A California Girl

by Edward Eldridge

Penloe said: "Stella, darling, I wish to express a thought concerning love, and it is this. Many times you see two persons in love, and instead of that experience broadening and intensifying their love and sympathies, it has a tendency to narrow them down and contract them and bring them to a very small selfish life, causing them to take no thought or interest in any one but themselves. They seem to form a mutual admiration society, and live to gain the praise of each other. After all, when you analyze them, it is not so much love of each other as it appears to be, but love of each one for himself. Then there is that kind of love union which exists between two where, instead of narrowing and contracting the lovers, it has a tendency to broaden them out in their love, and make their sympathies universal in their scope; their love being of that high order which seems to quicken all that is grand and noble in their natures; and their lives seem to be those of intense love for each other, and intense love for the Lord in His humanity."

Then they sat in blissful silence for a little while, when Penloe said: "Stella, darling, have you thought over what you may have to give up through becoming a life companion to me? Of course, dear, you know I have consecrated my life and my endeavors as a free will offering to the world, and it is not my work nor mission to raise a family. Now, the instinct to become a mother is very strong in some women's natures."

Stella said: "Why, Penloe, dear, I do not have to give up anything in becoming a life companion to you, for instead of being a material mother I will become a spiritual mother to many, which is a far higher joy, and the world has too few spiritual mothers, but too many material ones of a low grade."

Penloe said: "Have you thought over the practical side of our union? You see, I am not a man that is rustling for dollars from morning till night, and in my life and work we may, at times perhaps, only have a log cabin to live in, with bare walls and floors; and our food may be of the plainest kind, and not much of that either. Your wardrobe may consist of only one cotton wrapper and flour-sack underwear."

Penloe could not say any more, for Stella put her hand over his mouth and said, laughingly: "You cannot scare me so easily, for it will take more than only having in my possession one cotton wrapper and wearing flour-sack underwear, and living in a log cabin with bare walls and floors, to discourage me. Those things are not of my world; all I hope is that if I shall have to put on such garments as flour-sack underwear, it will not offend your artistic eye."

They both had a good laugh, for they feared nothing in this Universe; least of all that great bugaboo, poverty.

Penloe said: "Well, Stella, to be serious, I have made arrangements for leaving Orangeville for six months. In about a week's time I will go up into the mountains and live in a log cabin in the pines. I will be six miles from any human being, and twenty-five miles from Orangeville. It is necessary that I should be away for awhile from all psychological influences and cross-currents, and live in the silence. I realize that I need it to fit me for my work. It is necessary for my spiritual unfoldment. Christ went up into the mountains and out on the plains to be alone, so he might gain spiritual strength. All great spiritual teachers have times for being alone. As I said, I need to make this change to fit me for my work, for I want to get my mind freed from all individuality and relativity, so as to see more clearly the Oneness throughout the Universe. For, as the Swami Vivekananda has said in his lecture on 'Maya and the Evolution of the Conception of God': 'He who sees in this world of manifoldness that One running through it all; in this world of death, he who finds that one infinite life; and in this world of insentience and ignorance, he who finds that one light and knowledge, unto him belongs eternal peace.' It is more of that light and knowledge that I need, Stella. In short, it is to commune more with the Father; it is to realize in a greater degree the presence of the Divine within, and to have my mind freed from the illusion of the phenomenal world; for by so doing I become qualified to become a healer of disease, and also fitted to help many a poor sin-sick life. Now, Stella, having clearly made known my purpose to you; I want to tell you that it is better for you that I leave this time. It will enlighten you more spiritually in this way. Most persons would think that it should be the greatest pleasure to us both to be together now as much as we can, so as to see and enjoy the society of each other. That thought is all right for the many, but not for you and me. It is better for us both that we do not hear from one another for three months, and at the end of that time I want you to come up and live three months with me in that cabin. At the end of that time we will come back to the world and be made man and wife in the eyes of the law.

"All this to some may seem strange and hard, but not to you, Stella, for I think you have already attained to that plane where you can see the great good to you which will come from following such a course. If you follow certain instructions which I will give you, after we have been separated two weeks, you will have a feeling of my presence with you, and you will not feel the need of correspondence, for we will be independent of all letter writing, because we can be in communion with each other at any time we may wish it."

Stella said: "Through you, dear, I have attained to that plane where I can see it all true what you have said and all for the best; and, Penloe, dear, Stella will be with you in your cabin at the end of the first three months," and here she kissed him and he returned the same. After a little more talk they bid each other farewell.

The next morning after the most eventful evening in Stella's life, when that young lady kissed her mother good-morning, Mrs. Wheelwright did not need to be told what had happened on the previous night, for the way Stella kissed her mother, and the way she moved about to get breakfast made Mrs. Wheelwright smile inwardly. Just as the three were about finishing their morning meal, Stella told her parents all that had happened. They were both delighted in the extreme and Stella received their blessings and kisses.