Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05
THE PASSION ON THE PEAK

canvas? Iresolved to stay with Peter every
day of that last week.
THE lady from Merwald!" cried the old
man, as | sat before my easel that last
afternoon.
l glanced down the rock strewn Merwald
trail and saw slender figure in short frock,
holding an alpenstock and small nosegay
of mountain flowers, advancing straight
upon u.s. Instantly l left the easel and
stepped into the cottage The lady from
Merwald paused as she saw the huge paint
ing standing in the open; then, at the her
init s word of welcome, she came slowly up
and stood before it. l stared at her from out
the darkness of the cabin. 1t was Elizabeth!
She glanced about her anxiously. heard
her ask Peter if the artist was about, and the
old fellow nodded his head. Her face paled;
she looked timidly toward the open door,
then went quickly down the path. In an in
slant was after her. 1t was as if the world
and the daylight and life itself were rolling
out of my reach once more.
Elizabeth Elizabeth" l called o-her.
She stood still; saw her tremble. l felt
her tremble as l went down to her and seized
her hand to lead her back At the touch of
that hand the sundered hemispheres of my
life seemed to rush together once more. In
that supreme moment our hands bridged
all.
The earthquake in San Francisco had an
initiated her little world; the nest had been
destroyed; her husband, the prosperous
merchant, was dead. So she had set forth to
wander through the world with her younger
sister, She had followed the very course l
took eleven years before. The mountains
still drew her, as in the old days when we
climbed Tamalpais together. A deeper, per-
haps sadder, understanding shone in her
eyes. There was benign and mellow wisdom
in her speech. And because of this | felt
that the old power to inspire and support in
spiration had not departed from her. We
sat on the massive stone slab before old
Peters cottage, and looked down at the SOM
Der valleys and up at the clouds and the
peaks, as though we were gazing at the land
scape of our lives. Yet we saw little save
ourselves Ere we knew it, the rays of the
sun had grown level and the shadows had
crawled up the broken scarps and slopes of
the ranges.
Il must hurry back to Merwald," said
Elizabeth anxiously, rising.
Just then old Peter, who had been watch
ing the retreating sunlight, went to his place
of prayers upon the peak. We saw him per-
form his wild, oblivious devotions and make
his strange gestures as ne Sent Iortn MS
yearning spirit into the heart of the sinking
sun.
3He sees the woman he loved" said l.
3She comes to visit him, he says, in the fire
of the sunrise and sunset. The fire they
kindled together on this mountaintop forty
seven years ago is still burning his
hearth-and in his heart"
Then the vast splendor and sublime awe
of the moment, the marvel of the meeting
overcame me. took Elizabeth by the hand
and led her toward the spot where Peter had
worn the stone smooth with his bare knees,
just as the old man came ambling down.
The world lay outspread before us, hospita-
BILE, beautiful, and full of peace, as though
it was from the summit of Tamalpais and
we once more very young That moment