The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-10-03
COLOR OF HEAVEN"
By MARGARET DODGE
lcopyrIght. By shortstory poo. 20

independent | called II. 1 was will.
ing--there spoke youth-to give my
life to research"
A nervous white hand fluttered over
his heart For a moment feared col
lapse, but presently he produced from
his pocket a faded leather case, which
he wiped carefully with white sill
handkerchief.
81 forgot" he continued simply
that our lives are not ours to give
Have said there was one tint lackin,
in the prism of my life? But fou
years after college It came, too. 70,
know what poets call It," apologetical
ly, 1.-The purple light OF love-"
He laid the case gently in my
fingers. Was II the glinting uncer
tainty Of light on the old daguerreo
type that gave to the girl face lool
almost fatefully understanding be
yond beauty?
when first saw her." he con
tinued. she stood in n farmyart
blowing soap-bubbles for child. One
frail globe swayed above her-a NINA
ture world in which sky and trees an6
grass shone all glorified. 1t was like
that with her mind; in It the common
est things gained a beauty not their
own.
when two minds blend at look
there is no need to wait for the hour.
glass. In two months we we're mar
ried, and moved into this house, then
far out OF the world There was nc
interruption in my work; she would
not have that-but somehow she
made Il all seem like play. What no
other woman could have done she did
mastered the elements OF my
science, learned my methods, fitted
herself to be my assistant In every
detail. And even in our resting hours
she had always a word for the rain
bows that flashed from the film on
still pools. or glittered winter morn.
ings from frosted panes. or cleaned
from wet sands at sunset, or shone
from the pale corona of the storm.
boding moon. Everywhere she saw
the bow Of promise. II was like living
in the heart OF a prism.
Have | said that she named the
hue beyond the violet? Color Of
heaven, she said It would be.
-Four years passed like that but
with no result. at least none in the
line OF my search. Others-my class,
mates-gifted in no especial wise.
we're building regulations. Gradually
there grew upon me the daily petit
ness OF those who excuse small mean
ness with the thought of great goals
became a miser of hours. grudging
those that went to recreation, adding
daily to the periods in my laboratory.
"She made no comment. but pres
emily | saw that the dust gathered on
her piano and favorite poets, and that
the time given once to them she spent
in her corner Of my workshop-at pri.
vate research she would say, with
her girl smile.
"one day--lt was ten years after
my graduation--a need for fresh
material took me to the city, where
spent the night. AS drove back In
the early morning along the country
roads. something's radiant clearness
In the air, a lustrous bloom on the
grass and flowers, caressing soft
ness in the wind-seemed prophetic
of success.
with this presage on me / went
straight to my laboratory. From with
in sounded the voice of my wife sing
ing ever so softly-as another woman
might sing over a cradle. Before /
could push open the door the song
broke off and | heard her voice
sweet as It had never before sounded
to me.
Color of heaven! Arthur, dearest
| found II for you"
The nuttering hand covered the pale
brown eyes for a moment. We looked
away, abashed, as is the habit of the
young before any display of emotion
from the old.
Yes" he continued presently, 81
was color of heaven that she saw. On
her face, when turned 1t to mine
was the look of one who has seer
what none can see-and live"
Mechanically he took the picture
and, wiping II once more, returned I,
to its place.
THAT was 20 years ago." he added
In the crucible on her workbench !
found nothing-not so much as n Aim
OF ashes to tell me whether she drew
poison from some chemical or wheth.
err she had simply--had simply
pressed too near the borderland OF
the unknown to return again.
But since then It is as the song