Robin Hood's Barn 



Though he listened with the multitude, he could 

 not hear the angel coming, and though he 

 watched he could not see the swift approach. 

 For what was to the pilgrims a celestial radiance, 

 was to him the first white peep of dawn or sun- 

 light striking a dark place. What to them was 

 the firm beat of pinions, was to him the stir of 

 wind that left him blinded not by vision, but by- 

 dust. It was not that he was irreligious; he 

 believed in miracles. His, however, he knew that 

 he must seek afar. He must come upon them, 

 weary, footsore, after pilgrimage. He could not 

 hope to gain a benediction by sauntering down to 

 his own pool from his own porch. 



Thus, though Job's Pool is but a stone's throw 

 from oiu- house, my father would not visit it by 

 method so direct. Instead, on a brisk autumn 

 morning, he would set forth in the opposite direc- 

 tion, his pack upon his back, his stave in hand. 

 Nor did he speed hke Christian, too breathless 

 for his soul's salvation to take pleasure by the 

 way. Such ingratitude for the world's abun- 

 dance he would have thought an arrogance of 

 spirit, and he sauntered down the highway with 



[132] 



