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u go off to yours； feeling sure that you will all come together at night again。 Some of you can remember when this was not so。 Your father would put his arms around you in the morning and you would never see him again； your mother kissed you； and waved her hand to you as she went out of the gate； and you never knew what became of her afterwards。
〃And don't you recollect how you little babes in the wilderness could never go anywhere？ If you heard wild turkeys gobbling just inside the forest； or an owl hooting； or a paroquet screaming； or a fawn bleating； you were warned never to go there； it was the trick of the Indians。 You could never go near a clump of high weeds； or a patch of cane； or a stump； or a fallen tree。 You must not go to the sugar camp； to get a good drink； or to a salt lick for a pinch of salt； or to the field for an ear of corn； or even to the spring for a bucket of water： so that you could have neither bread nor water nor sugar nor salt。 Always； always； it was the Indians。 If you cried in the night； your mother came over to you and whispered 'Hush！ they are coming！ They will get you！' And you forgot your pain and clung to her neck and listened。
〃Now you are let alone； you go farther and farther away from your homes； you can play hide…and…seek in the canebrakes； you can explore the woods； you fish and you hunt； you are free for the land is safe。
〃And then only think； that by the time you are men and women； Kentucky will no longer be the great wilderness it still is。 There will be thousands and thousands of people scattered over it； and the forest will be cut downcan you ever believe that？cut through and through； leaving some trees here and some trees there。 And the cane will be cut down： can you believe that？ And instead of buffalo and wild…cats and bears and wolves and panthers there will be flocks of the whitest sheep； with little lambs frisking about on the green spring meadows。 And under the big shady trees in the pastures there will be herds of red cattle； so gentle and with backs so soft and broad that you could almost stretch yourselves out and go to sleep on them； and they would never stop chewing their cuds。 Only think of the hundreds of orchards with their apple…blossoms and of the big ripe； golden apples on the trees in the fall！ It will be one of the quietest； gentlest lands that a people ever owned； and this is the gift of your fathers who fought for it and of your mothers who fought for it also。 And you must never forget that you would never have had such fathers； had you not had such mothers to stand by them and to die with them。
〃This is what I have wished to teach you more than anything in your booksthat you may become men and women worthy of them and of what they have left you。 But while being the bravest kind of men and women； you should try also to be gentle men and gentle women。 You boys must get over your rudeness and your roughness； that is all right in you now but it would be all wrong in you afterwards。 And the last and the best thing I have to say to you is be good boys and grow up to be good men！ That sounds very plain and common but I can wish you nothing better for there is nothing better。 As for my little girls； they are good enough as they are！
〃I have talked a long time。 God bless you everyone。 I wish you long and happy lives and I hope we may meet again。 And now all of you must come and shake hands with me and tell me good…bye。〃
They started forward and swarmed toward him； only； as the foremost of them rose and hid her from sight； little Jennie； with one mighty act of defiant joy； hurled her arithmetic out of the window； and a chubby…cheeked veteran on the end of the bench produced a big red apple from between his legs and went for it with a smack of gastric rapture that made his toes curl and sent his glance to the rafters。 They swarmed on him； and he folded his arms around the little ones and kissed them； the older boys； the warriors； brown and barefoot； stepping sturdily forward one by one； and holding out a strong hand that closed on his and held it； their eyes answering his sometimes with clear calm trust and fondness； sometimes lowered and full of tears； other little hands resting unconsciously on each of his shoulders； waiting for their turns。 Then there were softened echoes gay voices； dying away in one direction and another； and thenhimself alone in the roomschool…master no longer。
He waited till there was silence； sitting in his old erect way behind his desk； the bight smile still on his face though his eyes were wet。 Then； with the thought that now he was to take leave of her； he suddenly leaned forward and buried his face on his arms。
XX
IN the Country of the Spirit there is a certain high table…land that lies far on among the out…posts toward Eternity。 Standing on that calm clear height； where the sun shines ever though it shines coldly； the wayfarer may look behind him at his own footprints of self…renunciation； below on his dark zones of storm； and forward to the final land where the mystery； the pain； and the yearning of his life will either be infinitely satisfied or infinitely quieted。 But no man can write a description of this place for those who have never trodden it； by those who have； no description is desired： their fullest speech is Silence。 For here dwells the Love of which there has never been any confession； from which there is no escape； for which there is no hope： the love of a man for a woman who is bound to another； or the love of a woman for a man who is bound to another。 Many there are who know what that means； and this is the reason why the land is always thronged。 But in the throng no one signals another； to walk there is to be counted among the Unseen and the Alone。
To this great wistful height of Silence he had struggled at last after all his days of rising and falling； of climbing and slipping back。 It was no especial triumph for his own strength。 His better strength had indeed gone into it； and the older rightful habitudes of mind that always mean so much to us when we are tried and tempted； and the old beautiful submission of himself to the established laws of the world。 But more than what these had effected was what she herself had been to him and had done for him。 Even his discovery of her at the window that last night had had the effect of bidding him stand off； for he saw there the loyalty and sacredness of wifehood that； however full of suffering； at least asked for itself the privilege and the dignity of suffering unnoticed。
Thus he had come to realize that life had long been leading him blindfold； until one recent day； snatching the bandage from his eyes； she had cried： 〃Here is the parting of three ways； each way a tragedy： choose your way and your tragedy！〃
If he confessed his love and found that she felt but friendship for him； there was the first tragedy。 The wrong in him would lack the answering wrong in her； which sometimes； when the two are put together； so nearly makes up the right。 From her own point of view； he would merely be offering her a delicate ineffaceable insult。 If she had been the sort of woman by whose vanity every conquest is welcomed as a tribute and pursued as an aim； he c