The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-03-09

had crossed a bridge. There was
water over there. It should be that
way. And he walked on more rapid
ly than before, still with an almost
dazzling perception of all the trifing
little details, the color of the dry, dusty
road, the green of the turf, the dresses
of those who passed by him, the sound
of their voices. He would get away
from all this-would wait till it was
dark, when he would steal down un-
noticed to the water. He walked
along the north shore of the -,
passed the receiving house of the hui
name society, with an unconcerned
thought that his lifeless body would
probably be taken there, and at length
finding seat under tree close to the
waters edge, sat down to wait for the
darkness. A bird was singing in the
beech tree above him; its song Jared on
him just as much as the beauty of the
sunset, it seemed to urge him to
leave the place where he was not want
ed, to take himself out of a world
which was meant for beauty and bright
ness and success, a world which had
no sympathy for failure or misery.
Presently footsteps on the path made
him look up; a shabbily dressed girl
walked slowly by, she was absorbed IN
newspaper story and did not notice
him; neither did she notice her charge,
pale-faced, dark-eyed little girl of
about six years old who followed her
at some distance, chanting pretty,
monotonous little tune as she dragged
toy-car along the gravel. Ray no.
ticed in an instant every tiniest detail
of the child's face and dress and bear
ing, the curious anatomy of the
wooden horse, the heap of golden
leaves in the little cart. AS the child
drew nearer. the words OF the song be-
came perceptibIy audible to him. She
sang very slowly, and in sort of un-
conscious way, as if she couldn't help
| it:
| "COmfort every sufferer,
Watching late in PAIN
She paused to put another handful
of leaves into the cart, arranged them
with great care, patted the wooden
steed, and resumed her song as if there
had been no Interruption
'Those who plan some evil,
From their sin restrain"
Ray felt as if a knife had been sud-
denly plunged into him; he tried to
hear more, but the words died away,
he could only follow the monotonous
little tune in the clear voice, and the
rattling of the toy cart on the path
way. And so the child passed out of
his sight.
He was alone again, and the twi-
light for which he had longed was fast
closing in upon him; night was COM
ing on. What was the terrible new
struggle which was going on within
him? Evil, Sin; could he not at least
do what he would with his own lifep
Where was the harm in ending that
which was hopelessly spoiled and
ruined? A voice within him answered
his question plainly.
"To the man with diseased brain
the man who doesn't know what he is
about-it is no worse an end than to
die in bed of fever"
Fight against it as he would, he
could not stifle this new consciousness
which had arisen within him. What
had led him, he angrily wondered, to
choose that particular place to wait in?
What had made that child walk past?
What had induced her to sing those
particular words? Did that vague
First Cause, in whom after fashion he
believed, take any heed in trifes such
as those? He would never believe
that. Only women or children could
, hold such a creed; only those who led
, sheltered, innocent, ignorant lives.
; But a mana man who had just
learned what the world really was. who
saw that the weakest went to the wall,
! and might triumphed over right--a
: man who had once believed in the
; beauty of life and had been bitterly
7 disappointed never believe in q
i God who ordered all things for good.
! 1t was chance, a mere nnlucky
chance, yet the child's words had made
. it impossible for him to commit sui
. eide. AR.