The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-05-25

books, commented the village sage
and barber, Felix Todd Swift had
been caught reading poetry book, a
loony thing called Keats Endymion,
while the unread morning paper lay
discarded
Felix had dropped into Gabriels
real estate office to discuss the news
about the earthquake Gabriel said he
hadn't heard anything about IT.
hadn't seen the paper yet
When Felix searched for it he found
it in the waste basket. He peeped
over Gabriels shoulder as he stopped
to pick it up, and saw a lot Of silli-
ness about his love dancing before the
gate Of heaven. He took another peep
as he arose, and read words that
weren't fit for good moral man to
read, about arms. naked waist and
Cupid
He was going to give Gabriel some
pointed advice, when he noticed some
thing which looked like a set Of res
olutions hanging on the wall over the
desk. Lets see what sort Of resolu-
tions Gabe's been making" he said
to himself, and read:
"MY CREED"
There is soul in everything that
has life.s
There is ssirit in the waterfalls
Each lake and river is a person
ality.
The teachings Of the ancients were
not myths. They are facts. obscured
by the smoke of our factories.
THE shadow of the dollar has hid
den the sun.
Concentration on the material has
killed perception of the spiritual
The mind of man is all potent He
who will may see in the fountains the
beautiful inhabiters thereof. and be-
hold the exquisite forms that dance in
the waterfalls.
THE secret is concentration Of the
will"
Felix sighed, and passed out to tell
his customers about it. Poor fellow,
there was no use in chiding him. He
was daft. 1t all came of reading
crazy poetry books.
Gabriel closed the volume, disgust
edly, as his visitor went out.
"Pig," he muttered, His gospel is
the morning paper. He is of the age.
He thinks more of a monster that will
turn out horseshoes at hundred a
minute, or grind so-called music, in a
broken voice, with a nasal twang,
than he does Of a sunrise on the wa
ter; or all the glorious harmonies that
swell through the forest nayes.
Opening his Keats" again, his eye
caught the following:
GLORY and loveliness have passed away;
For If we wander out in early morn
No wreathed incense do we see upborne
Into the East to meet the smiling day
No crowd of nymphs soft-voiced and
young and gay,
In woven baskets bringing ears Of corn"
"Incensep he repeated, "The only
incense which the modern man toler-
ates rises from a tobacco pipe; and
nymphs, if they appeared, would have
to wear corsets. Fancy wood nymph
with an hour-glass waist; BAH"
He slammed the door of his office
and wandered out in search Of wo-
man who was young, fair. and didn't
wear corsets
Concentration of the will" he NUT
tered to himself, Concentration Of
the will AS he came to a bend in
the path from where could be seen a
tree-stump, cut level as a table, he
thought of a day, two months ago,
when as he turned the bend with all
his force of mind and spirit concen-
trated in a single resolve, to see one
on the many forms of conscious life.
which, he was fully persuaded, inhab-
tied the wood; a wood nymph, slow
ly, and gracefully, had glided out
from between the trees and seated
herself on that very stump. Stealth
lily, he had approached the shy beau
tiful creature as she sat braiding her
hair in the morning sunshine. and was
delighted to find that he had been
mistaken.
Forgive me. I thought you were
nymph," he said foolishly, as his
step. rustling among the dry leaves,
startled her.
"Oh, Endymionl" sne sighed and
stopped in confusion Pardon me
I've been dreaming over Keats, she
stammered, taking drab volume,
with gold lettering, from her bosom.
you and l belong 20 the same fell
lowship I. too, have wandered with
Endymion,' he replied, taking a book
from his pocket
The level stump in a break in the
woods became their trysting place.
where they mingled love and panthe-
ism. But to-day. no graceful figure
with its flowing drapery met his
gaze. It was not the day or hour of
their tryst Like the devotee Of
some footlight beauty, he beheld the
empty stage and it was garish.
In mood Of depression he crossed
to the sward and passed into the