Litchfield enquirer., 1830-09-09
THE ANGEL OF TIME.
BY J. K. PAULDING.

The angel of time being commissioned by the Supreme Governor of the world, made proclamation that he had hundred thousand years of additional life to bestow on the inhabitants ofthe earth. His trum- pet echoed far and wide, penetrating the cities, the valleys, the mountains, and reaching the utmost extremes of the uni- verse. The people locked eagerly from all points of the compass, to prefer their claims to a portion of the benefcent gift ; but it was surprising to see that the crowd consisted of the aged alone. The children were enjoying their youthful sports, and paid no attention to the proclamation the youths and maidens were wandering in the iabyrinths of love; and the men and wo- men of the middle age were too much enga- ged in the pursuits of life to think of death.
 The first who preferred his petition for a few additional years, was an old man of four-score and upwards, bent almost dou- ble with age.
 "Thou doubtless wishest to live little longer for the sake of thy children, and the companions of thy youth 2" said the angel.
 "Alas !" cried the old man, "they are all dead."
 "Thou art in possession of wealth and honorss"
 "Alas, no have lost my good name, and am miserably poor. Yet l wish to live till am an hundred, and enjoy life yet little longer"
 The angel bestowed on him the privi- lege of living an hundred years, and he went on his way rejoicing and trembling.
 The next applicant for heightened years, was a feeble old man, who was carried in litter. When he had preferred his re- quest, the angel replied
 s' l understand Thou art enamoured of the charms of ofworfan, of the beauties of the ;. earth, the waters, and the skies, and wish est to behold them yet few years more 2"
 'sI am blind these ten years," said the old man.
 "Thou art delighted with the music of the birds, and murmuring in the waters, the echoes of the mountains, and all the har- monies of the universe, and wishest to hear them little longer p
 e. am deaf, and scarcely hear the sound of the trumpet"
 "Thon art fond of tho delicacies of food 2"
 "Alas my feeble health will not per- init of such indulgences. I have lived on milk and crnsis of bread these seven years past, and more. I am miserable sickly old man."
 "And still thou wishest to lengthen out thy miseries. What pleasure dost thou en- joy in this life ?''
 The pleasures of living," said the old man; and the angel granted him few years more.
 The third who approached the foot stool of the angel was decrepid female, almost bent to the earth, and trembling with palsy. Her teeth were gone-her eyes buried deep in their dark blue sock ets-her cheek hollow and feshless, and she could hardly prefer her request, for an incessant cough, which drowned her voice, and almost choaked her.
 ''I am come" said she, "to beg a score of years. that may enjoy the pleasures of seeing the cypress trees I have planted over the graves of my husband, niy chiI- dren, my grandchildren, and tho rest of my dear relatives, spring up and flourish before die. am bereft of all that were near and dear to me stand alone in the world, with no one to speak for mo; I be- seech thee, Oh! beneficent angel, to grant my reanest!"
 "Though grant thee heightened days, I cannot remove thy infirmities and suf- ferings. They will increase upon thee, an- swercd the angel.
 C l care not, since I shall know they cannot kill me before my time.'