The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-01

By LUCRETIA DUNLAP CLAPP
lcnnurlrht 81 ahortatory -. -

path to the cabin that stood like a
dark blotch on the white Of the land
scape. She pushed open the door and
went In. The light from a candle
threw the greater part Of the room in
shadow. There we're few embers
In the great open fireplace and beside
them sat her father the rings Of smoke
from his pipe floating lazily upward to
lose themselves amid the rough
puncheons that formed the ceiling He
looked up as the girl entered.
The girl crossed the room, picked up
basket full Of coarse stockings from
the rude bench table, and seating her
self near the candle thrust her needle
ia and out with a quick sharp motion.
The room was full Of pungent odor
from the red peppers and punches OF
dried herbs that hung from the cell
Ing.
The old man, shifting his gaze from
the FIRE, removed his pipe and opened
his lips.
"Where's--," he began. The girl
looked up quickly. Two bright spots
of color burned in either cheek.
YOU'D better be a goin' to bed, pa.
It's gettin' late"
Then the needle flashed in and out
again, swiftly. silently. The old man
drew a few more puifs; then he
stopped and knocked the ashes from
his pipe. He rose and crossed the
room, and, with a rough, unworted ten
derness, laid one heavy hand on her
shoulder
Good night, pa, she answered.
sharply
A little while later she folded and
laid away the last stocking. Then
she rose, and, taking up the candle,
passed slowly into the room that she
had shared with the other children
ever since she could remember. With
out undressing she blew out the can
die and threw herself down upon the
hard bed and lay there, staring up at
! the ceiling, wild-eyed, sleepless She
! could hear the sound, deep breathing
OF the children, but she was conscious
: OF nothing save this new sense Of
pain. Of loneliness, OF longing.
. She had never known human sym.
pathy. She had never felt the need
OF II. Born Of the mountains, living
! her life beneath the shadow of their
7 mystery, finding In their wild canyons
I and deep gorges. their sweeping winds
and cold, still SUBMITS, an answer tc
!, the mystery Of life, to the dim silence
= Of the soul. In their loneliness they
q had called her, and they were calling
. her now. She rose dumbly and passet
4 into the outer room. The embers hat
died down, leaving only pile OF deac
. ashes on the hearth. She unbarre'
! the heavy door and went out into tn
, night. The stiffness WAS like velvet
Before her stretched the long. whit
!. road; beyond It the mountains bathe'
in mists, dark with shadows. She hui
= ried on and on, all the wild unrest o
!, heart and brain reaching out In az
= swer to this wordless, unknown cal
i Now the mists and the darkness er
4 folded her; great crags, cloud-cappet
! lowered above her. She struggled o
j. dumbly.
A. On all sides of her rose the grea
II forest trees. Through the dense 4
a lIage the moonlight shifted fsintl!
!, Now and then the tangled unde
n growth tripped her Huge bowlder
washed down by some mountain to
rent, lay across the path. The SINE
Of vegetation, damp, reeking wit
= death and decay, came to her nostril
\ The long, complaining note of SON
=. ~ night bird reached her ears, and f;
away in the distance the bark OF
- coyote. Once she paused, feelir
= = some human presence near. but 1t WI
e - only the ripping Of mountain broC
~ and the wailing Of the wind
At length, exhausted, she sank dow
- close to a great bowlder. She rest,
= her arm against the rock and lean,
:. = her head upon it. Dimly she felt t
!. peace Of the vast, pregnant silenC
- Far below her lay the valley, shroud
- in mists; above her the great heigh
~ shrouded in mystery, and calling, ev
:, calling.
nj She started up suddenly, conscio
,ar Of a new element. The wind was r
ing. All about her she could (,
the deep undertone of the forest. s
). stood still and listened, and for t
~ q, first time felt vague fear. From t
~ ~ distance she heard the deep boz
~ OF the mountain torrent. A lis
-. flashed among the trees, followed b!
- - roar that seemed to come from
-. very bowels Of the mountains. I
80 wind had quickened into terrible Il
:. The great trunk Of the tree bent a
he swayed; powders and PIECES of rc
uh- rolled down the mountain side.
my The girl knelt down, hiding her ia
gut The roar deepened. Suddenly, fr
above, there came a mighty undere
ON rent of sound Down from the 81
nit, crashing, tearing, splitting
It, ground in wide, yawning seams, ca
mighty forest monarch. 1t t
len. through the ranks of the other tr
p