Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-12-21
THE COMING OF LOVE
An AIIegoy of the Greatest
Lesson Taught by Life.
BY LAIsDELL MITCHELL.

Side by side up the mountain called
Life walked Youth and Old Age.
Agile limbs. restless power, and
bright eyes. through which snone Am
bition, marked Youth. Old Age had
Bonded shoulders. snow white hair.
and love laden eyes, beneath which
lay the gentle spirit OF Content.
Nay" cried Youth, pushing eager
ly forward. careless OF torn garments
or bleeding flesh. Il have no need OF
Love"
Not now perhaps" returned Old
Age softly. but when the way grows
drear, and the cold blasts sweep down
the mountain side. then pray that
Love will come"
Nay" Youth repeated, brushing
aside the closely growing branches.
Il need not Love. See, | am strong.
am sufficient unto myself. 1 wish
no aid"
speak with each other. and as Youth
and Old Age journeyed beneath they
said:
Love laughs at power for Love
Is power Love smiles with Youth;
for Love is Youth eternal"
The eyes of Old Age glistened at the
murmured message. and new energy
came into the bowed form. But Gag
er Youth pressed on unheeding. At
each step the road grew more and
more steep, and the thicket of under
brush through which they must needs
pass-for the mountain called Life has
strange pathways-more dense. Old
Age never faltered: but with head
erect and eyes gazing onward he fol-
lowed Loves behest. for Love ever
guided him on. And thus the mile
stones, made of the years, were
passed.
Sometimes Youth stumbled; the
sharp stones cut his feet; the briars
tore his fair flesh, and the cold wind
chilled his blood. But Ambition, that
selfish. fair faced. exacting, soulless
one, looking through Youths eyes,
said:
Never fear: the pathway will soon
grow smooth and straight"
So Youth pressed on, only to STUN
BILE more often, and each time to rise
with less strength than before. Mad
dened by the delay, he fastened
blindly on where the stones were
more sharp, the briars more dense
and the wind more piercing His eyes,
through which Ambition gazed, were
strained and hard, and saw not the
easy ascent Of Old Age, with whom
walked Love, smoothing the pathway
up the mountain called Life.
Again and again Youth fell, worn
and weary. Again and again Youth
rose, torn and bleeding and sick at
heart. At last, his eyes moist with
discouraged. halfshed tears, while the
warm blood oozed from hands and
feet upon the pathway, he halted and
gazed beyond. There shone the goal
OF Youths desire, to which Ambition
had ever spurred him on; but the
luster had faded, and there its stood.
shorn of all its glory. Then, while he
caught q glimpse OF the halfway
milepost OF the years Of the journey
ND the mountain called Life, there
was born a mighty longing, greater
than all words. for the possession OF
that which so blessed Old Age, but
which Youth had never found.
Within the heart of Youth the long
ing grew so that the sharp rocks as
they cut the bruised flesh were for
gotten; the thorns that tore the up
turned face were UNDECIDED and the
chilling cold of the mountain wind
unfelt. and then, pausing moment
In the very WEAKNESS of his long and
toilsome quest, iouth questioned Old
Age:
what is that which l so desired,
yet know not?"
And old Age answered but one
word
Love"
Ambition at the sound quivered
and skunk affrighted from Youths
eyes; for with Youth there is no place
for Love and Ambition; those two do
not agree.
And Youth answered, NAY" but
the word was softly whispered, for
Hope had but then touched the heart
of Youth.
But at that moment Love came.
Gone was the pain, the WEAKNESS, the
longing. for Love had come and walk
ed with Youth.
And behind the soft eyes Of Youth
lay Content.