Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31
THE FINAL
DISCOVERY

1t was the eve of New Year eve, and the
City Discoverer. forswearing the golden lure
OF the mild-mannered but deceptive eggnoR
had sunk down In his coolest arm chair hia
fayorite pipe between his teeth. a swapping
cracking wood fire for company. to await
the coming of the sand man, who lightly
dusts old eyes as well as young Gazing
INTO the heart of the glowing embers, his
mild blue eyes half hidden by their white
dashed lids, the Discoverer pondered In his
simple way on the joys and sorrows of life.
the onward march of time. the progress of
the world. And he gazed and dreamed
mis- lids began to droop. several times his
pipe had nearly fallen from his fingers, and
he had reached a drowsy determination TO
seek the solace of his feather bed when the
door of the room blew open as II swung by
wind gust, the fire died to ashes on the
hearth and the air of the chamber grey.
chill with a nameless cold
whoever you are" whispered the Dis
coverer his throat contracted and a uuaver
IN his voice, show yourself"
ana the words had hardly left his Inns
When figure strange and weird stood be-
lore him Clad In the dress of a tfay long
gone, tattered and dusty and travel stained
lean and emaciated body supported on a
six-foot scythe, the handle smooth and
work worn, the blade blue-white with tn.
CLEAN of well-forged steel, an old. old man
stood before the City Discoverer. His head
was bare and hairless, the skin was shrty-
ecu INTO the countless wrinkles of the an
cieht, long and straggly beard of snow
zen TO his waist, and under bushy brows
ms faded eyes shone in the semi-dark
one or little guile" he said, In a voice
that seemed too powerful to come from his
shrunken chest. do you know who I an7.
Inc Discoyerer shivered in the mysterious
cold and turned his coat collar ip about his
throat. I do" he whispered
Who am IT. asked the old. old man.
Father Time" b1eathed the Dtscoyerer
as he shivered again
You reason WE'LL replied the old old
man. with toothless grimace Father
Time, the unlimited the unwelcome guest
the grim old reaper, whose Joy is death
whose mirth mocks the death rattle, who
smiles upon the sorrows of a world" He
sighed and the chill OF the nameIess cold
struck deep at the Discoveries heart.
You seem sad he breathed as IL 1t were
sacrilege to stir the silence.
one OF little guile said the old. old man.
think you love the ceaseless journeyinR
In quest of death? See-my scythe-the
blade unduled through centuries of USE the
handle smooth from the swing of these
scythe?'
Truly" breathed the Diseoverer into this
growing cold, II do not know"
You have heard" said the old. old man,
that he totters along the path of life with
aimless steps; that this scythe of his
natn vagrant swing. unbidden, thought
less and unruled. You have heard he
laughed on his quest for death; that sobs
sounded sweet to his ancient ear: that the
mufled drum timed his shuffiing feet: that
the funeral dirge was to his hardened heart
more Joyous than wedding bells"
YES" breathed the Discoverer into the
bitter cold
"One of little guile said the old, old
man. forget what you have heard; unlearn
it. wipe 1t OF the slate. 1 would that you
might tarry awhile to the end that others
might learn Know thou the philosophy of
life. the coming and the going. And yours
Is the easier task. For me there is no
going. Along the highways and the by
ways. in city and In country, I must travel.
stopping here, stopping there. in palace and
In howell, in the home of the happy and the
unhappy. the righteous and the unrighteous.
Seldom am I hidden, and never welcome.
To me laughter Is an unknown sound. mirth
but myth, smile merely feeting men,
DRY. Naked grief walks by my side sorrow
Is my companion of the road, the shroud
my couch. Think you I like the death
Quest?"
NO" breathed the Dtscoyerer into tba
chill.
"One of little guile" said the old. old
man. II have seen the fear of death a count.
less hundred times-the fear not so much of
the passing as Of the things to come Each
time like 1t less"
And F. the Discoverer breathed
'One Of little guile" said the old old man.
you have discovered many things, as has
every other man. But many dread the
greatest discovery of ALL Do your
No" breathed the Discoverer, family
The old man sighed and the nameless cold
grew deeper. With the point Of his scyths
ne he St stirred the ashes In the crate; Not
The door and there was the CLINT of unshed
tears in his faded eyes.