The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-01-06
GREAT GOD
PAN
BY
KEITH GORDON

Trenham arrived at Cantfco Mt 1:3O.
At Eorton's silent, efficient serving
mhn was formally introducing him to
the Hutch-his for month-a squat,
oriental looking building standing in
the tempered shade of the pines and
larches and containing all those touches
OF home comfort usually ascribed to
feminine hands, but found in the mod
ern bachelor quarters.
At 2:3O, his tweed suit changed for q
more informal costume, he emerged
from the low, broad doorway, stirred
by n pagan desire to get Closer still to
nature, out into the dim, cloisteral
places Of the woods, where he might
float deliclously upon sea of silence,
whose calm was unbroken save by the
ripple Of a bird note or the swapping of
a twig.
II say, this is greatv' burst from
his lips luxuriously rs he drew in long
whiffs Of the suave air with its warm,
elusive scent Of sweet growing things.
This Is life. This is what man was
meant for.'
AS he ceased speaking he lifted his
face to the soft breeze that caressed
his cheek like spirit hand and thought
un1attering things Of civilization. What
after oil did this boasted condition
mean? What but crowded cities with
stone where turf should be, the roar Of
trains, shrieking Of whistles, whizzlng
OF autos, Gathering of hoofs and the
grind, grind, grind Of office life. AS he
thought of it now, looking as he was
straight into natures smiling, inscruta-
bic face, 1t all seemed supremely ridic-
ulous. Fauns and satyrs, hamadryads
and nniads had been wiser.
At the end OF an hours walk he
found that :he path ended abruptly ut
grassy knoll. For few moments
Trenham gnZcd with an appreciation
too deep for words. Then, with q sigh
OF contentment, lie sank down upon the
thick grass and stretched himself out,
his head resting In the hollow of his
clasped hands, his eyes narrowed to
Sits like gatekeepers who would say
to the beauties about them, lone ut a
time, please
And presently the slits became mar
rover and narrower.
just bursting into young summerhood"
Then his lips twitched slightly, and he
tried again.
THAT apple tree looks like some
sweet, sedate Quaker lady"
He stretched his eyes open wide, as
II to fling Off some irresistible infiu-
encc.
Good Lord. am ! poet after ALP"
he demanded cOmically of the shad-
owy self that always attends us, but
never 80 palpably as In sOlitudes. And
then he smiled and lay staring up into
the great arch of the blue above him.
Again the Sits grew narrow, almost
imperceptiblc. a line from poem
learned In youth trailed across his
mind, "Great Pan is dead."-
"It's lie." he murmured drowsily.
Great Pan is not dead. Great Pam
The murmur ended in knowing
smile. the smile Of one who has learned
for certainty what fools most mortals
be. and that in turn faded into gravity.
Trenham slept
-
Its regular sleeping beauty Of n
plnce-has Il breathless, charmed air,
as IL 1t were under Il spell. I believe
there are fairies or godlings to be dis
covered
SO had Natica Duke written to q
friend soon after coming to Cantico
for the summer. There were few
houses in the region "a half dozen
within twenty miles-and her first i'm
preston Of the country was only deep
ened by her long, solitary strolls. She
had mystical feeling that there was
something to be discovered-some Sc
cret that she was forever on the verge
of.
Cooling, gnome or fairy, she fancied,
might rise in her path at any moment
without causing her any SURPRISE and
SO 1t was without dismay that she
stopped short at the edge OF the wood
one day upon finding her favorite spot
already occupied.
For the fraction Of q second she half
believed. Then she wholly disbelieved.
No godlings would appear in tan OK
fords. Sandals were the utmost one
could concede! Still, MS a mortal the
sleeping youth before her was worth
confederation. A-glance told her that,
and she cautiously drew a step nearer.
he Lay so that the spreading branch
OF tree shaded his face. his soft linen
hat tossed on the grass beside him, thus
revealing the thick dark hair that look
ed as II it might have curled had not
its owner sternly refused to hear Of
such thing. His features reminded
her strangely Of certain marbles she
had seen, they were so massive, yet so
finished, and with girlish attention to
dress she bestowed an approving
glance on his white negIigee shirt, the
sleeves rolled up to the elbow, and the