Norwich bulletin., 1910-03-05
OVER THE FIRE OF DRIFTWOOD

brother friend, that two century old
unrighteous deed of bringing African
captives as slaves into this country. In
their liberation, doubtless many people
thought they saw the end of the evil
and the settling of the wrong right.
Yet our nation is still suffering in con-
sequence of that far-back act of greed
and inhumanity to man. and the end
is not yet. Freedom is the right of all,
and it was right to give our boudmen
their freedom; but their sufferings in
learning TO understand what freedom
means and how to use the strange, new.
terrible gift, have been beyond telling.
And the descendants of those who
brought the curse of human slavery
upon America, have they2not suffered?
Is there a man, woman, or child, in all
this bright broad land of ours, that
is not suffering in expiation of that sin
against the law Of right, and for every
unrighteous act that has followed in
its train?'
"Every act, good or bad" he urged,
Carries within itself it's own far-reach-
ing consequences. We do not enough
consider this. We rush along while
young. doing much as others do, mean
ing to do right. most of us. but follow
ing the ways of the world we live in,
marrying and giving in marriage,
bringing children INTO the world, lay
ing up treasures where moth and rust rust
do corrupt, building for ourselves and
our heirs as though the earth were
ours and we were to live forever"
1t was at this moment that the bun
die of driftwood was left at our door.
with love- Instantly, we three drop
ped the burden of our talk and the
weight of our cares, called in the chill
dren, and all together went down on
the hearth rug to kindle our fire. and
stretch out our hands to the blaze, and
remember our poets, and watch the
flames of red and green and gold I'M
expectedly CLEAN out. here and there,
in wonderful sheets of color.
after ALL" we agreed. 'ft is beau
tiful world, this dear old world of
ourSi" Then we compared the color
and twinkle of the flames with the
exquisite iridescence of the Midland
sea, as we three have known 1t, a giim-
mer Of jeWeled globules under the gla-
mour of a sea-blue sky. We all love
color, for color is light. Our souls open
to it and reveI in 1.-THE red and the
crimson, the blue and the violet deep
ening into purple, the yellow and tawny
orange, golden rose and rosy amethyst
all changing and twinklinS and
blending; colors of fire and fame, col
ors of sea and sky, colors of sunrise
and sunset. of MONDAY and the starry
night lowering over our fire and low
ing IL, softly one and another OF us
would breathe out little hints and sug-
geStions of thought, wondering If in
our own voyages over the ocean of life,
we like the driftwood, may not be
gathering into ourselves the varying
SALTS OF love ana JOY ana grleI, OF TsF-
est happiness, of loneliness and tears,
against the day when, set free, these
little souls of our shall burst into life
and light and beauty, even as the sea-
salt driftwood bursts into flame. and,
liberated, gives forth all that II has
gathered within itself of the fragrance
of the sea and the radiance of the sun.
Yes" spoke our brother-f friend,
gravely. when the wrongs are all
righted, when the last evil consequences
are worked off when"
mot so,' broke in a wonan's voice.
Freedom shall come to each one Of
us as our own soul catches the light.
Then each for himself shall say
Gods in His heaven
Ais right with my world"
THE RECLUSE.