New-York tribune., 1911-02-05

What was the great yearng or desire that rooted in
this old man breast like the mountains IN the earth:
ONE night as lay half asleep during storm that
~ forced me ID remain the wountaintop, be began
20 speak Of ancient and he4rbre4kng things and the
mystery of him was mingled with instant meaning:
at was ON the evening of Saint Johns Feast. AZ
ways then we light big fires all the hills each be-
comes an altar a torch 10 God The sweet Ami and
came up together 70 build the fire the Plgersberg
Ours was the tacst blaze and the brightest. Just so
said Ami. is our love-a fire in the heavens. We
kissed and then stood staring for space at the far ott
beacons. She passes behind me and the fire TO fling
on more fir boughs and then blinded by the blaze, She
steps of the edge Of the precpcc up there and falls To-
her death / take q burning branch and follow down
the black gorge and carry her back to the FIRE She never
opened her eyes again and in the dawn she died Then
On my back | carry her blessed body down 20 Mtten-
thal So it might be sunk in holy ground Then climb
the Pgcrsbcrg again TO fling myself down from the
brink She fell from. But when came TO the fire II was
still smodering slow III the bottom Of the thlChet logs.
The fire seemed to say 70 me- Live cast ashes upon
my head and took stones and built hearth and put red
Goals upon them. These tended day and night and
began 20 rear this house about them The fire has never
gone out II lives from the moment she last tended II.
When # goc, out shall go out too. On Saint john
Eve Ami always comes 20 help me build the beacon
from the Old fire Of our love- Here the mountain |
dwell nearer % her, Angels come 20 lead her 10 me out
of the SUNS at morning and evening.
r. beautiful cried Peter the painting grew apace.
Rcvcrentv be bore into his little house every night.
spent three days at Alit'enthal. during which did
not make my daily ascent of the Plgcr-berg. The
morning If my return Peter came 10 me- a glow upon
hi. face full Of news he was eager 20 ,mpart
Folk have been here he whispered. -trom NIer-
wald. stranger folk. The first day Two men and two
women the second day the TWO women. the third day
came only the one woman. the elder That was thrice
that She earc and twas not the view nor gossip
with me- T. was % -cc YOUR picture my SOM She sat
before II for near On TWO hours You are not |eNed
hope: for She was sweet -ocu'y woman, not Ike me
brazen tongue thre-her that often come sad woman
tOo I should say She asks what sort oi man you were;
bu would only say. a young man. Madam
with gray hair.
And when will the artist come again She
asks
~Iud her on what days YOU came UP from Nit
tenthal 20 work here
Then | will come sometimes on the other
DAYS says she until the picture Is finished
The though, that beautiful and unknown eyes
were thus scanning my work that This ODD woman
should limb this difficult peak 20 look upon II -o
often and always when ! was not present. began
t.WD-t nightly within me. When Peter told me
lady from Merwad had wept as -he stood
Iet.r. the canvas. felt strange. Old force begin
Il. thrill freshly in me. r. was then AS II painted
This picture not for Tr,wbrdge. but rather for her.
t.r ,h. unknown creature whom | was almost
afraid 20 encounter lest al that was ideal m the
;.ua.ion impulse. and suggestion should sink at
once to the commonplace
4 burst If my former inspiration came upon
. I.g...r....-- us # my mysterious visitor bad
poured something oi new faith and hope into the
ooIor- on the canvas-and as If the canvas saEeit
back 20 me- knew by deep and innate instinct
+r.-T once. more working In the grand man