Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1912-03-20
A SPLE N D lid
PA w N
BY ELEANOR STUART.
Copyright, 1910, by the Pearson
Publishing Coz
BY ELEANOR STUART.


great pommel about which the chuck
ling water bottles were packed as Sc
curely as she herself sBaltuk had filled
her hats crown with a bit of ice pur-
chased from the cook of the BdrdiOd for
the price of some surcharged post
stamps. but this sped down her neck
into the regretted past in a few de-
licious, freezing rills. She loved them
in their fleeting, icy passage into the
remembered luMries of Western liy-
ing. but she laughed as she called her.
self an immigrant and declared herself
able 10 endure the country of her
choice. Sometimes Calvin gave her
sop of lint, wet with diluted myrrf,
which she held in her mouth lovingly
while he cautioned her not to swallow
il. and when at last she cast the thing
10 the deserts floor. the once saturated
wad grown dry as powder in her burn
ing mouth-she felt an thrush of new
life and marvelled at the power of re-
freshment in so neglected a simple.
But after an hours rocking on the
hilly back of the great brute who sped
onward without an apparent thought
for the burning strand beneath him. or
the unmitigated. sun-flled sky above
him and the desert-she found succor
from above as il the shielding wing
of a guardian angel had come between
her and the excessive light Shadows
of the camels. the only shadows in the
glowing expanse of all that treeless
space. shone on the deserts dusky face
in lively mauve or curious unbelieve-
able magenta: and the network OF
nameless growth. half vine, half fun
gus, which breaks from the baked and
sandy surface of this wilderness,
showed itself in sudden detail as the
sun lost its overwhelming quality and
became weakened by nights advance,
mere light rather than a malign ele-
ment which cOnQuers mans sense of
sight. Far in the glowing west the
clearness of atmosphere and the bril-
lance OF omnipotent sun still domin-
ated. but in the east-grown suave
and tender with the first hues of night
fall-a fluff of cloud like the flowing
scarf OF a yelled woman beckoned one
10 the relief of darkness. And every
swell upon the breast Of the wild up
land their camels turned suddenly to
traverse. stretched its purple shadows
toward the east-as a beggar's cup is
held for greed of gold from travellers
purse. or gush OF water from a travel
er's bottle Nothing human assailed
their senses: the world was a picture
in wild color from the hand OF God.
painted in creations dawn-before man
had obtruded himself as an object TO
be recorded.
The shadows lost their color. becom-
ing a gray and dusty purple, when the
sun left the sky abruptly and only
golden line hung on in the western
horizon like postscript to The bright
ness that was gone. Enjoyment seemed
10 leap from the earth and descend
from the sky, for a tyrant had left the
world in the suns passing. almost as
Baltuk folded away SYPHILIS shawl OF
linoleum and took the sop from her
neck's nape-bone dry. What news
of the EVENING"" he asked respectfully.
to which Galvin-like a true Arab
responded. Good news; it is cool by
Gods mercy and a sea wind" A great
gaiety had wakened in their souls and
they looked al one another and laughed
like children in the soundless desola-
ton about them. racing their camels
over the hard-baked desert track TO
space of green: the northern part OF
the oasis of Tipi at whose border is
Bandi and it's tabled N'gambo, popu-
lated with Arabs and their negroid
progeny, who ply desert trades and
speak in the language of poets of prac-
teal matters too small for the mind of
an Occidental clearinghouse keeper.
or metaphysical considerations too
ample for the intelligence of a Spinoza
10 find its way among them.
Tho p,alc caltn6 Onp another
they set foot in the green bunch-grass
of Tipi. and staggered along steep
and sandy track sharply upward to
verdant tableland, from which the des-
ert looked like a sullen sea, its sheen
and color quenched in the growing
darkness. but an outline of pillows and
tightly crimped ripples quite visible in
the light of round moon. shining
above in a clump of weird and leaf1ess
trees at the plateau's edge. Their ami
mails travelled so much faster now that
speech was an effort. and with the cool
ness of the night came great desire
not TO modest its quiet: Sybil looked
reverently at the thickening array OF
stars above her and the grotesque out
line of the camels' heads. silently pic
turing to herself the quest of the Magl
as they bore fragrance and gold TO the
child of the worlds desire-the human.
HELPLESS ultimatum Of Hebraic ambition.
The GOODNESS kissed her cheek. but
the thorns tore at her skirts and leased
her camel while furtive creatures OF
the underbrush dashed between his
forelegs She sang one snatch OF a
Christmas ballad, I'VE three Kings OF
Orient are" stimulated by a sweet and
sudden wind. which had gathered a
burden of perfume in faraway locust
groves to blow upon one pair OF white,
girlish cheeks. in all its African jour
ney There was in this stiffness, this
perfumed peace no atmosphere or
money. no environment of clothes; the
murk and crowd of London was but
dream: the noise of fires, the clang OF
ambulances. the raucous sound OF riots
were suggested 10 her reluctant mem
DRY by the actualities of former life
But the peace Of the desert was a new
thing. II was as simple and unusual as
holiness. and like holiness. ii was as
empty as a sacred symbol to mind
profane Great verses from the first
chapter of Genesis strobe through her
mind with the measure of Creations
Titanic progress. as she threw out
cramped and aching hand toward Gal
vim, and achieved her first conscious
epigram: "All great moments" she
painted. ARE trysts with God!'
Calvin said in reply-but his answer
inc vandalism satisfied her-"0h don't