The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1903-01-29

ZIG sail Sh0nc on the far horizon
line a mere spcck. White as the wing
OF Z wheeling gull ii flashed. then slip.
ped into tEr vonccnlinG depths OF b,ut
beyond.
Now she's gone"
Yes. It's like the slipping away oi
lie, isn't it? Ono instant here in the
s"en-the next. beyond in the unseen
Yet to John, who is sailing away from
us it Is but pushing forward OF MS
horizon line. Fc is not conscious of
tn" carLh-rurve that hides him from us
siuing here on the beach. Perhaps" he
added musingly. perhaps that is what
death is, simply tlc curve of our life
ocean that draws us below the line to
those watching on the shore, while to
ourselves We arc still sailing on level
seas with the horizon yet far ahead"
'l'hat is Il beautiful thought"
'Ec3." He shifted his position slight
~. leaning "ase"fully against the sandy
bark that rose behind the driftwood
log "a which they sat He claspcd his
hands behind his head, staring medita-
lively over the water.
Yes, ii is. | found it in little poem
tha, | read the other day. Shall | re-
peat it for you?'
DO; should like to hear L."
The sand bank rose to Il narrow ter
race above them. where a group of will
lows threw a welcome shade around.
The water ran in endless shining rip
pies up the white beach, tapping softly
Oh the wet s:-:.;l. a little breeze rus
tied through the tall lunches Of beach.
;,>t,
tul plumcs.
Please, let me hear it,"
We'll. it is a, simple thing. but
something in it pleased me. and watch
ing John sail away as we sat here,
called it back to my mind.
81 watched sail until it dropped
from sight
white,
A last far-nashed farewell and, like
a thought
Slipt out Of mind. it vanished and was
"'Yct to the helmsman standing at the
wheel
Bread seas still stretched beneath the
gliding keel.
Disaster? Change? He felt no slightest
sign,
Nor dreamed he Of that far horizon
line.
"':', may it be. perrhancc. when down
the tide
Our dear ones vanish. Peacefully they
glidc
O" level seas. nor mark ihe unknown
We call it death~-to them It's life be-
yOnd.'"
Ills voice dropped to ailcncG; his
gaze sill searched the unanSw cring dis
farce. The girl beside him sat motion
loss. her head turned slightly away.
holding in one hand a willow branch
With which she had been idly brushing
the warm. dry sand at her feet.
Iic unclasped his hands, bending for
ward to look al her.
"Wcil?" he said,-"wcll?"
Her fingers swept the willow switch
slowly back and forth over the sand,
and she still turned away her head.
When she spoke, her voice was not
quite steady:
-! like it very much. 1t is beautiful.
comforting it would be. Oh with
sudden passionate note Of longing in
her voice, "why cant we know that it
is 50? have known what it is to watch
some one slip ont Of sight that way.
and how have longed for some token
Just a word or the sight OF face to
show that death is not the end. and
hat all is we'll But" she added, after
a pause, during which his eyes studied
her averted face alphabetically, lit
has never come"
She turned toward him: "Do you be-
licve it ever does come to any onc?"
Il think" he said slowly, II think
no, | know it does-sometimes. May
tell you an experience of my own, Miss
Fvans?"
Yes" she said. eagerly. "tell it to
me-"
Again his eyes searched the misty
horizon line.
Il had very dear friend with whom
| waS intimately associated for num-
ber Of years. We were almost like
brothers, and knew we'll what a thor
kindly, and as tender hearted as he was
strong and manly.
He had wife and baby girl about
two years old. His wife was a lovely
woman, and they were the fondcst
happiest pair Of lovers it has over been
my fortune to meet. But Bess, the baby.
was the very core Of his heart. and she
adored her father. He used to spend
hours talking to me about her. plan
ming her future, which was to be all
brightness If he could make it So There
was nothing he was not willing to do
Iur her"
Iii5 Evans stirred slightly, and the
willow branch in her fingers tapped the
sand protestingly He glanced quickly
al her.
NO, Miss Evans, you must not think
that Bess never ursurped her mothers
pace IN his heart, but between her and
her father there was peculiarly strong
bond of Symnathv