The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-02
A Road of Promise

Sewer went forth to SOW. In the
fresh softncss Of the morning, with Il
star of content against the first pink
ness Of light, the road stretched al
luringly at the feet Of the Sewer, hsr
white robes gathered close about the
youthful strength of her body. From
the eager. restless hands with palms
upturned sifted the tiny seed in
never ccasing stream upon the earth
AS she passed II was dawn and all
things were beautiful-all ground was
enchanted space. tnroug,. which TO
tread path into the great highway of
life.
grim and all OF the yelled mysticism of
INC prophet. the arms that reach for
me pleasure popies ana Il heart as
light as singing bird. these were
the gifts-thus the accoutrctncnt OF
the woman who Journcyed out of tho
sunrlsc into the dark. the while from
hcr unconscious fingers fell the seed
the little shrill. insistent voices that
ARISE from the shadows OF the world be-
MIND. and some of the little seed were
torches. to kindlc altar names and
search for truth; and some were stars
mat would not shine, because Of love
LETT out; and some were roses set with
thorns. and more were the briars OF
each day. Innocent guile peace
dreams, dropped from tho careless nm
gers upon the earth but me and | and
mine fell ever with more and more
frequency, and only rare mpulsive
deed TO save the hedge of self tina, the
Sowcr was planting along the Road OF
Promise.
The face OF the woman turned from
the past and the eyes that looked into
the shadows were weary eyes and some
sntsT ir.y had
pierced the white beauty of her gar
inents and there were few, so few
OF the blue flowers OF happiness gath
cred in the restless hands. The road
led down by the sea. where treasure
ships arc launched. ana up over the
hill, where the black clouds of sorrow
and pain hang thick and impcnctrahle.
II has been long Journey and the
day IL but half spent.
The Road OF Promise bends and car
rics US, whether we VIII or no whether
wc are even conscious OF the fact. back
"a span or two the way we have cone
Th: Sewer came back upon her journey
when the twilight was deepening and
the rose and mist % the fading shy
shonc fun upon the white road And
10. II VAS garden that she came
upon. Thick placed within II wall and
hedgcd about with bramblcs OF her own
setting were the flowers OF the Sewers
own planting with fingers from
which the cagcrncss and Joy had fed
the wayfarer upon lifc's Journey un-
latchcd the gate and entered into a
vision OF what she had done with the
days that had past one path was
edged with brightness, but the blooms
We're shattered ere they were pulled.
aud the plum tree of carc-frec DAYS
was barren OF gifts: the paths were
smooth and correct ana the flowers as
surcdiy blooming there. but tho fruit
OF the tree WAS ashes and the grain
OF the wheat blightcd.
once. in the heart Of a child ! hid
golden hour cried the woman. She
searched among the leaves that We're
heaped so thick about the plum tree
roots, but only at The end Of her
moaning hour OF anguish did she come
upon the small bloom OF the one self
less deed. The things that she had
thought meant everything In life lay
hcapcd about her world-worn feet and
the tiny dreams unknowingly cast
from hands that wot not OF their task
were crushed against the tired heart.
The day was long, the woman weary
and the tim" far spent, but she gath
cred the white garment OF her life
about her with renewed impulse, -
stood n soul revealed AT last in its own
vision. Tho seed that fell upon the
Road OF Promise wcrc all OF heart
that has seen and known ana found
its one small wistful thought, with
which 10 begin anew it's tuiling
through the dusty years. = Sewer
went forth to SOW. The purple shadows
are descending and the tapers glimmer
in the cottages by the way, but the
Road OF Promise stretches white and
winding 10 the crest of the hill. and
the star OF content shines through the
gathering darkness.
BRENT WITT.