Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-11-11

| unknown 1uture ana neSltateu De1Ore
untried paths.
Already the strange experiences
through which he had passed began to
seem to him like a half-forgotten
dream The refluent thoughts and feel
ings of his religious life began to set
| back into every bay and estuary of
his soul.
With a sense of shame, he regretted
his hasty decision, and was saying to
himself Il will arise and go to my
Father" for all the experiences of life
clothed themselves at once in the ia
miliar language of the Scriptures.
1t is more than likely that he would
have carried out this resolution, and
that this whole experience would have
become a mere incident in his life his
tory, If his destiny had depended up
on his personal volition. But how few
of the great events of life are brought
about by our choice alone!
Just at sunset he crossed the bridge
over the brook which formed the boun-
dairy line of the farm, and as he did so
heard light footstep. Lifting his
eyes, he saw Pepeeta, who at that
very instant stepped out of the low
bushes which lined the trail she had
been following.
Her appearance was as sudden as an
appartion and her beauty daZzled him.
Her face, flushed with exercise, gleam-
ed against the background of her black
hair with sort of spiritual radiance.
When she saw the Quaker a smile of
unmistakable delight flashed upon her
foe added bar hoypit t0h n n o.
grace. She might have been an Dread
or a Dryad wandering alone through
the great forest. What bliss for youth
and beauty to meet thus at the close
of day amid the solitudes of Nature!
Had Nature forgotten hehself, to
permit these two young and impress
sionable beings to enjoy this pleasure
on a lonely road just as the day was
dying and the tense energies Of the
world were relaxed? There are times
when her Indifference to her own most
inviolable laws seems anarChic. There
are moments when she appears wan
tonly to lure her children to destruc-
ton.
They gaZed into each others eyes,
they knew not how long, with an in
comprehensive and delicious joy, and
.hen looked down upon the ground.
Having regained their composure by
this act, they lifted their eyes and re-
garded each other with frank and
friendly smiles
Il thought thee had gone" said Da-
vid.
we stayed longer than we expect |
ed" Pepeeta replied
Has thee been hunting wild flow
ers?" he asked, observing the bouquet |
which she held in her hand.
Il picked them on the way"
Thee does love the woods?"
"Oh so much.. l am a sort Of wild |
creature and should like to live in a |
cave"
Il am afraid thee would always turn |
thy face homeward at dusk, as thee is
doing now" he said with smile.
"Oh, no. l am not afraid! go
because I must"
The path was wide enough for two, |
and side by side they moved slowly |
forward.
The somber garb in which he was
dressed. and the brilliant colors of her |
apparel afforded a contrast like that |
between a pheasant and a scarlet tana-
ger. Color, form, motion-all were per-
feet. They fitted into the scene with
out a jar or discord, and enhanced |
rather than disturbed the harmony OF |
the drowsy landscape.
As they walked. onward, they vague |
" felt the influence of the repose that |
was stealing upon the tired world; the |
intellectual and voiitional elements OF |
their natures becoming gradually qui- |
escent, the emotions were given full |
sway. They felt themselves drawn to-
ward each other by some irresistible |
power, and, although they had never |
before been conscious Of any incom- |
pleteness of their lives, they suddenly |
discovered affinities Of whose exist |
ence they had never dreamed. Their |
two personalities seemed to be abb |
sorbed into one new mysterious and |
indivisible being, and this identity gave |
them an incomprehensible Joy. Over !
them as they walked, Nature brooded, |
sphynx like. Their young and healthy |
natures were tuned in unison with the |
harmonies Of the world like perfect IN |
struments from which the delicate fin |
Z a
melody Of which she never tired, re-
serving her discords for a future day. !
on this delicious evening she permit
ted them to be thrilled through and |
through with JOY and hope and she ac-
companied the song their hearts were |
singing with her own multitudinous
voices. BE happy" chirped the birds;
"be happy" whispered the evening
breeze; be happy" murmured the
brook, running along by their side and
looking up into their faces with laugh
ter The whole world seemed to re-
sound with the refrain, BE happy!
Be happy. for you are young. are
young." Pepeeta first broke the ST.
lence
Il had never heard of the things
about which you talked" she said.
Thee never had? How could that
be? l thought that every one knew
them!"
Il must have lived in a different
world from yours
And thee was happy?"
Il thought so until heard what you
said Since then l have been full Of
care and trouble. l wish I knew what
you meant! But / have seen that
wonderful light"
Thee has seen II?
Yes, to-day And I followed IT.;
shall always follow It"
Aans tbaa |