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Article THE PATH OF LIFE. —AN ALLEGORY. ← Page 3 of 3
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Path Of Life. —An Allegory.
the mountain sides . Onward and upward straight along the narrow path he pressed . Pausing to look at nothing save his book , and grasping his alpenstock with firmer hold , he trudged manfully along , boa-ring the burden ancl heat of tbe clay ri ght nobly and right well . And there were lovely flowers , and pretty creeping things , and sweet , strange sounds of music , and most exquisite
odours that stole upon the senses with their charms ; but he never wavered front his purpose to look upon the gorgeous colours and clivers shapes and figures of animated things that moved before his eyes , nor paused to listen to the entrancing melodies that wore wafted by on the zeplryr gales from unknown shores—nor stayed to snuff the perfumed air that came scented with the
delicate spices of Araby the Blest : but onward , over onward , he trod his weary way , never cast down , never fearing . And when he grew faint aud exhausted with the heat and the long travel , he seemed to receive fresh vigour and support from the staff he carried in his hand and the book from which he read . But where are Arnad and Eriel all this time ? As 1
breathed the thought I was borne on invisible wings down the mountain side to where they stood , watching a splendid dragon fly with painted wings , all purple and gold , which had just alighted on a great ruby flower . The like I had never seen before . They had wandered a good wayout of the path now , and had almost forgotten , in their rambles through the fern to the edge of a black
chasmwhere dread and curiosity had enticed ancl kept them spell-bound for a while— -how the time went on , and whither they were bound . And when they had broken away from a place of danger like this , they would run off to another spot rendered attractive by some newer charm , until they stood as I found them over the great dragon fly , which they wished to capture , but of which they seemed to be half in awe . Arnad was the first to remember where the } - were ancl the journey they must take ; and he begun : " Eriel ,
we must go ; it is now getting late , and Agathon will wonder why we do not come to him . " " Where is tbe path ? I cannot see it now . " " Oh , we shall soon find it , " Eriel said , " We are not much out of the way , I think , besides , there is plenty of time 3-et , and we need not go directly . " So they turned to look for the path , and wandering
here and there , but could not find it . Poor little Arnad soon grew tired , and then began to cry ; but after a little while he looked up and listened as if ho heard a voice ; and mcthought I heard one say , " Thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me , " And he heard the words , and it reminded him . of his alpenstock . Then I saw that he looked for his book , which had been
fastened to the girdle at his waist , but it was gone—he had lost it whilst chasing in sportive glee a tinjhumming-bird with its feathers tipped with gems of topaz , amethyst and emerald , —as it flew from flower to flower and sipped the honey-dew . He ran back a little way in search of it , and . called to Eriel to come and help find it . But he onl y laughed , for he had lost his own , and did not care to seek it , thinking it would be of little sm'viPA tn him . ''
After a long , long while tho book was found hid in a thicket : yet Arnad would never have seen it but that there was a gleam of light seemed to come therefrom , and it illuminated the whole place . Ancl this light took the form of a cross—a lambent flame , full ancl clear , and steadily did it shine in that gloomy jungle . And so it always shone in darksome places . '
Arnad jumped with joy when he discovered his lost friend ,- —he thought it a friend now , though he had not valued it much before , and he sprang into the bush and took it out , in spite of the thorns which pricked him sorely . How eagerly he grasped it in his hands , as if ho would never let it go again ! and I also noticed how earnestly he tried to unclasp it . Ho hud droped his staff in his eagerness to open the book . But alas ! tho
clasps had already rusted and tightened over the leatuorn covers , so that he could not undo them ; but , strange though it might seem , when he took up his staff they straightway , as if by magic , opened of themsclves . andhe did read therein . It is only through prayer we can properly interpret the Bible . Then I saw that he road earnestly what was written there , and trod onwards ,
seeking the narrow path , and by means of tho book and the staff he regained it at length , and hastened forwards to seek Agathon . But he had delayed long on the road , and difficulties beset him in the way . Often was he stopped by some gigantic tree that had fallen across the path ; or some granite rock , that rose abruptly hi front of htm , and
seemed to bar tho way and prevent him from advancing any farther . And once I saw a great serpent uncoil its slimy folds beforo his eyes , and open its hideous jaws upon the lad , as if it would devour him . But the sun would soon be sinking in tho west , and he felt he must go on . So I saw that intently he conned the book , and all fear left him ; ancl he paused before the serpent and
never quailed . Also I noticed that tho horrid reptile never moved . Methought it dared not touch : it was not permitted to injure or molest him . Thus , after many trials and difficulties on the way , Arnad the thoughtless reached the narrow way , and marched onwards aud upwards towards the mountain's , crown . He wondered that Eriel did not comeand looked
, for him at first with some eagerness , but afterwards the perils of the road and the declining day warned him , neither to look to tho ri ght nor to the left , but to press on himself , less the darkness and the night should come upon him unawares .
