Elenor Murray Shows forth the vital spirit that is hers. She dances on her toes and crows in wonder, Flings up her arms in rapture. What a world Of beauty and of hope! For not her life Of teaching school, a school of Czechs and Poles There near LeRoy, since she left school and taught, These two years now, nor arid life at home, Her father sullen and her mother saddened; Nor yet that talk of Alma Bell and her That like a corpse's gas has scented her, And made her struggles harder in LeRoy-- Not these have quenched her flame, or made it burn Less brightly. Though at last she left LeRoy To fly old things, the dreary home, begin A new life teaching in Los Angeles. Gregory Wenner studies her and thinks That Alma Bell was right to reprimand Elenor Murray for her reckless ways Of strolling and of riding. And perhaps Real things were back of ways to be construed In innocence or wisdom--for who knows? His thought ran. Such a pretty face, blue eyes, And such a buoyant spirit. So they wandered About the Garden of the Gods, and took A meal together at the restaurant. And as they talked, he told her of himself, About his wife long ill, this trip for health-- She sensed a music sadness in his soul. And Gregory Wenner heard her tell her life Of teaching, of the arid home, the shadow That fell on her at ten years, when she saw The hopeless, loveless life of father, mother. And his great hunger, and his solitude Reached for the soothing hand of Elenor Murray, And Elenor Murray having life to give By her maternal strength and instinct gave. The man began to laugh, forgot his health, The leaning building, and the money lenders, And found his void of spirit growing things-- He loved this girl. And Elenor Murray seeing This strong man with his love, and seeing too How she could help him, with that venturesome And prodigal emotion which was hers Flung all herself to help him, being a soul Who tried all things in courage, staked her heart On good to come. They took the train together. They stopped at Santa Cruz, and on the rocks Heard the Pacific dash himself and watched The moon upon the water, breathed the scent Of oriental flowerings. There at last Under the spell of nature Gregory Wenner Bowed down his head upon his breast and shook For those long years of striving and of haggling, And for this girl, but mostly for a love That filled him now. And when he spoke again Of his starved life, his homeless years, the girl, Her mind resolved through thinking she could serve This man and bring him happiness, but with heart Flaming to heaven with the miracle Of love for him, down looking at her hands Which fingered nervously her dress's hem, Said with that gasp which made her voice so sweet: "Do what you will with me, to ease your heart And help your life."