Half-way . ough came to me. Worldly Possessions. What more could man possess thanI had here by the side of the road? HALF-WAY 17 Health, happiness and a hag ofclothes ? Half-way, half-way, half-way,creaked that creaking sign. I lay upon my side, an ear buriedin the blanket beneath me, I threwmy arm over the other ear, to shutout that sound, but the very ears ofmy soul seemed to hear that sound,and the creaking— Half-way, half-way, half-way. And so I sat up provoked. Would that creaking never cease? I stared at the sign balefully. This thing was becoming a curse. Its cry was as insistent as the
Half-way . ough came to me. Worldly Possessions. What more could man possess thanI had here by the side of the road? HALF-WAY 17 Health, happiness and a hag ofclothes ? Half-way, half-way, half-way,creaked that creaking sign. I lay upon my side, an ear buriedin the blanket beneath me, I threwmy arm over the other ear, to shutout that sound, but the very ears ofmy soul seemed to hear that sound,and the creaking— Half-way, half-way, half-way. And so I sat up provoked. Would that creaking never cease? I stared at the sign balefully. This thing was becoming a curse. Its cry was as insistent as the prod-dings of a guilty conscience. I thought of the great world ofyouth and pleasure stretched out be-fore me. 18 half-way And my thoughts wandered back,down the long winding road. I dozed in the warm sunshine, givenover to day dreams. In the far distance, I saw a bentfigure climbing up the way I had come, It was a man, long of beard, totter-ing as he walked, leaning heavily onthe long staff in his His hat was drawn low over hisface. The beard and hat left but a nar-row strip of face to be seen. half-way 19 Yet there was something— Something familiar, somethingstrangely, dreadfully familiar aboutthat hobbling figure in the road be-low. I felt a chill creep into my soul. Half-way, half-way, half-way, thesign creaked on. I arose from my place on the grass. I wrenched my gaze from the valleyroad, turned my back on it and lookedup the mountain side, but something—something drew my gaze back to thathobbling thing. Then I began to understand. There was something about thathobbling figure that reminded me ofmyself. And then I knew. The realization startled me— 20 HALF-WAY I must hurry on—on—on up thehill, or else that hobbling thing wouldovertake me, and then— But this would never do. I stooped and picking a stone fromthe side of the road, flung it at thecroaking, creaking sign, and hurriedon my way. But a new weariness had stolen overme. My load grew heavy. And
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