The Washington herald., 1914-09-07
The Distant Storm.
By EMORY :. HAYNES,

The storm did not come Every few moments
we could see the flashes far over the mountains but
still over our heads the shining. And
after while we could hear the thunder But that
was the nearest approach. Then the August moon
mounted higher into sky and rePose, unvexed
by the smallest alarm, fell softly down.
So striking contrast with the terrorized dwell
ings of peacefully disposed inhabitants of many fair
wales and hillsides just the curving surface of
cur globe in Europe Vast armies trampe their
fields. The American farmer incidentally asks, What
is ele news about the war? But he scarce changes
single line of his daily work. He goes oftener
to the village to buy the newspaper Even the flashes
and thunders of wars to him small items of his
usual round of life He smokes his pipe at evening
in perfect peace.
| know retired business of wealth who is
wholly unapproachable in the mountains. He will
not have telephone. Once week he gets a mail
Every luxury that money can buy surrounds him.
Can he continue to ignore confagration that is
Stunning all Europe?
There trout fishers in Canada who will not
stop casting the fy though millions join in battle
over seas. There are brides-to-be who laugh and
will not drop a stitch OF the making Of the outfit
tor the October wedding Indeed. have you seen
many people in this republic who making radical
changes in their plans for happy prosperous future
Yes some few, but not many. Can it 60 on 500
1t is when a thunder storm, with frantic winds
passes too far down the horizon to show more than
noiseess flashes? And not drop OF rain falls on
your outstretched hand. An amazing tranquility
hroodS over our American life. Only the heads OF
business give up golf, and but few OF them. 1t is
as if the the planet Mars to the schooboy
He is more concerned in the near ending of his
summer vacation.
We all walked over the hills yesterday to call on
the hermit lie built his own cabin on shoulder
OF the foreland. For over forty years so runs his
rude chronology. he has dwelt alone here Genial
happy, glad entertain visitors Clearly as his long
and patriarchal beard shows white as a winding
sheet, his fame is in all that part OF Vermont
He has looked down the world smiling and
unnterested for all these wears He whittes and sells
the toys he makes. lie leads the simple lie His
wants are almost zero. One would believe him when
he says he is over seventy years of age He likes
children, and is no woman hater. though it Is re-
ported that laughing and lifting girl long ago broke
the handspring OF his brain
1t is great triumph to attain to the calm OF the
hermit. The great Thomas Jefferson named his home
The Hermitage. To be able to get out and away and
let the world for itself is quite necessary if one
would live long. That is, occasionally. 1t Is de-
yasating to the soul have all the events of today
tramping across its boundaries All the worlds >or-
rows and all the worlds Joys are not mine all the
time
The years are passing. If l am ever to enjoy
The exclusive lives OF my own family let me enjoy
them now The children themselves grow old be-
tore know 1t Let us have only own whether
BY kin or friendship ties. own And let the storm
go down the valley OFT OF sight. Let its lightnngs
ilumlne. but speak no thunder Ii does not rain here