New-York tribune., 1911-11-05

made q delicate brown laCewOrk on the
ground. She looked into her heart 10 see II
the steel OF the knife were hurting, and 10.
she found new image there. The picture
Of her lover was faint and blurred, and in
stead she saw the patient. quiet tace OF her
father What she chung 20 were the two
chairs on each side OF the hearth and the
evening dusk through which she and the old
man smiled at each other as they came IN
from the long days labor.
There were times when she thought Of 60
ing out and seeing the great world about
which her lover had talked 70 her, and yet
from all that he had told her She knew that
she would find no more there than the nvcr.
the trees, the gray boulders, and the sunset
could give here Monotony never quite be-
came nothingncss: for she had q quick ear,
and caught the silent voices, hushcd only
while the voice Of love was speaking. There
came to her heart too. with the thought OF
change, vague prcmomuon that change
would come 10 her # She but waited.
More years passed, and peace and silence
spread about the little house, and dropped
over the meadows and the woods and the
gray boulderS. One day the father ceased
to 90 out 20 his labors, and the brown maid,
with q new pang in her heart. doubled hcI
own. Finally her father lay down, and folded
his hands and shut his eyes. and turned his
face TO the wall, and after few days hc
made his exit. She carried him out and lald
him under the ground in the farther heId
beside the eldest and opposite 20 the next
10 the eldest. She made q mound over the
place so that she could remember just where
il was and come on, day by day and 81
there for company.
THE years passed, and new spring came
L and the brown maid went out over the
woodland WAYS where once she had walked
with a lover. ever and ever so long ago; ana
the sap was rising in the ,Wgs and snclaing
q purple mist over the bushes, and the AIarch
sun filtered down lightly through the t|igs
and made a delicate lacewOrk on the ground.
And the maid turned 10 lay her hand upon
the knife in her heart, and 10. the hcsn nad
| healed over and there was no pam there.
For love had passed, just as the eldest ana
the next 20 eldest had passed, and Just as
her father. who had built the balcony and
understood her need Of the stars and had
smiled AT her in the dusk OF the evening
when labor was done, had passed; and she
knew that. if she could, she would call
nothing back. &C.,,
Then she laughed aloud and sang little,
although her voice sounded strange ana
cracked from long silence; but she knew
that she wanted 10 90 back and talk 20 the
oaks and the river and the bushes. So she
went out and sat down under the oaks IN
the carly spring sunlight, and laughed IT.
,lc. and said 10 them:
4What are YOU doing"
I've are making life, said the oaks, and
growing acorns.
But are YOU not tired; she asked. Have
Won not made enough acorns;
Life goes on, and there is never enough,
sa;f the oaks. "And as for that, we intend
Lcfore we die TO shed enough acorns 20 cover
rIc Garth and to climb the mountain and dry
up the stream.
Inst think Of it," said the maid, and she
Laughed. How strong and how brave YOU
Then she went down 70 the river, and sat
on its bank, and dabblcd her bare feet IN the
@Wen." said the riycr, you have been
a,y,v quite a time. have missed YOU
Have You reached the sea yet asked
III. aVo. No., but don't YOU see how fast | am
oo;ng1 | shall reach 1t, and then al will be
-. ~ ',,, ira vou m sure" she asked