Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-10-02
CHAPTER V.
Alice

end Of the estate. This was the most
picturesque spot on he property, Il
wild confusion Of trees and hould"rs.
ON summit in the midst Of il Gucl"
Bash had built a platform round Il
majestic pine from which To view tn"
Sound. mounted TIA" ladder and was
brushing the dead leaves from The
bench when. somewhere below IN" and
farther on. | heard voices.
Try il from that boulder there.
Alice" said Mrs. FarnsWorth. ITS
an ideal place, created for the very
! purpose
could see them moving about and
hear the swish of shrubhery and the
scraping of their feet on the rough
slope
How will that dog" asked Alice.
"BcautifuHy," replied Mrs. Farms
worth. Now 70 ahead from the be-
ginning of the scene
Cautiously drawing back the
branches, espied Alice striking a
pose on a mammoth rock. She bent
forward. claSping her knees. and with
an occasional glance at what appeared
10 be an open book beside her. she
began:
You ask me who ! am, my lord?
1t matters not at all who or what |
am; let it suffice that berries are my
food and the brook that sings behind
me gives me drink. To be one thing
or another is WEAKNESS. Would you
ask yOnder oak for a name or trouble
the wind with like foolish questions?
No; il is enough that a tree is strong
and fine 10 look upon and that wind
! has healing in its wings"
With her head to one side and an
arrcSting gesture, and throwing into
/ her voice all its charm and new
/ compelling innocence and sweetness.
/ she continued:
"iiut You would have Il name? Then
/ oh foolish one, 50 much | will tell
! YOU: Yesterday ! was Helen. who
! launched thousand ships and shook
J the tOplcSs towers of Ilium. Today
/ | am RnSaIind in the forest of Arden,
and tomorrow i may he Antigone or
/ Ariel or Viola, or what you will.
am what ! make myself or choose 10
be. pray you. let that suffice"
My face was wet with perSpiratiun.
aud my heart thumred wildly. For
either | was stark, staring mad, or
these were lines from Searles' Lady
LarkSpur,' tho manuscript of which
was carefully locked in my trunk.
THAT should he spoken trin1
more slowly. and with the best air of
mprcmcditatcdncss you can put into
H." Mrs FarnswOrth was saying.
"Nou can work il out better when
you've me mortzed the lines. It's i'm
men>rly effective having the last scene
come back to the big boulder on the
mountninSidc Let me look at that a
minute"
She took up the manuscript
was no question Of the blue cover IF
my copy of Lady Larkspur"-and
turned 10 the passage She sought.
Let ne read this over" Mrs
FarnSworth continued: ~ have
lhr stars, and have run races with
the brooks. You alone of all that have
sought me are equally fleet of foot
and heart, If YOU but touch my hand
am lost forever And this hand
beg you look at it's as brown rs
berry and rs rough as hickory bark
\ wild little hand and not lightly tc
Ice yielded ut any mans behcSt. Look
M me carefully. my lord She rises
to full height quickly. Let me see
you do that, Alice"
AHce'S golden head became more
distinctivcty visible as she stood erect
upon the boulder.
oh no, You can improve on that
il must be done lightly and quickly
: just touching the tips of your fingers
to the rock. All, splendid, Now
stand with one hand dropped upon the
hip-lct me see how that looks. Very
good; now repeat these lines after
me. This other world, of which YOU
speak Shake your head slowly
frowHing: every hint Of sincere d0ubt
and questioning you can throw int,
look and gesture. is Ii kind world
place of honest hearts? You hav,
spoken Of cities. and crowded avenues
of music and theaters and many thing,
have read Of but never seen. You
promise me much, but what should
do in so vast company? | am yer,
happy here. Spring and summer 81
my hands with flowers and in wintc'
| lay my face to the wind that CARRIE
sleet and snow. All this is mine.
Arms stretched out. You mustn't
make that stiff-very good. Earth