And so Agathon and Arnad reached the topmost peak of the mountain before sun had set ; though Arnad was very foot-sore and travel-stained , and drooping like some rare delicate plant for want of water ; and he was very faint and weary . His brother was but little fatigued , for the way had been even and the pathway smooth to him . And I saw them stand on the pinnacle of that wondrous
mountain , hand in hand , waiting calmly for the sunset to pass over into the Silent Land . And the air was very still . The great sun , like a globe of liquid fire , slowly descended beyond the distant horizon , gilding the snow-white peaks of the now grand purple-shadowed mount . Its base was hid in misty vapours , that seemed to part it from the earthand its
, golden tops wore changing to a lovely roseate hue . There was no twilight in that unknown world , and when the sun had set , darkness and night reigned supreme over all . And I watched the two children as they stood there , with the glories of tho departing day shedding a bright ,
godlike halo over their fragile forms . And methought I saw them arrayed in garments of purest white , and with | glittering jewelled crowns of glory that flashed like stars on their fair brows . 'And they were full of li ght and of exceeding brightness . And just as the sun had set two flaming meteors shot across the sky , and sounds of celestial harmony—most
ravishing music—greeted mine ears . And mortal eye never saw them more . Eriel , poor wilful Eriel , had wandered astray out of the path , after some bri ght , gem-like form lying in the grass , and did not seek to find it again until too late . But whether he was lost in the hurricane ancl the whirlwind that visit those parts , or whether he was
devoured of the wild beasts in the night season , I cannot tell ; but sure I am he never passed from the mountain ' s crown into the Silent Land . And I awoke , and behold it was a dream .
He only is worthy of esteem who know ; what is just and honest , and dares to do it ; that is master of his own passions , mid scorns to be a slave to another . Such an one merits more respect then those gay things who owe all their greatness and reputation to their revenues .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Path Of Life. —An Allegory.
the mountain sides . Onward and upward straight along the narrow path he pressed . Pausing to look at nothing save his book , and grasping his alpenstock with firmer hold , he trudged manfully along , boa-ring the burden ancl heat of tbe clay ri ght nobly and right well . And there were lovely flowers , and pretty creeping things , and sweet , strange sounds of music , and most exquisite
odours that stole upon the senses with their charms ; but he never wavered front his purpose to look upon the gorgeous colours and clivers shapes and figures of animated things that moved before his eyes , nor paused to listen to the entrancing melodies that wore wafted by on the zeplryr gales from unknown shores—nor stayed to snuff the perfumed air that came scented with the
delicate spices of Araby the Blest : but onward , over onward , he trod his weary way , never cast down , never fearing . And when he grew faint aud exhausted with the heat and the long travel , he seemed to receive fresh vigour and support from the staff he carried in his hand and the book from which he read . But where are Arnad and Eriel all this time ? As 1
breathed the thought I was borne on invisible wings down the mountain side to where they stood , watching a splendid dragon fly with painted wings , all purple and gold , which had just alighted on a great ruby flower . The like I had never seen before . They had wandered a good wayout of the path now , and had almost forgotten , in their rambles through the fern to the edge of a black
chasmwhere dread and curiosity had enticed ancl kept them spell-bound for a while— -how the time went on , and whither they were bound . And when they had broken away from a place of danger like this , they would run off to another spot rendered attractive by some newer charm , until they stood as I found them over the great dragon fly , which they wished to capture , but of which they seemed to be half in awe . Arnad was the first to remember where the } - were ancl the journey they must take ; and he begun : " Eriel ,
we must go ; it is now getting late , and Agathon will wonder why we do not come to him . " " Where is tbe path ? I cannot see it now . " " Oh , we shall soon find it , " Eriel said , " We are not much out of the way , I think , besides , there is plenty of time 3-et , and we need not go directly . " So they turned to look for the path , and wandering
here and there , but could not find it . Poor little Arnad soon grew tired , and then began to cry ; but after a little while he looked up and listened as if ho heard a voice ; and mcthought I heard one say , " Thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me , " And he heard the words , and it reminded him . of his alpenstock . Then I saw that he looked for his book , which had been
