He had been a dullard; he had lain prostrate in the wretchedness of his
loss. "A girl you could put in your hat--and there you have a strong man
prone." He had been a sluggard, weary of himself, unfit to fight, a
failure in life and a failure in love. That was ended; he was tired of
failing, and it was time to succeed for a while. To accept the worst that
Fate can deal, and to wring courage from it instead of despair, that is
success; and it was the success that he would have. He would take Fate by
the neck. But had it done him unkindness? He looked out over the
beautiful, "monotonous" landscape, and he answered heartily, "No!" There
was ignorance in man, but no unkindness; were man utterly wise he were
utterly kind. The Cross-Roaders had not known better; that was all.
The unfolding aisles of corn swam pleasantly before John's eyes. The earth
hearkened to man's wants and answered; the clement sun and summer rains
hastened the fruition. Yonder stood the brown haystack, garnered to feed
the industrious horse who had earned his meed; there was the straw-
thatched shelter for the cattle. How the orchard boughs bent with their
burdens! The big red barns stood stored with the harvested wheat; and,
beyond the pasture-lands, tall trees rose against the benign sky to feed
the glance of a dreamer; the fertile soil lay lavender and glossy in the
furrow.
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