Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-06-09

was always talking of them. and in after years
they remained by far the most vivid picture in
the gallery of childish recollections. Nearly
every day, she and Camille met at the messy
rock, where they planted flowers, and buried flies
in clover leaves, and launched little boats on the
stream. When they strolled towards the con-
servatory, the old gardener was always glad to
admit them. Towering shrubs and gaudy par.
rots, so bright in the warm sunshine, formed
such a cheerful contrast to her own unadorned
home, that little Alice was never weary with
gazing and wondering. But, from all the bril-
liant things, she chose two Java sparrows for
her special f~avorites. The old gardener told
her they were Quaker birds, because their featl.
ers were all such a soft, quiet color. Bright
little Camille caught up the idea, and said:
Il know what for you SO much do like them
Quaker lady-birds they be-
And she's a Quaker lady-bird, too said the
old gardener, smiling, as he patted her on the
head she is a nice little lady-bird.' Always
after that when Alice entered the conservatory,
the parrot laughed and screamed, Lad -bird!
Near the door were two inches, partially con-
cealet by a net work of vines; and in the Mich
es were statues of two children. Alice in
quired who they were and Camille replied
My little sister and brother. Children of the
Madonna now they is His mother had told
him this, and he did not understand what it
meant neither did Alice. She looked up at
the winged ones with timid love and said
why don't they come down and play with
US p
From heaven they cannot come down. an.
swered Camille.
Alice was about to inquire the reason WHY.
when the parrot interrupted her BY calling out,
Lady-bird l~ady.bird ! and Camille began tn
mock her. Then, laughing merrily, off they
ran to the messy rock to plant some flowers the
gardener had given them.
That night. while Alice was eating her sup
per, Friend Goodman CHANGED to read aloud
something in which the word heaven occurred.
1--WE been to heaven said Alice.
Hush. hush, my child replied her father.
But | hare been to heaven she insisted
Little children have wings there
Her parents exchanged glances of surprise
and the mother asked
How dost thou know that little children have
wings in heaven?
Because | saw them,' she replied. 'They
wear white gowns, and they are the children OF
my donny. My dnnny lives in the little meet
ing house in Camillo's garden. She's the moth.
err of Christ. that loved little children so much
but she never said anything to me. The bird:
call me l~ady.bird in heaven
lie mother looked very sober. 'She gets her
head full of strange things down there, yondcr,
said she. Il tell thee, Joseph, don't like tt
have the children playing together SO much
There's no telling what may cone of it.
'Oh! they are mere babes replied Joseph
The my donny, as she calls it, and her doll, are
all the same to her. The children take a dea
of comfort together, and it seems to me it is moi
worth while to put an estrangement between
them. Divisions come fast enough in the hu,
man family. When he is a lad, he will 90 a
way to school and college, and will come back
to live in a totally different world from OURS
Let the little ones enjoy themselves while they
can
Thus spoke the large-hearted Friend Joseph
but Rachel was not so easily satisfied. : | don
like this talk about craven images said She
If the child's head gets full of such notions, i
may not prove SO easy to put them out
Truly, there seemed some ground for Rachel
fear for whether Alice walked or slept, sht
seemed to live in the neighbours garden. Sit
ting beside her mother, in the silent Quake
meeting, she forgot the row Of plain bonnctt
be fore her, and saw a vision of winged children
through a veil of vines. AT school she hcart
the old green parrot scream, 'Lady-bird ! an'
fan-tailed doves and Java sparrows hoped int
her dreams. She had never heard a fairy stor,
in her life otherwise she would doubtless have
imagined that Camille was prince, who livet
in an enchanted palace, and had some power
full fairy for IA friend.
1t came to pass as Joseph had predicted
These days Of happy companionsl'ip soon pass
ed away. Camille went TO a distant school
then to college, and then was absent awhile OF
the Continent. 1t naturally happened that tin
wealthy Catholic family had but little inter
course with the substantial Quaker farmer.-
r Years passed without a word between Alice an
her former playfellow. Once, during his col
:. lege life, she met him and his father on horse
!. back, as she was riding home from meeting OF
1 a mail grey mare her father had given her.
:. lie touched his hat, and said, How do you d
:. Miss Goodman 2 and she replied, How art thou
Camillor His father inquired, Who is tina
young woman 2 and he answered, She is tn
. daughter of farmer Goodman, with whom ] use
= to play sometimes when ] was a little boy
Thus, like shadows, they passed their separate
q ways. lie thought no more OF the rustic Qua
1 ker girl, and with her the bright picture OF thei
p childhood was like the remembrance of la
years rainbow.
. But events now approached, which put a
rainbows and flowers to flight. A Rebellio
broke out in Ireland, and a terrible civil war be
d gan to rage between Catholics, under the nam
of Pkemen, and Protcstants, under the name {
Orangemen. The Quakets, being conscier
10 tiously opposed TO war. could not adopt the ell
h blems of either party, and were Of course expo
o. ed to the hostility of both. Joseph Goodman
J; in commo with others of his religious persui
sion, had always professed to believe, that T,
ID turning good for evil was a heavenly princlpl
a and therefore safe policy. