hope.
one dream that II Is not forever-that
they but sleep to live a6ain!"
And then for both these sorrowing
souls was wrought . miracle! Life.
for the instant. threw aside its mask
OF death and revealed itself in its
serene majesty Of reality. Tho sky
became more vivid and Opaline: the
wind blew more freshly. bearing .
ousand scents; hepaticas were
blooming 1t their feet: . bird SCARED.
singing, from the ground.
For the moment they seemed TO
feel the swirl OF tho earth on its axis.
the stars revolving in their spheres,
tie mighty heave OF the great oceans
of life, and knew that there was
nothing in time nor spoco nor exist
ence, but change, motion and vitality.
an that one brief mo0eat they felt
and knew the presence a thsas Asad
Infinitely near and comfnsting. and
we're assured beyond Ill 1oobe that
there was
The freer step, the fuIIer brsaah. IL
wide horisou's gTasder view,
The sense Of life that knows - doath,
the life that nakseA an thin0
new.
' And thea tAe vileanp pansoo, stAe
scales fell upon tAsir go. tAdr eBD
once more grew dun A. yst ~
memory remained fhsy stood -
eether IN the vueiA. - tAsv -
known It, aloss:' bat nsvsfDnso 49,
iate.