The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-03-16

best in the world Is unknown there,
for only those know 1t who possess It,
and If they speak Of 1t in so doing they
Iestroy its charm.
There are passionate lovers Of nature
| whom she fascinates most in byplaces,
IN the cool of forests, in the clefts Of
canyons, everywhere that the careless
over is not admitted to her Contempla-
lion. Forgetting time and the life Of
the world they pass days In these in
violate stillnesses, watching Il bird
build its nest or brood over its young
or some little grounding at its gra-
rious play. so to seek the good within
himself one must go where he no lon
ger finds cOnstrant or pose or gallery"
Of any sort, but the simple fact of n
life made up Of wishing to be what 1t
Is good for it to be, without troubling
about anything else
May we be permitted to record here
some observations made from life? As
no names are given they cannot be
considered indscreet.
In my country Of AlsaCe, on the soil.
tary route whose interminnble ribbon
stretches on and on under the forests
Of the NOsges, there is stOnebreakcr
whom ! have seen nt his work for
thirty years. The first time | came
upon him | was a young student set
ting out with swelling heart for the
great city, The sight Of this man did
me good, for he was hummng a song
as he broke his stones. We exchanged
Il few words, and he said at the end.
"WelI, goOdby my boy! Good courage
and good luCkw Since then | have
passed and repassed along that same
route, under circumstances the most
diverse, painful and joyful. The stu,
dent has finished his course, the break
er Of stones remains what he was He
has taken few more precautions
against the seasons storms, n rush
mat protects his back, and his felt hat
Is drawn farther down to shield his
face But the forest Is always send
ing back the echo Of his valiant ham
mer. How many sudden tempests have
broken over his bent back, how much
fate has fallen on his head
on his house, on his country! He con.
tInues to break his stones, and coming
and going | find him by the roadside
smiling In spite Of his age and his
benevolent, speaking above
all In dark days-those simple words
Of brave men, which have so much eff
feet when they are scanned to the
Of stones.
1t would be quite impossible to eX-
press the emotion the sight Of this sim
pie man gives me, and certainly he
has no suspicion of IT, | know Of moth,
Ing more reassurlng and at the same
time more searching for the vanity
which ferments in our hearts than this
coming face to face with an obscure
worker who does his task as the oak
grows and as the good God makes his
sun to rise, without asking who is
looking on
| have known, too, a number of old
teachers, men and women who have
passed their whole life ut the same oc.
Cupation, making the rudmcnts Of hu.
man knowledge and few principles
Of conduct penetrate heads sometimes
harder than the rocks. They have done
1t with their whole soul throughout the
length of n hard life In which the at
tentIon of men had little place, When
they lie In their unknown graves no
one remembers them but few humble
people like themselves, but their rec,
)mpense is In their love No one is
greater than these unknown.
How many hidden virtues may one
not discover If he know how to search |
people of II class he often rid |
cules without perceivlng that In so do |
ng he Is guilty Of cruelty, ingrntitudc |
md stupidity | mean old maids. Pco.
lie amuse themselves with rCmarking
he surprising dress and ways of some
+ them-things Of no consequence, for
hat matter They persist also in re-
ltnding us that others, very selfish,
Ike interest in nothing but their own
>mfort and that of some cat or canary
pom which their powers Of affection
enter, and certainly these are not out
one in egolsm by the most hardened
elibates Of the stronger sex. But what
70 oltehest forget Is the amount of
ell sacrlhce hidden modesuy away in
many OF lhese truly admirable lNeS.
1t hoth'nE TO De without nome ana
- 'oNe' N',llouI iu'ur'' "Iiloul per
o''a' "''o''lon 10 laNe upon on'S'll
""' ''osS VI so'''aIN NE no haru 10
,'"'' vSp'v'"Hl Nh''i 'n'l' Is """'d
io So'''"ur VI 'ne n'',I' |" '"IN''
'''S''' ,.'., anu nav "o o,"'' interests
,'"" '''e cure VI Tue o'u' OF orP""uS,