Show Death and Life A Jisitn at Christmas 1t1 CUNTON DANGERFIELD L J IN THE early days of men tho Lord sent two powers on earth to have ll dominion over them Ono ot these y was Death the other Life Tho stern front of Life showed what ho really was unmerciful exacting swift to demand obedience to a thousand laws swift to punish with the keen sword of pain when those laws were broken His eyes wero tho eyes of a warlord war-lord his hand as cold as Ironand as f strong Tho tasks he sot were many Few of these were to tho liking of the children chil-dren of men though some thinkers perceived that out of these heavy tasks came strength also that If one wrestled with them stouty one might even master Life himself and compel him to graciousness 4 Now tho other powerDeathwas a woman Tall sho was but so perfectly formed that her height was no bletn lah Sleepyeyed she was but her slow sweet smile was so infinitely tender and lovelythat In the midst of i y their tasks men stopped to gaze on her as sho passed At last one of the young men followed fol-lowed her Sho spoko to hImher voice being that unspeakable music which not even a violin can outslng and the young man returned Into tho fields of Life no more Then a little child weary of flower gatherln pulled at her garments hem and all the workers held their breath waiting to see what Death would do for Life had painted her In very evil colors But Death lifted the child and laid her on her own deep bosom and sang to her As she sang the child slept and an exquisite smile lingered on Its lips as though Its visions were very fair Then Death held out the child that the workers might see and cried Oh yo who labor beset with unending un-ending toll see ye how I have blessed tho child Never more shall the heat ft of summer vex her nor tho cold of winter I have made her deaf to sorrow sor-row and unmoved by the vibrations yo call joy Forever shall her brow go unwrinkled and because she hath chosen me I will give her the key to Heavens Immortal gates Ana a worker cried Ye havo blessed tho child because she was your chosen one The cry was a question Said Death dreamily As I gave the child peace so would I give It to all who come to me trusting me wholly I t Looking out across the blazing fields sho stretched her rounded arms and cried Ye are all minx Lover of souls am II And with ono accord they threw > a down their tools and followed her into r I Jt t a far land beyond the domain of Life l p Now Lifo was vexed exceedingly by I i the unfinished task Ho wont straight way to the Lord and complained how Death had led away part oi his workers work-ers And the Lord sent a great white angel unto the remainder and forbade them through the angel to hearken unto Death until they could servo Lifo no longer For the Lord knew that tho stern dominion of Life must be for tho sake of tho men ho hoped to complete But only a few a very low of the children of men obeyed tho angel Let Death but pass tho toilers and her beauty was so great they continued to desert their posts and follow after herThen Then Life cried unto the Lord with a great voice Death seduces my servants And tho Lord said Deal with Death as thou wilt Therefore Lifo seized on Death and cut away her perfumed locks and put on her a painted mask most hideous to behold And ho scaled the lips ot Death saying Ho thou dumb and be thou no longer known as a woman With this he cast over Deaths wonderful won-derful form a black mantle like a pall and on It Life painted This Is the King of Terrors Then ho sent Death forth and thereafter there-after whenever sho camo near the workers they fled from her and cried aloud unto Lifo Matters not how hard thy tasks oh dear Life If thou wilt but save us from this frightful Death And LICe said unto the Lord Have I not done well And he answered In exceeding sorrow sor-row Needs must thy work on Death stand And this because of the weakness weak-ness of men who wore seduced by her beauty and who heeded not my angels an-gels voice Yet very differently had 1 planned for my people For In the beginning I set the loveliness of Death plainly before them that they might endure their tasks happily knowing I how sweet tho end would be But they have defeated my wisdom On their own heads bo It And Life went his way satisfied Thereafter when a child or man became be-came useless to him he cast It Into tho arms of Death because Its task was finished And tho soul of Death sang to tho soul of the mortal given her though her lips were dumb and she blessed It with an Infinite blessing and boro It away But tho toilers mourned greatly that Death should have dominion over one of their number and they turned tho more desperately to Life who smiled sternly and was content Copyrighted |