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consolation in his old manner。
Catherine struggled to find her voice； but it would not come。
〃Do not speak；〃 whispered John。 〃Tell me with your eyes whether you
will come as my wife or only as our sister。〃
Catherine told him。
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A Mountain Woman
〃This is Thanksgiving day；〃 said he。 〃And we don't know much about
praying； but I guess we all have something in our hearts that does just as
well。〃
〃Damme； yes；〃 said Gillispie； again； as he pensively cocked and
uncocked his re… volver。
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A Mountain Woman
A Resuscitation
AFTER being dead twenty years； he walked out into the sunshine。
It was as if the bones of a bleached skele… ton should join themselves
on some forgotten plain； and look about them for the vanished flesh。
To be dead it is not necessary to be in the grave。 There are places
where the worms creep about the heart instead of the body。
The penitentiary is one of these。 David Culross had been in the
penitentiary twenty years。 Now； with that worm…eaten heart； he came out
into liberty and looked about him for the habiliments with which he had
formerly clothed himself； for hope； self…respect； courage； pugnacity； and
industry。
But they had vanished and left no trace； like the flesh of the dead men
on the plains； and so； morally unapparelled； in the hideous skeleton of his
manhood； he walked on down the street under the mid…June sunshine。
You can understand； can you not； how a skeleton might wish to get
back into its comfortable grave？ David Culross had not walked two blocks
before he was seized with an almost uncontrollable desire to beg to be
shielded once more in that safe and shameful retreat from which he had
just been released。 A horrible perception of the largeness of the world
swept over him。 Space and eternity could seem no larger to the usual man
than earth that snug and insignificant planet looked to David Culross。
〃If I go back；〃 he cried； despairingly； looking up to the great building
that arose above the stony hills； 〃they will not take me in。〃 He was
absolutely without a refuge； utterly without a destination； he did not have
a hope。 There was nothing he desired except the surrounding of those four
narrow walls between which he had lain at night and dreamed those ever…
recurring dreams； dreams which were never prophecies or promises； but
always the hackneyed history of what he had sacrificed by his crime； and
relinquished by his pride。
The men who passed him looked at him with mingled amusement and
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A Mountain Woman
pity。 They knew the 〃prison look；〃 and they knew the prison clothes。 For
though the State gives to its discharged convicts clothes which are like
those of other men； it makes a hundred suits from the same sort of cloth。
The police know the fabric； and even the citizens recognize it。 But； then；
were each man dressed in different garb he could not be disguised。 Every
one knows in what dull school that sidelong glance is learned； that aimless
drooping of the shoulders； that rhythmic lifting of the heavy foot。
David Culross wondered if his will were dead。 He put it to the test。 He
lifted up his head to a position which it had not held for many miserable
years。 He put his hands in his pockets in a pitiful attempt at non… chalance；
and walked down the street with a step which was meant to be brisk； but
which was in fact only uncertain。 In his pocket were ten dollars。 This
much the State equips a man with when it sends him out of its penal halls。
It gives him also transportation to any point within reasonable distance
that he may desire to reach。 Cul… ross had requested a ticket to Chicago。
He naturally said Chicago。 In the long color… less days it had been in
Chicago that all those endlessly repeated scenes had been laid。 Walking up
the street now with that wavering ineffectual gait； these scenes came back
to surge in his brain like waters cease… lessly tossed in a wind…swept basin。
There was the office； bare and clean； where the young stoop…
shouldered clerks sat writ… ing。 In their faces was a strange resem… blance；
just as there was in the backs of the ledgers； and in the endless bills on the
spindles。 If one of them laughed； it was not with gayety； but with
gratification at the discomfiture of another。 None of them ate well。 None
of them were rested after sleep。 All of them rode on the stuffy one… horse
cars to and from their work。 Sun… days they lay in bed very late； and ate
more dinner than they could digest。 There was a certain fellowship among
them； such fel… lowship as a band of captives among canni… bals might
feel； each of them waiting with vital curiosity to see who was the next to
be eaten。 But of that fellowship that plans in unison； suffers in sympathy；
enjoys vicari… ously； strengthens into friendship and com… munion of soul
they knew nothing。 Indeed； such camaraderie would have been disap…
proved of by the Head Clerk。 He would have looked on an emotion with
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A Mountain Woman
exactly the same displeasure that he would on an error in the footing of the
year's accounts。 It was tacitly understood that one reached the proud
position of Head Clerk by having no emotions whatever。
Culross did not remember having been born with a pen in his hand； or
even with one behind his ear； but certainly from the day he had been let
out of knickerbockers his con… stant companion had been that greatly over…
estimated article。 His father dying at a time that cut short David's school…
days； he went out armed with his new knowledge of double… entry；
determined to make a fortune and a commercial name。 Meantime； he lived
in a suite of three rooms on West Madison Street with his mother； who was
a good woman； and lived where she did that she might be near her favorite
meeting…house。 She prayed； and cooked bad dinners； principally
composed of dispiriting pastry。 Her idea of house…keeping was to keep the
shades down； whatever happened； and when David left home in the
evening for any purpose of pleasure； she wept。 D