Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-09
By WINIFRED BLACK

and all around were fleecy
clouds like fair ladies' -in-waitine
dressed in soft lace. Here and
there great star sparkled. and
down below in the sharp cut
canyon the water rushed and
sang, and the lights In the 1T
tie village twinkled gayly.
Up above the thing, that Is lust
a plain lemonade pavilion by day.
shone at the very top Of the dark
mountain and looked like an an
gels chandelier let down from
the heavens to gladden. us here
below with its soft effulgence.
The night wind whispered to the
tall hopeful poplars-what did
they say. I wonder?
I lay down to sleep in the up
per room, and there within nv
view the great peak is white with
snow. See how it CLEANS in the
@oonlight.
''Woof, woof," said the watch
dog deep In his throat. 'eWoof"
He stood at the window gazing,
''Woof," he said-then his low
growl turned to clamor and he
woke the echoes of the sleeping
village. Look" he cried, wild
ly, what is that down there in
the moonlight? 1t looks like a
wild creature of the mountains
Look! He may be here for harm.
Wake up and see what must be
done"
And I looked--and there stood
in the silver light a glorious
creature, black as midnight, tall!
slender, an arching neck, hoofs
that spurned the earth, a wild
horse of the plains-free, beau
tiful, uroud-glorious to see.
Wool" cried the watchdog.
See, he lifts his head; he shifts
the wind. Danger, good folks.
Wake up!" And with a flourish
OF hoofs, the beautiful wild thing
turned, threw up his proud head,
shook back his spreading name
and was gone-a vision Of the
night.
1t was long time before the
watchdog would quiet down. He
was outraged that no one needed
his call of warning. ut is all
very we'll to lie there and rest.
he thought, ''but II 1t had not
been for me-" and all night
he growled and grunbled about
1t to himself
In the morning a man came by
leading g. horse--a tame, SAD
creature, with bowed head and
shutting feet.
did he come by here IN the
night?" said the man.
Wool" said the watchdog
doubtfully. Could it be the same?
Yes, 1t must be.
HE got away somehow said
the man. Great fellow to run
away when he gets a chance
The horse shifted the evergreens
in the little garden, put his hum
BILE nose over the low wall and
tried to crop a mouthful.
Whoa, there!" He had
sharp jerk at the bride for his
pains. Guess I'll have to hobols
him after this" said the man.
Hobbled-the beautiful, wild
free thing! The watchdog and ]
saw him in the soft shine of the
Winter moon-hobbled tired
driven, hitched. He was not the
same creature at all, different
being altogether.
Shall we ever be like him,
wonder, when we drop the hobbies
of care and of work and OF
dreadful, wasting worry in some
fair moonshine somewhere far
away, in some fair night OF fres
and joyous heritage?
What would we be hke-Ws
poor human creatures: Welghea
down with our wisdom, freighted
with our knowledge, tied with our
heavy, heavy load of what VS.
think is splendid achievement
If we were free. free like the WIG
horse of the plains who snuf1eo
the cold breeze and shook MS
name and Weighed aloud for mere
Joy of living?
Would we know each other
then, do you think? we, who
know each other so passing wei
now, that we are bowed down
harnessed, driven. Or would we
seem like glorious strangers 70
each other, strangers from some
splendid world beyond the stars
Sister, your face is sad, your
eyes are dim, your lips do no.
smile. You are tied, weighted
driven. What sort Of be4hA
would you be---free?
Brother, you of the careTorn
countenance, the anxious regard
it goes hard with you this word
doesn't it? So much to 40, So
short time to do it. HuTrE,
hurry, night will come and nnC
you with only half a sack q.
shining metal. You must nav
a full sack, heaping full, II you
die and kill all who love you q.
get it. How would you look u
some one should lift the buTdeI
from those bent shoulders? Wolntol
those who walk with you by dsE
know you, do you think, If th7
saw you standing upright-free-.
like the wild horse of the plains
Free? Shall we be that, all a..
us, at last? And will those VIC
knew us in our days of bonoaEs
know US then?