Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1910-02-11
/ it's song and Jest, and he was Ieft be-

OF ;oleasure--the intoxication OF he
presence that had held him so long en-
thralled,
He covered his head and wept fo
very weakness, until into the tin,
stream that trickled near and swellec
into a smooth pool he looked and saw
his face But he could not yet be
Iieye for the face with eyes OF sorrow
and experiences that answered his
was worn an gray! He sprans 10 his
/ feet IN CONSERVATION. Who IS this?
he cried aloud And heavily his heart
responded Thou"
Then. desperately. the man recalled
the way he had come. and memory
softly stealing brought him the days
Of his youth. the pleasant places Of his
childhood
4 win 90 backN he cried 2assion,
aiely, But the dense growth Of foif
age arrested 7is footsteps the way %
return was a vast imDenetrable thick
et lie cast bis eyes into the taugle
Of weeds and vines Could this be in
truth the very road whence he had
Jared SO easily the road % but q
moment hence. seemingly so fee and
open?
Should he. then. since the way Of
return was closed. seek 20 join his late
companions? he moved a step for
ward--but his feet refused 20 carry
HIM Illusion was past; Desire had
fed. lie could not oyertake the com
pany of the iighthearted--he did not
wish TO- What. then. remained?
we remain The words sounded
soIemnly on his ear In answer to his
thought Before his troubled vision
stood two shrouded FORMS majestic.
terrible In ,heir serenity
You may embrace me'-one figure
unveiled It's face u am Death and
the END"
"Or me" responded the other. Il
am Defeat and Despair"
Now the face OF one shone With a
great majesty and that OF the other
was calm and passionless, so that for
an instant the exhausted senses Of the
man yearned towards the invitation
OF their rest Long he gazed. as only /
they who have lost fear not to gaze
into those countenances Of infinite re-
pose Surely nothing could be better
than this
Then slowly, as though taking leave
Of the things that are known. he cast
his eyes around and above. All
bright blue. undimmed. the sky smiled
down above the Great r'angiel Far
away. but mighty In appeal a murmur
Ing sound smotc on his ear~-tho dis
ant hum of toll With one supreme
snort the Man drew himself together
"Lifel Life-at any cost, | viii
have neither Of you / will make
way OF return | viii reach the com
pany OF those who strive'7 he cried.
IL were easier to embrace me-" an
lwored Death. You have been apart
10 long you are weak
And you cannot return-the way
$ long closed echoed Despair.
Il wiz begin will join the toilers
\ will work way out--and II do
lot reach my goal Death may find
ne on the way" he declared brayely
nd set his face towards the faraway,
usy haunts OF men.
While the light lasted he worked.
ulling with his hands az the tangled
nderbrush that stretched between
lin and the place where he would be:
nd he slept from happy WEAKNESS at
ight--for the nights came now. With I
ie morning he found bright bladed y
xe which One had left in this place
nd with It's keen edge of resolution
Z cleared a little space around him. 4
orking ever deeper and deeper into
ie heart OF the Great Tangle
By and by he grew to love all com Il
on things-the skies. the birds. the q
lent little people OF the woods who d
Imc and watched him as he worked,
~ denlzens of the forest. whose
lend he was And as he penetrated q
'er deeper. deeper. 10, the faint, far Il
ring of another axe. .
other workers. then, in the forest u
it'll renewed yigor he swung his axe
oft, so that ere another nightfall
he stole near and clasped his hand IL
"a blessed him that he had opened a -
" between, And by and by another ',
me. and yet another; and to each =
gave freely OF his strength. paus. -
: often In his work to whisper In the
; OF him who faltered. or to hew
wn some thick tingle more stub. ~
IN than the rest. where other hands r
a failed
AID one sunny day there stole from
, very heart OF the woods a bright II
ed hahiiant OF the forest of endeay
TO dwell cvermore close by his
e--cleareyed Courage he had won /,
hts mate: so the shrouded shapes
tied The nan ne more. And be
Use he knew himself to be OF the IA
il brotherhood that people the for. ch
and because Of his mate. one day w
raised hts voice In song. Ell To-
m each tiny clearing other voices
q. at tirst timidly. till by and by ku
.hsv chorus startled the fiftfa mao. ! 0il