CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE PURPOSE.

teandsacredenclosure,itsometimesembracesapurpose,asinsomesortasubstitute. Inthismanner,withsolemnityandearnestness,Claytonresolvedtoreceiveasalife-purposeastrugglewiththisgreatsystemofinjustice,which,likeaparasiticweed,hadstruckitsrootsthroughthewholegrowthofsociety,andwassuckingthenceitsmoistureandnourishment. Asherodethroughthelonelypine-woods,hefelthisveinsthrobbingandswellingwithindignationanddesire.Andtherearosewithinhimthatsenseofpowerwhichsometimesseemstocomeovermanlikeaninspiration,andleadshimtosay,"Thisshallnotbe,andthisshallbe"asifhepossessedtheabilitytocontrolthecrookedcourseofhumanevents.Hewasthankfulinhisheartthathehadtakenthefirststep,byenteringhispublicprotestagainstthisinjustice,inquittingthebarofhisnativestate.Whatwasnexttobedone,howtheevilwastobeattacked,howthevaguepurposefulfilled,hecouldnotsay.Claytonwasnotaware,anymorethanothersinhissituationhavebeen,ofwhathewasundertaking.Hehadbelongedtoanoldandrespectedfamily,andalways,asamatterofcourse,beenreceivedinallcircleswithattention,andlistenedtowithrespect.Hewhoglidesdreamilydowntheglassysurfaceofamightyriverfloatssecurely,makinghiscalculationstorowupward.Heknowsnothingwhattheforceofthatseeminglyglassycurrentwillbewhenhisonefeebleoarissetagainstthewholevolumeofitswaters.Claytondidnotknowthathewasalreadyamarkedmanthathehadtouchedaspot,inthesocietywherehelived,whichwasvital,andwhichthatsocietywouldneversuffertobetouchedwithimpunity.ItwasthefaultofClayton,andisthefaultofallsuchmen,thathejudgedmankindbyhimself.Hecouldnotbelievethatanything,exceptignoranceandinattention,couldmakemenupholdersofdeliberateinjustice.Hethoughtallthatwasnecessarywastheenlighteningofthepublicmind,thedirectionofgeneralattentiontothesubject.Inhiswayhomewardherevolvedinhismindimmediatemeasuresofaction.Thisevilshouldnolongerbetamperedwith.Hewouldtakeonhimselfthetaskofcombiningandconcentratingthosevagueimpulsestowardsgoodwhichhesupposedwereexistinginthecommunity.Hewouldtakecounselofleadingminds.Hewouldgivehistimetojourneyingsthroughthestatehewoulddeliveraddresses,writeinthenewspapers,anddowhatotherwiseliesinthepowerofafreemanwhowishestoreachanutterlyunjustlaw.Fullofthesedeterminations,Claytonenteredagainhisfather'shouse,aftertwodaysofsolitaryriding.HehadwritteninadvancetohisparentsofthedeathofNina,andhadbeggedthemtosparehimanyconversationonthatsubjectand,therefore,onhisfirstmeetingwithhismotherandfather,therewasthatpainfulblank,thatheavydulnessofsuffering,whichcomeswhenpeoplemeettogether,feelingdeeplyononeabsorbingsubject,whichmustnotbename