Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-16

prOach il for; that 1t did not last Iof-
ever, but was followed by awakening.
Now on awakening there was the re-
sumption of labor; there were new
cares and new fatigues.
This thought began to trouble them
to such an extent that for the third
time they presented themselves be-
fore Vishnu.
Lord" they said, thou hast grant
ed us a precious and ineffable good,
but it is incomplete. We pray thee to
make sleep eternal"
Vishnu frowned, irritated at such
importantly. and answered.
II cannot. But go to the ford of the
river, and on the other shore ye shall
find what We seek"
Obeying the divinity the throng
went forthwith toward the little lake,
and examined from afar the opposite
shore. Beyond the sheet of water,
which was silent and limpid, edged
with flowers, stretched the Meadow of
Death, the country of silva. There the
sun never rose and never set. There
was neither day nor night But all
space was filed with a mystic bright
ness. No object cast shadow; the
brightness permeated everything. It
seemed to constitute the very essence
of things. The landscape was not a
desert. As far as the eye could reach
it was enlivened with hills and valleys,
which pretty clusters of trees adorned,
with clambering morning-glories twin
ing round them. Garlands of ivy and
vine carpeted the rocks But the rocks
themselves and the trunks of the trees.
and the slender stems of plants were
almost transparent, and seemed made
of condensed light. The ivy leaves
bore the de;'cate rosy tints of early
ened by a serenity unknown in the
Meadow of Life This translucent ma
ture rested in luminous melancholy.
in happy slumber, sleep without
safety. In the pure air not the least
breath: not flower moved; the leaves
did not rustic.
The tbrong which had come to the
river-bank in tumut of words, was
hushed at the sight of these motion
less spaces with their mystic light.
Hardly above whisper they said =
What calm there, How everything
rests in the light"
Yes; it is peace there; it is eternal
sleep. :" And some who were the
most weary finally said; Come. Let
us seek the eternal sleep"
They entered the water. The irised
sheet opened at once before thew, AS
if to facilitate their passage. Those
who had remained upon the bank, sud
denly saddened by this separation,
wanted TO recall them. But none of
those who crossed turned their heads.
hut continued on their way with a
light and resolute step. evidently at
tracted more and more by the charm
of the marvellous country.
The throng which watched them
from the shore of Life observed that
their bodies. in proportion as they
grew distant, became luminous, trans
parent, lighter and lighter. more and
more radiant and immaterial. as if
they melted into the general radiance
which filed the Meadow of Death.
AS they arrived on the other shore
they stretched themselves out. and re-
the foot of the trees or near inc rocks,
Their eyes were closed. but their coun-
tenances breathed not only an lneffahle
calm bur still more a happiness
which, in the Meadow of Life, even
Love does not give.
Seeing this, the folk remaining on
the first shore said: THE country of
silva is better and sweeter."
And in greater and greater numbers
they gained the other bank. Hosts OF
old men and of young folk in the
strength of age. husbands with their
wives. mothers leading tender children
by the hand, young men and virgins
crossed Then thousands and millions
of persons fastened into the narrow
passage, so that the Meadow of Life
finished by being almost completely de-
populated.
NlSnnu- NuOSt tdSh II was W pIOltCl
Life. was dismayed at the results OF
the advice which he himself had given
in moment of anger. Anxiously he
appealed to the supreme Brahma.
Creator said he, come to the aid
of Life Thou hast rendered the do
main of Death so beautiful, so happy
so luminous. that all are leaving my
realm"
| Has no one remained?" asked
Brahma
YES. a young man and young
woman who are so deeply in love that
they have preferred to renounce eter
nal peace rather than to close fhei1
ewes and not contemplate one an
other
What deSirest thou?"
Make the country of Death. less at
tractive and less happy. or otherwise
these two will also abandon me as
soon as the springtime CT their love
shall have passed"
Brahma reflected moment, ans
then said
NO, shall not touch the beauty nol
the happiness of TIE country of silva