The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-07-28

that had hurt him and it was so near
that he could reach out with his paw
and crush it! And how weak and
white and helpless it looked now,
What pitiful insignificant thing eit
was! Where was its strange thunder?
Where was its burning lightning?
Why did it make no sound?
Slowly Thor's giant head began
swinging from side to side; then he !
advanced-just one step-and In a |
slew. graceful movement reared him
Self TO his full, magnificent height. ,
For me, it was the beginning of the |
end. And in that moment, doomed as
was, L found no pity for myself. |
Here, at last, was justice! was about
to die. 1, who had destroyed so much |
| OF life, found how helpless 1 was
when 1 faced life with my naked |
hands. And it was Justice, 1 had rob-
bed the earth of more life than would
fiji! the bodies of a thousand men and
now my own life was to follow that
which 1 had destroyed Suddenly
fear left me. / wanted to cry out to
that splendid creature that 1 was sor-
ry and could my dry lips have franz
Ell the words, it would not have been
cowardice-but truth.
For Thor knew me. That 1 know.
H knew me as the deadliest of all
MS enemies on the face of the earth.
Yet until 1 die will believe that, in
my helplessness, he no longer hated
me or wanted my life. For slowly he
came down upon all fours again and
limping as he went he continued
along the ledge-and left me- to live!
l am not, in these days, sacreligious
enough to think that the Supreme
Power picked my poor insignificant
self from among a billion and a half
other humans especially to preach n
sermon to that glorious Sunday on
the mountainSide. Possibly il was all
mere chance. 1t may be that another
day Thor would have killed me in my
helplessness. 1t may all have been a
lucky accident for me- Personally,
do not believe it, for l have found
that the soul of the average beast is
cleaner of hate and of malice than
that Of the average man. But wheth-
er one believes with me or not does
not matter, so far as the point 1 want
To make is concerned-that from this
hour began the great change IN me,
which has finally admitted me into
the peace and joy of universal broth
efhood with Life.
| returned down the mountain.
carrying my broken gun with me.
And everywhere l saw that things
were different. The fat whistlers, big
as "oodchucks, were no longer so
many targets, watching me cautiously
from the rock-tops; the gophers, sun
ming themselves on their mounds,
meant more to me now than a few
hours ago. l looked off to a distant
slide on another mountain and made
out the half dozen sheep l had stud
led through my glasses earlier in the
day. But my desire to kill was gone.
did not realize the fulness of the
change that was upon me then. In a
dull sort of way l accepted it as an eff
fect OF shock perhaps as a passing
moment OF repentance and gratitude
because OF my escape. / did not tell
myself that I would never kill sheep
again except when mutton was neces-
scry 10 my camp fire. l did not prom
ise the whistlers long lives. And yet
the change was on me and growing
stronger in my blood with every
breath l drew. The valley was diff !
ferent. Its air was sweeter. It's low
song of life and running waters and /
Vo'Vety winds whispering between the !
mountains was new inspiration to me. |
The grass was softer under my feet;
the flowers were more beautiful; the
earth itself held a new thrill for me.
subscribe 20 The Dillon Herald,