Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

man who can stir their relisnous emo
lions. The whole country Hooked to
listen to the new preacher. He spoke
less of the happiness to be gained IN
this world than of the terrors of the
wrath to come. He cast of all restraint
and thousands listened to him with white
faces and trembling limbs. Then there
were scenes which surpass all power OF
description. Strong men wept and women
tainted Workers left their work to sing
and shout and pray. Women lett their
went hand in hand with madness.
thousand homes were disorganized: bust
ness came to standstill. And Father
Francis moved through the land like
storm.
1t was one night after one Of these
scenes of enthusiasm. that he left mis-
tent by the village at the foot of the
mountain and climbed the steep slopes
of range that lay between him ana the
sea. He could not sleep: he felt wild
ness of the night.
When he reached the summit or tue
mountain he looked down the further
slope and gazed steadily at few lights
which twfnkfed in the distance. they
were the lamps OF Gaunt Royal.
AS Father Francis locked across the
valley toward his old home his mind was
stirred with a tumult of varying emo
tions. This mountain range was tne
limit beyond which he did not intend TO
pass. But he had climbed to the summit
of Aran Cawddy that he might spend the
night in meditation and prayer. mere,
i'm sight Of the scene where he had falien
into the lowest depths Of hypocrisy ana
drunkenness and despair. he desired to
chasten his soul and regain the mummy
which he had lost.
No sound came from the darkness or
the heights of that lonely mountain. Two
thousand feet beneath him one mlgnL
have heard the roar of the waves on the
rocks. the boot of an owl in the WOODS
the bark of dog in some farmyaro' the
ripple of a stream. Here, on TINS barren
scarp of rock, there was only slIehce'
It was on this mountain-almost on the
very spot where he stOod-that he hau de-
ceived Lady Betty Drake with the false
declaration of his love.
How many years had passed since that
day. how many centuries Of progress
from the degraded level of his past life:
He had striven to do good in the world
and to atone for the past: but he coulo
not forget. And. as he remempered' ne
knew that it was not good for MIN 70 Ior
get. He was now the leader OF great
cause. a man who believed himself to be
inspired by God. But it was well for him
to remember what he once had been;
He did not spare himself in that lonely
vigil on Aran Cawddy. He allowed ms
mind to dwell on the shame and sin or
his past life. In the fierce labor of his great
task he had had no time to think of Sir
Richard Gaunt. But he mad resolved "
think of him tonight and he had ciimned
nm the summit of the mountain In order
that he might face the terrors of the
wears that were dead and humble him.
self in his own sight.
And as he stood there and gazed out
into the sea or darkness. and watched
the lights die one by one. till even Gaunt
Royal itself was single speck OF name.
he realized how small thing he was in
the sight of God. He saw that all the
good which he could possibly accomplish
in the world would be outWeighed py the
evil he had done.
Father Francis fell upon his knees ana
the jagged rock bit into his flesh. he
knew that he could not hope to atone
that he could only pray for forgiveness:
The moon. which had moved upward
from the eastern horizon. lifted itself
above the range of mountains and
flooded the valleys and the sea with It's
light. Father Francis saw the white
radiance move toward him from the
shore to the foot of the hills. Gaunt
Royal itself stood out with all the ghast-
ly brilliance of a marble tomb. The man
prayed that 1t might indeed be the grave
of his past. and that the dead oones
Then the dawn broke over the distant
ranges of the mountains. and the eastern
sky blazed from palest pink to mo!en
gold. The great shadow of Aran Cawddy
was flung out across the valley, and even
darkened the waters of the sea itself:
Then. as the uprising sun moved SUN
higher into the heavens. its light
streamed slantwise down the slope. and
the whole scene glittered in the fresh.
clear air of summer morning. Bue
Rather Francis still remained upon his
knees and prayed.
Then at last. stiff and weary. he rose
to his feet and looked on the scene ne
knew so well. A thousand feet below
him the naked earth began to put on
clothing of green wood and fertile helds;
In the valley beneath farm houses dotted
the level plain. Far out at sea were the
sails and the smoke of ships, carrying
men and merchandise to ana from al
parts of the world.
But here on the summit of the peak,
all life and movement and vegetation mao
died. All round him lay gray masses OF
rock covered with lichen; few YARDS
away there was sheer prec!pice. falling
down for nearly two hundred feet; the
grass was a scant brown herbage that
was almost too coarse and tasteiess Ior
the mountain sheep. Nature has or
dained that on the great heights, whence
man can see far and clearly, there shall
he none of the luxuriance of the valleys
beneath.
Before his eyes Father Francis say the
symbol of his own life. Nearly all the
land and all the farm houses that lay
beneath him were his own. II he chose
IN claim them. There was good and
sweet woman whom ne couid make MS
wife. The purest of all human joys was
within his reaCH, IL AC ShOSS
But he had chosen to cut himself on
from all earthly happiness and to stand
upon lonely height.
II have chosen the path, ne sald 10
himself. Il will not look back. The past
is dead"
He turned and stood for moment
while the sunshine streamed upon MS
face. It seemed to him an emblem of the
future glory that was to shine upon him.
His old sins. his dreams OF earthly nap
piness Law behind in that valley which
stretched between the mountains ana the
sea- Before him was only the WORK that
he had set himself to DO
Little did he know that the scheme OF
the universe moves in accordance with
i.ws that no one can evade, and that
neither repentance nor atonement can
avert the punishment which must come
to a man in this world. In the world TO
come he NAV find forgiveness and peace
lint here on earth he must pay the pen
altv exacted by the laws which Coo Him
self laid down in the beginning OF all
things. . tt. !.
He moved down the sunlit slopes to-
ward his little camp. and not TIL ne was
far below the summit did he look back
Then he only saw a jagged line of rock
against the blue sky. He fancied he had
thrust the past behind MIN:
XIV.
The Portraits.
Mrs. Lampirthy. after many useless
tears and violent protestations. had been
forced to accept the inevitable ana 1e"
DAVIS after her husbands first interview
with Mr. Mallard. she moved the whole