Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-02-24

was one of tremendous moral earnest
ness In that struggle in which ma
pitted himself against prtmeval fores
and aboriginal inhabitant the strong
est types Of manhood and womanhoo
were evolved, and those who conceiv
ed the idea of living a righteous lit
set themselves to its realization will
the same energy with which they ad
dressed themselves to the conquest o
nature itself. To multitudes OF them
this present world took a place tina
In the fullest sense of the word wa:
secondary to that other world in which
they lived by anticipation.
David Corson was only one of many
who, to a degree which in these less
earnest or at least more materialistic
times appears incredible, had deter
mined to trample the world under their
feet He awoke next morning with an
unabated purpose and at an early hour
set resolutely about its execution. He
bade brave farewell to Pepeeta, ex-
horted her to seek with him that prep
aration Of heart which alone could fit
them for the future. and then with a
bag of provisions over his shoulder and
an axe in his hand started forth to
carry out a plan which he had form
ed in the night
He began to prepare for himself a
temporary booth which should shelter
him until he had erected his cabin;
and the rest of the day was consumed
in this enterprise. At the close this
simple task was done, so easy isfit to
provide a shelter for him who seeks
protection and not luxury! Having
once more satisfied his hunger, he built
fire In front of his rude booth, and
lay down in its genial rays, his head
upon a pillow Of moss. The stiffness
of the COOL quiet evening was broken
only by the cracking of the flames,
the quiet murmurs of the two little
rills which whispered to each other
startled interrogations as to the mean
ing of this rude invasion, the hoot of
owls in the tall tree tops, and the
stealthy tread of some Of the little
creatures of the forest who prowled
around, while seeking their prey, to
discover, if possible, the meaning of
this great light, and the strange
noises with which their forest world
had resounded
There came to the recumbent woods
man a deep and quiet peace. He'felt |
new sense of having been in some way |
taken back into the fraternity of the
'unfallen creatures of the universe, and
into the all-embracing arms Of the
great Father. He fell asleep with pure
thoughts lowering over the surface of
his mind, like flock of swallows above
a crystal lake. And Nature did take
him back into that all enfolding heart
where there is room and a welcome
for all who do not ALLEVIATE themselves.
Her latchstrings are always out, and
forests, fields, mountains, oceans, des-
erts even, have a silent, genial well
come for all who enter their open doors
with reverence, sympathy and yearn-
ing. A man asleep alone in vast will
derness! How easy it would be for
Nature to forget him and permit him
to sleep on forever! What gives - Ii
his Importance there amid those giant
trees? Why shonld sun, moon, stars,
gravity, heat, cold, care for him? How
can the hand that guides the constella-
vast navies of the infinite
sea-pause to touch the eyellds of this
atom when the time comes for him to
rise? When the sleeper woke, refresh
ed and rested, in the morning, 1t was
to take up the routine of duties which
were to be only slightly varied for
many months to come.
One after another the great trees
succumbed to the blows Of his axe and
from their PROSTATE forms he careful
ly selected those which were best
adapted to the structure of his cabin,
while over the others he piled the /,
limbs and brush and left them to dry ;
FOR the confagration which at the end !
Of the hot summer should remove them
from the clearing.
When the rainy days came he spent {
mis- time in the shelter of his little ar $
Dor cutting the Shakes" or shingles, s
which were to furnish the roof of Pc =
1eeta's home. s
The days and weeks fed by and the s
opening in the forest grew apace. He S
it by night with a celestial t
arithmetic, using the stars for his tri- 1
lngulations, and as one after another
# them became visible where before s
hey had been obscured by the foliage
# the trees, he smiled, and felt as If S
n. instead of earth. 1t was really cut f
,ut Of both! 8
His Sundays were spent at the old !
lo.Aestead with his loved ones, and
nee every week Pepeeta came with [
steven to bring him luxuries which
er own hands had prepared. and to T
ass the afternoon with him at his c
york in the clearing"
Those were memorable hours, pos Il
esslng that three-foid existence with 4
-hich every hour can be endowed by 9
he soul Of icipation-reallza- q
In this way a sin
ls moment sometimes becomes almost 8
ynchronous with eternity. a
It would have been impossible to tell y
-hich Of the three was happiest, but II
'epeeta was always the center Of in "
crest, attention and devotion. Her o.
hole nature seemed to be aroused and e
allied into play; all her countless
harms were incessantly evoked; her ir
limitable laughter resounded through ir
le woods and challenged the emulous b,
lrds to unsuccessful competition. Sc h
business alternated with gaiety, CO. 81
1etry with gravity. Some OF the time u
le spent in gathering flowers to adorn h
sr lovers booth. and some in carry b,
x to the rubbish pile such limits and
ranches as her strength would per- 81
Il her to handle ~