The San Francisco call., 1906-10-07
By David H. Walker.

0TEHE wind never stirred in the
Land OF Silence, to which Pat
" now came. No flower dropped
petal; no leaf withered; no
insect made a noise. The rain never
fell in all the land. The sun passed
through the sky like a ball OF fire.
The moon hurried over it like frozen
world.
Once there were waterfalls. but now
they hung over high cliffs without fall
ing any more. Creeks that wound
among the breathless trees were mo-
tionless and never flowed. Even the
wild animals, Of which there were
fKsny, stood stock still. and birds that
20 stopped in their flight across the
sky hung there as IL they were only
painted on the air.
Patty was little California girl
who had seen many wonderful things
since she started from San Jose on
her journeyings, but never had she
been very SAD until she looked around
the Land Of Silence.
She saw at once that nothing was
dead nor even sleeping Every animal
ano plant and flower and tree was wide
awakc- Everything had stopped grow
ing, had stopped moving. had stopped
making any noise. 1t was in fact as
II the world around her had come to
sudden pause and remained. in fear.
without power to do anything; wait
ing TO see what would happen.
Patty would have turned back to
leave this strange place that made her
heart almost stop and where it was
hard work 10 breathe She was afraid
that she would come TO a stand in her
footprints and never move again. Al
ready she felt inclined not TO go for
ward She tried to turn back, but her
feet would not carry her that way
Very well, then" said Patty TO her
SEX II l can't so back ] viii 20 on,
whatever may take place. j may get
into trouble. but I may help some one
else out Of trouble and that would be
worth while"
When Patty had thought and said
this she found it easy to go on. Pretty
Asoon she came to q high arch on which
tie letters were carved-''Kingdom OF
selfshness
On the ground. under the arch. was
young man who still held the chiseis
with which he had cut the letters that
rolo the name Of the country His ewes
We're stony and while he watched pat
y ne made no sign that he saw her.
4
grove, where, IN the midst of beautiful
beds OF flowers that did not move. and
even refused 10 lend their perfume 10
the surrounding air, a student sat with
an open book before him. His head
rested on one slim and delicate hand.
Als curling hair shadowed high fore
head. His eyes We're large and bright.
Patty looked at the book and saw that
the name was How TO Succeed in the
World" She glanced at a page and
saw that the book taught how TO get
rich.
And then Patty came to a splendid
building, IN which there were lovely
pictures Men and women with fine
faces-artists-stood with brushes in
hand in front OF landscape portraits.
motionless, and men with gold pieces
IN their hands standing near, holding
out the gold pieces. just where still
ness had come upon them as they stood
bargaining for these pictures, and all
were like statues.
Il guess" said Patty. whose father
was a Yankee, that these men were
trying to drive sharp bargain with
the artists. and to get the pictures for
the least money"
There were harp players and violin
- and orsanists and many more that
Patty saw before she came TO a lofty
palace. They had all been doing some
thing for themselves and nothing for
any one else as the silence and lack
OF motion seized upon them and made
them still in this strange way.
Looks 70 me-" said Patty. who was
n quaint little thinker of eight years.
''that they DIDN'T care to do much for
their neighboFs. They are not of much
use anyway il they won't help one
another Perhaps that is why some
magician or fairy stopped them all"