Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
DAWN AND THE MAIDEN

ooh, down in your heart" begged the girl, edo you
not know who ann Far in your soul do YOU not still
hold the image of-1ny mother?
And the old swayed though he might
fall His right hand CROPPED behind him, clutching the
doorframe. Visiby he exerted his WILL that he might
all the strength accumulated IN years OF re-
nunciaton, all the philosophy Of half lifetmes iso
lated calm.
a thought of that first-I thought you had
from Heaven" he managed at last to say with SIM
plicity that bctted. But it is clear. You not
Elizabeth 5 spirit You are her living child Elzabeths
daughter Now understand
And I've come far over land, across the seas
and you're not glad to see M. Grandfather"
ENTER, Child he bade. ENTER and sit by my
hearth. You bring me my hour May have strength
to meet it, Let us search the years.
So cold, strange, welcome. With bowed head
the girl followed him the threshold.
WHAT YOU know of your mother" he began.
w "She died long years ago. lmpenetrable tanges
of laurel hide her grave. You the child of
aliens. Surely, they in their kindness have kept her
story from your thoughts!
"He-he too is dead mean my father, said the
girl "But he once told how | might easiest find
YOU if you yet lived; and so rsked ALL and came. And
when found you, the very dawn without searching
farther, | glad and happy. Many years ago he
died. but ! have waited in Norway until the time
ripe. We lived far up among the flords Winters
there ice, and northern lights and eternal stars;
but summers" her glance wandered toward the blue
peaks, through the open door, summers 1t was
very like this. And would climb for the midnight sun,
far to the top of all that steepy about And
So again glad, when must climb this morn
ing far away from that sitting, papered room down IN
the valley. But now
She might not finish. Two tears rolled from
her eyes and made little marks like shadows on the
bosom of her white gown. She had seated herself,
claspng her knees, the clean floor by the reside
The old mans voice suddenly shrll and terrible.
"You talk idly" he cried what did they tell you of
your mother"
aOh!' gasped the girl "Father would never talk of
her He could not Yet learned somehow that | was
like her. and that she killed, that she shipped and
fell from some great rock Ike that yonder-that
babe in her and by some miracle was saved
That much know more
The hermit called aloud silencng the girls voice in
a shudder. ".Ah. they have done well to speak no
more Better far better, than they knew, indeed
They have left my own conteSslon They have lett
me my hour. The years have waited-and you coIne
Their Judgment is upon mel.
AS one moved by the mmutable power OF his Meme
sis, he rose clutchng the great Bible from the table,
and holding it high above his head.
81 killed Your mother" he shrieked. "Aly punish
1nent shall be that YOU hear from my lips. was her
murderer her murderer.
STILL holding the book aloft he plunged toward the
the hills and the day! The open sky and all that moves
beneath it, and all that lives fair, or STERN or terri
be shall know for what | ami
Limp with horror the girl had staggered to her feet,
and followed the crazcd old man into the open.
"T'hls" he shouting, Il throw my false sanctity
from me, Thus throw from my guilty years OF self
righteousness
With dazet hall blinded eyes, she him reach the
edge of his little field where the descent fell in sheer
precpice She saw him hur the great volume with the
strength of giant. 1t crashed through the treetops
below Dull thuds of oosened stones sounded IN It's
wake 1t was If distant avalanche had set the hills
echoing and reechoing Yet he stood erect as some
indomable soul might stand, upright against man.
date of eternal doom. He turned and pointed
at there he said, measuring his words that