Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-05
The Light IN
the Clearing
IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The Bobbs-Merrin Co.

swered. Let us look q the corn-
pass. They have refused 70 noroi-
nate Mr.. Van Buren, because he ia
opposed 10 the annexation Of Texas
On that subject the will Of the
convention is now clear. T. is nod
sible that they would nominate me
We don't know about that. we shall
never know. If they did. and ac-
cepted, what would be expected ~
me is also clear. They would az
pect me to abandon my principles
and that course Of conduct which
l conceive to be the best for the
country. Therefore 7 should have
to accept it under false pretenses
and take their yoke upon me
Would you think the needle pointed
that way?"
NO" ! answered,
Immediately he turned 30 his
desk and wrote the telegram which
fixed his place in history. II said
no.
Into the lives Of few men has
such a moment fallen ! am sure
the Lord God must have thought il
worth a thousand years Of the
worlds toll It was that moment
in the life of a great leader when
Satan shows him the kingdoms OF
the earth and their glory ] ook.
ed at him win a feeling Of awe.
What sublime calmness and seren-
ity was in his face As If IL were
a mere detail in the work Of the
day, and without a moments falter-
ing, ne had declined a crown. for
he would surely have been nomi-
mated ami elected. H. rose and
stood looking out of he open win
dow Always | think OF him stand.
ing there with the morning sun
light falling upon his face and
shoulders. He had observed my
emotion and l think it had touched
him a little. There was a moment
of silence. A curious illusion came
to me then, for it seemed as II I
heard the sound of distant musk.
Looking thoughtfully out OF the
window he asked:
Bart, do you know when our
first fathers turned out of the trail
CT the beast and found the long
road of humanity? I think II was
when they discovered the compass
in their hearts"
So now at last we had come TO
that high and lonely place. where
we may look back upon the toll
some, adventurous way we have
travelled with the aid of the candle
and the compass. Now let us stop
a moment to rest and 10 think How
sweet the air is here The night Is
e j . =
Just below me is the valley Of
Eternal Silence. You Will under
stand my haste now. have
sought only to do justice to ny
friend and 10 give my country a
name, long neglected, but equal in
glory to those of Washington and
Lincoln.
Come, let US take one last look TO-
gether down the road we have tray-
eled, now dim in the evening shad-
Cws. Scattered along It are the lit
tie houses of the poor of which
have written. See the lights in the
windows-the lights that are shin
ing into the souls of the young
the eager, open. eXpectaHt, Welcom-
ing souls of the young and the
light carries many things, but best
of all a respect for the old. I'M
changing way of the compass Aft
er all that is the end and aim Of
the whole matter believe me&.
My life has heightened into these
days when most OF our tasks are
accomplished by machinery. We
try to make men by the thousand,
in vast educational machines, and
no longer by the one as OF old. It
was the loving. forgiying, forbear-
ing, patient, Ceaseless toll of moth
er and father on the tender soul OF
childhood, which quickened that in
extinguishable sense Of respoHsi-
bility to God and man in these peo-
pie whom l now leave 10 the judg-
ment of my countrymen.
| have lived to see the ancient
plan of kingcraft, for lf-protec-
ton. coming back into the world. Il
demands that the viii and con
science of every individual shall be
regulated and controlled by some
conceited prince, backed by an
army. 1t can not fail, | fUresee, 70
accomplish such devastation IN the
human spirit as shall imperll the
dearest possession OF man.
Continued tomorrow.