Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-09

I'VE must teach the children, above all,
he said to her one day. English must
come to be a secondary tongue to them
familiar as Merucaan. The next generation
will speak English from birth and gradually
the other language will decay and perish
save as we record It for the sake or his
tory.
"It can't be otherwise, Beatrice The
superior tongue Is always bound to replace
the inferior. All the science and technical
work teach these people must be explained
in English.
'"They have no words for all these things.
Bridges, nylns-machine engines, water
pipes for the new aqueduct we're putting In
to supply the colony from the big spring
up back there, tools, processes everything
of Importance, will enforce English. The
very trend OF their whole evolution will
drive them to II, even IL they were unwill-
ing, which they aren't"
yes, OF course" she answered. yet,
after all, we're only two"
Wen be three soon"
She bushed.
Three. then II you say so. so few
among so many-it will be a hard fight,
after all"
"T know but we shall win. Old man
Adams and one or two others at the time Of
the mutiny Of the Bounty taught English
to all their one or two score wives and
numerous children on Pitcairn.
THE Tahitan was soon forgotten. and the
brown half-breeds all spoke good English
right up to the time of tho catastrophe,
when, OF course. they were all wiped out.
So you see history proves the thing can be
done--and will be-"
Came an evening toward the beginning OF
spring again-an evening of surpassng
loveliness-soft warm, perfumed with the
first crimson blossoms Of the season-when
Bremlu ran swiftly up the path to the
chfftop and sought Allan In the palsaded
Enclosure. working with his men on the new
aqueduct.
Come, master. for they seek you now ="
he painted.
"Who?"
The mistress and old Gesafam, the aged
woman, skilled in all maladies! Come
swiftly, o Kromno"
Allan started dropped his lantern, and
turned very white
You mean"
Yea, MASTER Come"
lie found Beatrice in bed. the bronze
lamp shining on her face, pale as his own
Come. boy" she whispered Let me
kiss you just once before-before-"
He knelt, and on her brow his lIps
seemed TO burn. She kissed him, then with
smile OF happiness in all her pain said
Go, dearest You must go riow!'
And' as he fingered. old Gesafam, chat
tering shrilly, seized him by the arm and
pushed him toward the doorway.
Dazed and in silence he submitted. But
when the door had closed behind him. and
ne stood alone there in the moonlight ahove
the rushing river, a sudden exaltation
thrilled him.
lie knelt again by the rough sill and
kissed the doorway OF the house of main.
the house of life; and his soul famed into
prayers to whatsoever Principle or Power
wrought the mysteries of the ever-chang-
ing universe.
And for hours keenipg III 90. .,....
held his vigil; and the stars watched above
nm, too. mysterious and far.
But with the coming OF the dawn, bark
cry within! The cry-the thrilling.
ever-to-be-forgotten, heart-wringing cry
of the first-born
"oh. God !" breathed Allan, while down
his cheeks hot tears gushed unrestrained
The door opened. Gesafam beckoned.
Trembling. weak as a child the man fall
tered in. Still burned the lamp upon the
table. He saw the heavy masses of Beta's
hair upon the pillow OF deerskin, and some
thing in his heart yearned toward her as
never until now.
Allan"
Choking. unable to formulate a word
shaking, he sank beside the bed, buried his
face upon it, and with his hand sought
hers
ALLAN, behold your SOM"
Into his quivering arms he laid a tiny
Dunuie wrapped IN the nnest cloth the Folk
could weave of soft palm fibers.
His son!
Against his face he held the child sob
bing. one hand sheltered It; the other
pressed the weak and trembling hand of
Beatrice.
And as the knowledge and the Joy and
pain of realization, of full achievement of
surged through him. the strong
mans tears baptized the future master of
the race!