Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-12-23

his own heart which absorbed him.
Vaguely, and as If from a great dis
lance. he heard the boafme giving
thanks 10 San Gennaro that they
were safely in before the squall; he
had indistinct recollections of paying
the man a double fare and bidding
him seek shelter for the night at
Floresanto's hut. then of plunging
wildly on through the darkness,
across the beach, up the hill among
the dusky vines his pain increased by
a consciousness. that Hhen he had
last trodden thai pain it had been
with Francesca Was it 10 be thus
with his life? Must he content him
self with a memory of the briefest
snatch of happiness ever given TO
man. and toll On through long, soii-
tary years over the rough and stony
path of publicity? It was impossible
-impossible He rushed on yet
faster rs though by rapid motion he
could escape from the tyranny Of an
idea.
Just as ne reached the oliye-garden
the storm suddenly broke. The wind
ragged over the land. tossing the trees
wildly 10 and fro; the rain came
down in torrents the lightning cast
it's angry CLEAN across the heaving
sea. and the swaying boughs, and the
wet, shining shore. Carlo threw him
self down on the ground, beneath the
thickest of the olive-trees, seeking at
once shelter from the outward storm
and help in the inward struggle. He
would no longer fee from the voice
that had haunted him. he would lis
ten to it--would try to understand it.
What was the life Of the Crucihed?
All his soul went into the question,
and the confusion within him seemed
to lessen as he waited for the an
swer, which framed itself to him
amid the raging of the wind and the
dun roar of the thunder, something
after this fashion;
The life of the Crucified was lived
by One who delighted TO do Gods
will. He did non exclude pleasure, or
morbidIy delight in pain it was just
that He did not think about pleasing
Himself at all He took the bitter
and The sweet as they We're sent, and
delighted In them because He knew
the Sender, who sought only the good
Of all u,en.. This is the life of the
Cruclfrd You think happiness is to
pleas yourself; it is not that at all.
it il to delight in doing His will
lord. he sobbed. u am not will
ing--it is true-l am not willing to
live Thy life Save me from my sell
fshness! BY Thine agony and bloody
sweat, by Thy cross and passion, good
Lord, deliver me
He repeated the familiar words
again and again, hardly conscious of
what he was saying, yet in his an.
guish finding them a sort of relief
And presently. either the words or
his own surroundings brought to his
mind what the greatest of modern
atheists once termed with an invol-
untary softening of the voice, THAT
terrible garden-scene. There had
been stluggle-an agony he
Son of God Himself he, to- new
what 1t cost deliberately 10 take the
course which must bring bitter grief
to those who loved Him. He, too,
knew how human nature shrank
from isolation, from misconception
Every temptation nov assailing him
had also assailed the Son who learned
obedience by the things which He
suffered
And just as a child will for veI@
awe forget its little griefs when
brought face TO face with the great
grief Of It's parents. so Carlo lost sight
for time OF his own pain, that past
scene becoming far more real to him
than the bitter present, The tears
wrung from him first by his own an
guish fell now for another
Lord, he sobbed. 1T cannot be
that am willing that Thou shouldst
be crucfed afresh-put to open
Shame-while ! live here in this para
disc Anything rather than that,
Lord. choose for ME what Thou wilt
My spirit is willing. but my flesh is
weak. BY Thine agony and bloody
sweat. by Thy cross and passion
good Lord. deliver me
An hour later the brief Mediter
ranean storm was over. the stars Were
shining. the yacht was on her course
once more. her white sails spread to
catch the softened' breeze.
Then Carlo rose TO his feet and
went on his way.
CHAPTER X
The Pilgrim.