第2部分(第3/7 页)

paths　that　I　knew　not；　made　darkness　light

before　me；　and　made　crooked　ways　straight。

THE　HANDS　OF　OTHERS

II

THE　HANDS　OF　OTHERS

THE　warmth　and　protectiveness　of　the　hand　are　most　homefelt　to　me　who

have　always　looked　to　it　for　aid　and　joy。　I　understand　perfectly　how　the

Psalmist　can　lift　up　his　voice　with　strength　and　gladness；　singing；　〃I

put　my　trust　in　the　Lord　at　all　times；　and　his　hand　shall　uphold　me；　and

I　shall　dwell　in　safety。〃　In　the　strength　of　the　human　hand；　too；　there

is　something　divine。　I　am　told　that　the　glance　of　a　beloved　eye　thrills

one　from　a　distance；　but　there　is　no　distance　in　the　touch　of　a　beloved

hand。　Even　the　letters　I　receive　are……

Kind　letters　that　betray　the　heart's　deep　history；

In　which　we　feel　the　presence　of　a　hand。

It　is　interesting　to　observe　the　differences　in　the　hands　of　people。

They　show　all　kinds　of　vitality；　energy；　stillness；　and　cordiality。　I

never　realized　how　living　the　hand　is　until　I　saw　those　chill　plaster

images　in　Mr。　Hutton's　collection　of　casts。　The　hand　I　know　in　life　has

the　fullness　of　blood　in　its　veins；　and　is　elastic　with　spirit。　How

different　dear　Mr。　Hutton's　hand　was　from　its　dull；　insensate　image！　To

me　the　cast　lacks　the　very　form　of　the　hand。　Of　the　many　casts　in　Mr。

Hutton's　collection　I　did　not　recognize　any；　not　even　my　own。　But　a

loving　hand　I　never　forget。　I　remember　in　my　fingers　the　large　hands　of

Bishop　Brooks；　brimful　of　tenderness　and　a　strong　man's　joy。　If　you　were

deaf　and　blind；　and　could　have　held　Mr。　Jefferson's　hand；　you　would　have

seen　in　it　a　face　and　heard　a　kind　voice　unlike　any　other　you　have

know