Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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The Song of the Pines By LUCILLE SCOTT Second Prize What is the story the pines tell as they rustle and nod at each other, whispering so mysteriously all the while ? Perhaps a story of youth, love and happiness; perhaps a story of sorrow, pain and disaster. One moment light and joyously they whisper in the breeze, another, eerily and gayly, and then they sigh as if in sor¬ row or pain, and all who hear them feel opressed. Day after day, over and over again, they sing their songs taken from the book of Life, and little children listen to their song of joy, and lovers, strolling beneath their rustling branches, smile at each other as they hear the song of love. But when they change their song to one of sorrow they hasten away, forgetting that all cannot be love and happiness, and that sorrow and pain must come to everyone. But -why do the pines sing these songs? Why are they al¬ ways whispering these stories of life,—these stories of joy and love, sorrow and sadness? We all wonder, but not many know; this is the story I heard long ago, told me by an old, white haired lady, beloved by all, who, although her face was wrinkled and lined with care, nevertheless had the light of love, rest and peace in her eyes, for she had lived the book of Life, chapter by chapter, and had at length found complete happiness. Long, long ago, far away in the middle of the blue sea, lay the oeautiful island of “Joy,” like a glittering emerald, for it was covered with forests, and on its shores there were always flowers blooming. On this island no sorrow, sickness or hatred ever dwelt, and all were happy and carefree, for this was the only world known to the inhabitants, and they longed for none other. Perhaps they wondered, as they gazed far away over the sea, if there was another land remote from them, but they were happy where they were, and no longing for other things filled their breasts. But one day to this island, where summer reigned all the year, there came an old, white-bearded man, bent over with age, and leaning heavily on his staff. The people gazed at him in awe, for they knew that he must have come from the heavens, and they 15

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arms clung passionately about the dog ' s neck, and his lips lay on one velvety ear. “Good-night,” he whispered again. “Malky, old boy, good-night.” Then with burning eyes and swelling throat, he followed Mrs. Macgregor into the big, wide hall, up the winding stairway and into the little brown bedroom that had once been that other little boy ' s. She pulled up the covers about him tenderly, kissed him once—, twice, and then left him alone in the great, empty dark. It seemed to Annie Macgregor that she had been asleep a long time that night when she was suddenly awakened. What im¬ pelled her, she never knew, but before she scarcely realized that she was awake she had slipped out of bed and stolen into the little room across the hall. With trembling fingers she turned up the light, and then for one moment her heart stood still. The little, white bed was empty. It was but a moment ' s work to rouse her husband, and to¬ gether they searched the great house from attic to cellar, but the small white-clad form of little Theo was no where to be found. “Oh, where can he be, Jock?” sobbed Annie at last. “Oh, where can he be?” “Why Annie ' ooman,” exclaimed Macgregor, and his voice was very gentle as he laid his hand on her hair. “Dinna greet. We will find him. Dootless he ' s been walking in his sleep, as wee Dannie used t ' dae. Dinna remember? We will loose old Malky an ' he will find him.” The suggestion was like tonic to her sinking heart. With renewed hope, she sprang up again. Lantern in hand and cloaks drawn about them they stole out in the midnight stillness to the big, green kennel by the back porch. There was a little movement within in answer to Macgregor’s low call, but that was all. Set¬ ting down the lantern, he stooped to the low door, and then drew back with an exlamation. There with his tiny arms entwined about the dog ' s neck, and fair, curly head on the dog’s warm breast, lay the little white-clad form of the child they were seek¬ ing. A great lump rose in Macgregor ' s throat, and a strange mist dimmed his eyes. “Puir, wee bairn,” he whispered tenderly. “Puir, wee bairn. ‘Twere a peety to take him awa ' .” And in the gray of the early dawn, they slipped back into the house and left him with his playmate. “An ' its a changed dog, old Malky is,” observed good Mary Duncan from her window over the hedge many weeks later, “sin ' the bairn came.” “Aye, an’ it ' s a changed mon Macgregor is sin ' they decided to keep him,” added her husband. 14

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gathered around him, asking who he was and from whence he was sent. Then he spoke kindly to them, telling them that he was named Wisdom, and to their wondering, eager ears he told stories of the other great world, where all the experiences and emotions of life were felt. So the people were filled with longing to see this other world and unrest, a thing neyer before felt by them, pervaded the island. Then at last the old man promised them that they should visit this other world for one year, but that at the end of that time they must return to the island, to tell him their experiences, for he would remain alone on the island. So the people were filled with joy, and tumult reigned on the island; then they built a throne for the old man, under the only Pine tree on the island, for they loved it best of all their trees, and there he sat and gave them counsel. Then one day a great white ship, called Sorrow, came to the island and all the people boarded it, and as it sailed out of the harbor they felt their first sorrow, for they had grown to love the old, white haired man. They looked with longing eyes at the beau¬ tiful island, for they would fain have gone back, but the ship sailed on, and in expectation they awa ited their next experience of life, for they had felt their first sorrow. Then one day a great storm came up and fear and trembling came upon the whole ship as they w T ere tossed about by the waves, but the storm died and there was no wind, so for a week they lay becalmed, and the water gave out, so that all were in great pain, and they struggled among one another for the last drop of water, for now they felt hatred, as each desired the same thing. At last a cooling breeze came, and rain fell; yet all felt sorrow-stricken, for several among the babes had died, but their mothers gave a song of thanksgiving, for their children were now in a land where peace and happiness always dwell, and they would feel no more pain and sorrows of those who were going to the world where Life was lived in full. At last the ship, urged on by gentle breezes, sailed into a deep harbor and docked. Wondering and filled with awe the people stood and gazed about; for now they saw their first great city, thronging with life, and full of noise and tumult. For a long time they gazed, but no one ever noticed them, so they parted in sorrow, and each went his own way and was lost in the throng of the great city. Then at last all the experiences and emotions of life, with sorrow and pain, sickness and hatred, joy, sunshine and happiness were felt, but they thought with sorrow and great longing of their island home, and waited eagerly for the end of the year. 16