Litchfield enquirer., 1840-11-12
AN AFFECTING PICTURE.


 their wandcrings were hoSpltabIy enter taincd at the doIaicilc of a village school | master. who was in great distress on ac- count Cf the illness of a little boy, his best scholar--one for whom he seems to have entertained more than parental affection. He gives his pupils d half holiday-and leading little Nell by the hand, proceeds to the humble dwelling where his little favor ite lay on the bed of sicknCss.-N. Y. SWm.
 They stopped at a cottage door, and the schoolmaster knocked softly at it with his hand. It was opened without any loss oi time. They entered room where little group of women were gathered about one, older than the rest, who was crying very bitterly, and sat wringing her hands and rocking herself to and fro
 "Oh, dame," said the SchoolmaSteF. draw ing near her chair, is it so bad as this !','f
 "IIe's going fast" cried the old woman; "my grandson's dying. It's all along ot you. You shouldn't see him now, but for his being so earnest on it. This is what his learning has brought him to. Oh dear' dear, dear, what can do!"
 '" Do not say that am in fault" urged the gentle schoolmastef. "I am not hurt, dame. No, no. You are in great distress of mind, and do not mean what you say. l am sure you don't" Lu.. ..;r...r
 "I,. do," returned the old woman. "I mean it all. If he hadn't been boring over his books out of fear of you, he would have been we'll and merry now; I Know ne would" ti '-' "-' IVY
 The schoolmaster looked round upon the other women as if to entreat of some one among them to say kind word for him, but they shook their heads, and murmured to each other that they never thought there was much good in learning, and that this convinced them. Without saying word in reply, or giving them a look of reproach, he followed the old woman who had sum. moned him, (and who had now reJolned them,) into another room, where his infant friend, half dressed, lay stretched upon bed. ... .......... -, .,...,..t.,.,. ..,.l He was a very young boy, quite a little child. His hair hung in curls about his face, and his eyes were very bright but their light was of heaven not of earth. The schoolmaster took Q seat beside him., and stopping over the pillow, whispered ms name. Tho boy sprung up, stroked his face with his hand, and threw his wasted arms around his neck, crying out that he was his dear kind friend. .., ,s.:,.... ...,
 "I hope always was. meant to be, God knows" said the poor schoolmaster.
 "Who is that?" said the boy, seeing Nell. "I am afraid to kiss her, lest should make her ill. Ask her to shake hands with me-" e5t .'.a.t .sy| 1ss' tn 4.tl 41
 The sobbing child came closer up, and took the little languid hand in hers. Re- leasing his again after Q time, the sick boy laid him gently down. ,., .t...... ..,...
 "You remember the garden, Harry" whispered the schoolmaster, anxious to rouse him, for a dullness seemed gathering upon the child, "and how pleasant it used to be in the evening time. You must make haste to visit it again, for I think the very flowers have missed you and are less gay than they usedto be. You will come soon, my dear, very soon now won't you !.' -...l-
 The boy smiled faintly-so very. very faintly-and put his hand upon his friends voice sesfg 1Fes st bf; ;snsued the hum of dis tant voices borne upon the evening air, came floating through the open window "What's that P said the sick child, opcsling his eyes. r.. ..,h....,
 "The boys at play upon the green"
 He took handkerchief from his pill low and tried to wave it above his head.- But the feeble arm dropped powerless down. ,s'F"'nra,t1 NG'i -t easut
 Shall do t?' said the schoolmaster.
 "Please wave it at the window" was the faint reply. 'Tie it to the lattice. Some of them may see it there. Perhaps they'll think of me, and look this way.''
 He raised his head, and glanced from the fluttering signal to his idle ball that lay with slate and book and other boyish prop erty, upon table in the roonlg And then he laid him softly down once more, and asked if the little girl was there, for he could not see her. ,.,,..,..- ...,,l, ..,..l,. ,.
 She stepped forward, and pressed the passive hand that lay upon the coverlet.- The two old friends ma cnnnanionS for such they were, though they were man and child-held each other in long embrace, and then the little scholar turned his face towards the wall, and fell asleep. ., s. ,i..'f ."
 The poor schoolmaster sat in the same place. holding the small, cold hand in his, and chafng it. It was but the hand of . dead child. He felt that and yet he chafed it still, and could not lay it down. ., t''> '""t '" tiiAN 9h--ho z ,~Hr aut "
 Dr. Beecher's Dream. The importance of individual action, tho value of the unit con. stituting large sums, is very fancifully and eloquently illustrated in the annexed dream, which, at a meeting in Ohio, for. the promo tlon of the cause. of education, pr. Beccher related: 'g'''"
 "He said he had dream, which, like all dreams, did not wholly explain itself. and in which some of the natural objects had the power of speech. IIe'was travelling near the sources of the Monongahela, and, in passing over rough country, at every short distance, met little stream, which he going the same way. At last, he asked one of them where he was going 'Why,' re- piled the little Till, 'I am going to New Or leans. I heard the people there want a great canal, a thousand miles long, and fif- teen hundred feet wide and am going to