The Washington herald., 1915-08-04
The Mountain.
BY JOHN ID. BARRY.

DrOtnefS
They loved one another. They worked together
| in harmony.
Presently the man began to develop great am
btions. He declared that he intended to climb
the mountain and gather the rare flowers that
grew the highest slopes.
He started out.
Some of the others followed.
Most of the others, however, shook their heads
sadly and stayed behind.
For those who stayed behind the man express
cd scorn.
AS the man climbed those with him followed
as best they could.
Some quickly lost courage.
Others persisted with shortening breath
Occasionally OF these would climb beside
the man, greatly 10 the mans annoyance Ii he
did not soon fall back the man would turn and
force him back. If he resisted the mar would
hur him down the mountain
One succeeded not only in reaching but IL
swiftly passing the man.
Then followed a struggle
With mighty effort the man overlook his
rival. They grappled and fought.
For time it looked as if the man might en-
counter his first defeat.
But he put forth all his strength and crushed
his rival in his embrace
Inc others could hear the crunchine OF the
bones.
Alter that incident one tried to go past the
man or even to keep him.
Meanwhile the climb grew harder
Those behind the man looked up and saw him
mounting. mounting. They hated him. And thev
hated another.
One by one they would give up and either stay
where they were, stranded hopeless or they
WOud b,r Il,
had started
When the had outdistanced them all he
stopped and looked down.
He saw his former companions on the noun-
tain slope, like specks. He laughed, rejoicing in
their defeat and in his own superiority
And way down the base of the mountain he
could family discern the hamlet where he had
once been happy.
He wondered how he could ever have been
happy there.
He wondered how he could ever have re-
garded those people as his equals, how he could
ever have endured them
He assured himself that he had always known
he their superior
They probably knew it themselves and wonder
ed why he had not started before
He wished now that he had started before. Bit
terly he blamed himself for wasting those wears
when he fanced he was happy.
Most OF all he blamed himself for the time he
had wasted on those people
Then he looked up at the top OF the mountain
The hardest climb before him. He was
at the edge OF the snow and ice
lie set his Jaws and threw back his shoulders
he had fearful struggle Again and again he
slipped on the ice and fell Several times he was
caught in the drifts
feet
ached. iii' oouy
b But ne had no mercy on himself, just as he
had no mercy others. N
There were days when it seemed as if the man
made progress. '''"
On the other days he could not even see the ton
Durng these days he nearly lost heart
hen suddenly the top would be enveloped in
cold sunshine. 1t would flash like a great dia
mond. He would feel as if he could stretch on,
his arms and grasp it.
lie would be inspired with new strength.
When he reached within a few wards Of the
top 1t seemed as if he must pay for his success
with his life But he did not care Success was
worth the price.
So he made terrific spurt He slipped and fell
He rose Again he slipped and fell
But he kept advancing slowly, steadily
AT last he reached over the top of the noun
tain There he lay on his stomach gasping with
his arms stretched out before him on the snow.
For a long time he could not think
He kept painting like an animal Gradually his
heart beat less wildly He turned over on his
back.
He began to feel somewhat rested Alter all
he was not going to die. He would live to enjoy
his success.
Finally he mp. With an effort he stood
erect. He looked around
Above he could only clouds. Below he
could only clouds
He completely shut in.
Suddenly he felt an intolerabic loneliness Hel
iongcd to cry ior help.
But who could near?
Besides. who was there that would help him
Who would wish 70 hear him?
Certainly OF the old companions at the
base of the mountain he had so gaily left, nor
those he had abandoned the slope
Then he thought OF God.
The mountain top he had striven hard to
climb to must be the throne OF God.
1t must be than any point human being
had reached before.
He raised his and he cried aloud to God
in his loneliness and agony.
BUT there answer from the clouds
He wondered if he could have been mistaken in
thinking that God lived on high among the clouds
Then he remembered d saying he had heard as
a child "The spirit OF God dweeth in the human