fastened to the girdle at his waist , but it was gone—he had lost it whilst chasing in sportive glee a tinjhumming-bird with its feathers tipped with gems of topaz , amethyst and emerald , —as it flew from flower to flower and sipped the honey-dew . He ran back a little way in search of it , and . called to Eriel to come and help find it . But he onl y laughed , for he had lost his own , and did not care to seek it , thinking it would be of little sm'viPA tn him . ''
After a long , long while tho book was found hid in a thicket : yet Arnad would never have seen it but that there was a gleam of light seemed to come therefrom , and it illuminated the whole place . Ancl this light took the form of a cross—a lambent flame , full ancl clear , and steadily did it shine in that gloomy jungle . And so it always shone in darksome places . '
Arnad jumped with joy when he discovered his lost friend ,- —he thought it a friend now , though he had not valued it much before , and he sprang into the bush and took it out , in spite of the thorns which pricked him sorely . How eagerly he grasped it in his hands , as if ho would never let it go again ! and I also noticed how earnestly he tried to unclasp it . Ho hud droped his staff in his eagerness to open the book . But alas ! tho
clasps had already rusted and tightened over the leatuorn covers , so that he could not undo them ; but , strange though it might seem , when he took up his staff they straightway , as if by magic , opened of themsclves . andhe did read therein . It is only through prayer we can properly interpret the Bible . Then I saw that he road earnestly what was written there , and trod onwards ,
seeking the narrow path , and by means of tho book and the staff he regained it at length , and hastened forwards to seek Agathon . But he had delayed long on the road , and difficulties beset him in the way . Often was he stopped by some gigantic tree that had fallen across the path ; or some granite rock , that rose abruptly hi front of htm , and
seemed to bar tho way and prevent him from advancing any farther . And once I saw a great serpent uncoil its slimy folds beforo his eyes , and open its hideous jaws upon the lad , as if it would devour him . But the sun would soon be sinking in tho west , and he felt he must go on . So I saw that intently he conned the book , and all fear left him ; ancl he paused before the serpent and
never quailed . Also I noticed that tho horrid reptile never moved . Methought it dared not touch : it was not permitted to injure or molest him . Thus , after many trials and difficulties on the way , Arnad the thoughtless reached the narrow way , and marched onwards aud upwards towards the mountain's , crown . He wondered that Eriel did not comeand looked
, for him at first with some eagerness , but afterwards the perils of the road and the declining day warned him , neither to look to tho ri ght nor to the left , but to press on himself , less the darkness and the night should come upon him unawares .
And so Agathon and Arnad reached the topmost peak of the mountain before sun had set ; though Arnad was very foot-sore and travel-stained , and drooping like some rare delicate plant for want of water ; and he was very faint and weary . His brother was but little fatigued , for the way had been even and the pathway smooth to him . And I saw them stand on the pinnacle of that wondrous
mountain , hand in hand , waiting calmly for the sunset to pass over into the Silent Land . And the air was very still . The great sun , like a globe of liquid fire , slowly descended beyond the distant horizon , gilding the snow-white peaks of the now grand purple-shadowed mount . Its base was hid in misty vapours , that seemed to part it from the earthand its
, golden tops wore changing to a lovely roseate hue . There was no twilight in that unknown world , and when the sun had set , darkness and night reigned supreme over all . And I watched the two children as they stood there , with the glories of tho departing day shedding a bright ,
godlike halo over their fragile forms . And methought I saw them arrayed in garments of purest white , and with | glittering jewelled crowns of glory that flashed like stars on their fair brows . 'And they were full of li ght and of exceeding brightness . And just as the sun had set two flaming meteors shot across the sky , and sounds of celestial harmony—most
ravishing music—greeted mine ears . And mortal eye never saw them more . Eriel , poor wilful Eriel , had wandered astray out of the path , after some bri ght , gem-like form lying in the grass , and did not seek to find it again until too late . But whether he was lost in the hurricane ancl the whirlwind that visit those parts , or whether he was
devoured of the wild beasts in the night season , I cannot tell ; but sure I am he never passed from the mountain ' s crown into the Silent Land . And I awoke , and behold it was a dream .
He only is worthy of esteem who know ; what is just and honest , and dares to do it ; that is master of his own passions , mid scorns to be a slave to another . Such an one merits more respect then those gay things who owe all their greatness and reputation to their revenues .