Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-09
By WINIFRED BLACK
Asst night the moon Sailed

Z and all around were fleecv
clouds like fair ladies' in-wait,ng
dressed in soft lace. Here and
there a great star sparkled. and
down below in the sharp CIT
canyon the water rushed and
sang, and the lights in the 1T
tie village twinkled gayly.
Up above the thing. that Is Just
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?
1 lay down to sleep In the up
per room, and there within nv
view the great peak is white with
snow. See how 1t CLEANS In the
moonlight.
"Woof, wool" said the watch
dog deep in his throat. 'Woof"
He stood at the window gazing.
Wool" 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 l 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-ffee, beau
tiful, uroud-glorious to see.
'Woof." 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. 1T Is all
very well to lie there and rest"
he thought, but if 1t had not
been for me-" and all night
he growled and grumbled about
1t to himself.
In the morning a man came by
leading a horse-a tame, sad
creature, with bowed head and
\ shuffling, feet.
Did he como by here IN the
night?" said the man.
Wool" said the WATCHDOG
doubtfully. Could it be the same?
Yes, it 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 mouthful.
Whoa, there!" He had
sharp jerk at the bride for his
pains. Guess I'll have to hobble
him after this" said the man.
Hobbled-the beautiful, wild
free thing! The watchdog and l
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, l
wonder, when we drop the hobbies
of care and of work and OF
dreadful. wasting worry in some
fair moonshine somewhere faf
away, in some fair night OF free
and joyous heritage?
What would we be like~-we
poor human creatures; weighed
down with our wisdom, freighted
with our knowledge, tied with our
heavy, heavy load of what We
think is splendid achievement
if we were free, free like the wild
horse of the plains who snuffeo
the cold breeze and shook his
name and neighed aloud for mere
joy of living?
Would we know each other
then, do you think? We, VINO
know each other so passing well
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 not
smile. You are tied, weighted
driven. What sort of being
would you be-free?
Brother, you of the careworn
countenance, the anxious regard
it goes hard with you this world
doesn't it? So much to do, so
short a time to do 1t. Hurry,
hurry, night will come and hnd
you with only half a sack OF
shining metal. You must nave
a full sack, heaping full, II you
die and kill all who love you 10
get it. How would you look Il
some one should lift the burden
from those bent shoulders? Wouid
those who walk with you by DAY
know you do you think, II tneN
saw you standing upright-free-,
like the wild horse of the plains
Free? Shall we be that, all o.
US, at last? And will those VINO
knew us in our days of bondage
know us then?