The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-11

heart again" 1t was his fathers voice;
but when Peter looked around nobody
was to be seen.
Give up my money" said Peter.
We'll, l should say not!''
The birds began singing again and
the torrent splashed and the fish
jumped. Every sound reminded Peter
anew of some hour in his youth.
Memories came rushing around like
swarms of winged things. They fitted
around his head on iridescent wings.
They hummed in his ears with the
music of the summer moons of long
ago.
4 certainly was happy them said
Peter TO himself Il do believe that
soft heart is not such bad thing
in many ways"
"Peterl Peterr' cried his fathers
voice again. Get your soft heart be-
fore it is too late"
''Huml" said Peter. 81 could never
afford to pay the price. Whatever
would do without my wealth."
Again the memories of far-off years
clustered thick and bright around him.
He saw himself wading with bare,
brown feet in the brook, with never
a care in the world. He saw his con-
panions and himself wandering hand
finland through the woods, singing.
All the faces of those whom he had
known in childhood and in youth, in
all the days before he got his iron
heart, gazed down on him.
Suddenly they all vanished The
birds ceased their singing. The fishes
ceased their leaping. A great silence
brooded over the ridge, and Peter
felt afraid. Il cannot bear this lone
liness," he cried.
Lonely you shall be now and Tor
ever said his fathers voice again,
and now it was solemn and deep.
Lonely you shall be unless you re-
gain your soft heart Choose, Pete,
for this is your last chance"
Il choose!' cried Peter, Take away
my wealth if it will take away the
iron heart, tooP'
Scarcely had he spoken when
blast of lightning flashed into the
ground at his feet and he fell on his
face Before his senses left him he
seemed to see, half shrouded in black
clouds, the gigantic form of his travel
ing companion racing down the val
ley and beating the earth with an up
rooted oak.
Crash after crash doomed the thun-
der. The trees on the ridge bent this
way and that in the tempest Ancient
rocks, loosened from their foundations
on the mountain tops, went hurting
to the valleys. The torrent, beaten in
to a boiling pool, started over its
banks and rushed down headlong in
flood
When Peter awoke he rubbed his
eyes in amazement. The forest on the
ridge stood unchanged But as far as
he could see down the valley in the
light of the dawn everything was al
tered. Not shaft-house chimney. not
derrick, not single one of his struc-
lures was left standing. Everything
had been laid PROSTATE by the great
storm.
But, wonderful to say, Peter never
thought of the wealth that he had lost
His heart was beating fast and hot in
his breast, and he cried:
Il only hope that no one has been
killed or hurt"
He rushed down the hill and bur
ried to the people who stood in
crowds surveying the wreck They
told him that everybody had escaped,
and then began to condone with him
on his losses.
"Losses?" said Peter with the first
joyful laugh that he had uttered in
years. Il have gained more than
kingdom this nightr'
The people thought that his brain
was turned; but Peter didn't care. He
went abroad, smiling, and sat with
his friends as Of old and petted TIL
children. And if he was not rich in
money any longer, he was the richer
in better possession, for the pretty
girl married him
He lived to be known again as
"Soft-hearted Peter" and to hear his
son called "Soft-hearted Peter" too
And he never regretted the loss OF
the iron heart for a single moment.
JULIUS MULLER.