Part 26

“‘’Tis dark and cold o’er the crust o’ Earth, and thou and me awarm and close ahere.’

“But the Seed spake out: ‘Nay, this be the time I seek me o’er the Earth’s crust and see the Day thou tellest of.’

“And lo, he sent out leaf, and reached high. And lo, when the leaf had pushed up from ’neath the crust, there were snow’s cut and cold, and it died, and knew not the Day o’ the Mite: for the time was not riped that he should seek unto new days.

“And lo, the Stalk that had sent forth the Seed, sent forth amore, and lo, again a one did sink aside the Mite. And he spake to it of the Day o’ Earth and said: ‘Thy brother sought the Day, and it wert not time, and lo, he is no more.’

“And he told of the days of Earth unto the seed, and it spaked unto him and said: ‘This day o’ thee meaneth naught to me. Lo, I shall spring not a root, nor shall I to seek me the days o’ Earth. Nay, I shall lay me close and warm.’

“And e’en though the Mite spake unto the Seed at the time when it wert ripe that it should seek, lo, it lay, and Summer’s tide found it a naught, for it feeded ’pon itself, and lo, wert not.

“And at a later tide did a seed to fall, and it harked unto the Mite and waited the time, and when it wert riped, lo, it upped and sought the day. And it wert so as the Mite had spaked. And the Seed grew into a bush.

“And lo, the winged Mite flew out: for it had brought a brother out o’ the dark and unto the Day, and the task wert o’er.

“These abe like unto them who seek o’ the words o’ me.

“Now aweave thou.”

Patience then wrote about two hundred words of a story, after which Mrs. W. inquired of Mr. C:

“Don’t you ever try to write on the board?” To which he replied facetiously, “No, I’m too dignified.”

Patience.—“Yea, he smirketh unto swine and kicketh the nobles.”

Then seeming to feel that the visitors were wanting something more personal than the “Tale” she said:

“Alawk, they be ahungered, and did weave a bit. Then hark. Here be.

“What think ye, man? They do pucker much o’er the word o’ me, and spat forth that thou dost eat and smack o’ liking. Yea, but hark! Who shed drop for Him but one o’ His, yea, the Son o’ Him? Think ye this abe the pack o’ me? Nay, and thou and thou and thou shalt shed drops in loving for the pack, for it be o’ Him. Now shall I to sing:

How doth the Mise-man greed, And lay unto his store, And seek him out the pence of Earth, Wherein the hearts do rust?

How doth the Muse-man greed, And seek him o’ the Day, And word that setteth up a wag— While hearts o’ Earth are filthed?

How doth the See-man greed? Yea, and how he opeth up his eye, And seeth naught and telleth much— While hearts of earth are hurt.

How doth the Good-man greed, Who dealeth o’ the Word? He eateth o’ its flesh and casts but bone, While hearts o’ Earth are woed.

How doth the Man-man greed? He eateth o’ the store, yet holdeth ope His hands and scattereth o’ bread And hearts o’ Earth are fed.

This then abe, and yet will be Since time and time, and beeth ever.”

As soon as this was read, she followed with another song:

Drink ye unto me. Drink ye deep, to me. Yea, and seek ye o’ the Brew ye quaff, For this do I to beg. Seek not the wine o’ Summer’s sun, That hid ’mid purpled vine, And showeth there amid the Brew Thou suppest as the Wine. Seek not the drops o’ pool, Awarmed aneath the sun, And idly lapping at the brink Of mosses’ lips, to sup. Seek not o’ vintage Earth doth hold. Nay, unto thee this plea shall wake The Wine that thou shouldst quaff. For at the loving o’ this heart The Wine o’ Love shall flow. Then drink ye deep, ah, drink ye deep, And drink ye deep o’ Love.

“Yea, thine unto me, and mine to thee.”

After which she explained:

“I did to fashion out a brew for her ayonder and him ahere. And they did eat o’ it. Yea, for they know o’ Him and know o’ the workings o’ Him and drinked o’ the love o’ me as the love o’ Him. Yea, and hark, there abe much athin this pack for thee.”

This, it will be observed, is rather a discourse than a conversation, and it is often so, Patience filling the evening with her own words; not as exclusively so, however, as this would indicate: for there is always more or less conversation among the party, which it would profit nothing to reproduce.