Year: 1879

longed to one another for ages, or rather


as il the years when we did not know


ore another had sunk back where they


deserve TO be, in the past. III hap


piness makes time fly it certainly also


makes some moments seem infinite. She


hos told me the story OF her life; life


so hard, so full Of prosaic work for daily


bread and devoid OF pleasures, that / al


most feel condemned for having lived at


my ease while she has been walking such


thorny paths. Her father and mother


died when she was q child; then she was


taken by an aunt who was kind as far as
she knew how to be, but unconfciously
cruel to the sensitive child. Cruel be-


cause she starved her OF what her am
bition and talents demanded, books,


leisure for study and little aid in the
path she knew herself fitted by nature to
tread. She really liked me, think,
said Priscilla, but on farm you know
there is not much ready money, even for
those who are entitled to it. 1t was nat
ural they should feel / was in the way,
and that they should fully appreciate
their own charity in doing so much for
me. So partly from a desire for inde-
pendence, and partly because wanted a
new life, l succeeded in teaching term
or two of district school, then went to
private DOL where / took a few
classes in return for tuition in several
branches, then more district school, and
here I am, as you see.' And here I am
determined she shall not be long. She
has nc other claims to consider, no
friends who have right TO dictate or
even advise her, and why should we wait
before beginning our new life together
The mere fact Of the life and personality
of this woman coming in contact with
mine has changed the current of my
thought completely, and I hope forever.
There is no more doubt left me of the
solemnity, the supreme importance of
everyday life, because have found an
interest in the human Inever had before.
The divine end ideal are not lessened in
importance to me, but cannot believe
it is right for man TO look altogether
away from the poor little planet where
he is born. 1t is not only his privilege
to attempt daring flights into the un-
known, but to make harmonious the
workings of common existence. When
l say this revolution has been wrought
in me by her, l mean rather that it has
taken place from the mere fact of my
loving her. Love has created me o
home, has given me my own little foot
hold on the earth which makes me think
more kindly of the whole globe. AS TO
whether these new ideas will change my
external life cannot say; my past fail
ures, at least, can be more easily borne
since the relative Importance of all work
is becoming more clear to me. So that
now, if must submit to living quiet
life which shall offer no grand result to
the world, I can accept it without the
feeling that because I have failed in
what have aspired to everything else
must necessarily be of no value. Who
can draw the line between singing the
mighty song OF even greater than Ho-
mer, and guiding the tiniest wheels Of
the universe even though they run
noiselessly and out of sightP am not
learning to underrate great deeds, but
only beginning to realize that the earth
belongs to me as much as to the most
richly endowed among men. I claim my
birthright of love and beauty and even
sorrow, my privilege Of forming part
of humanity.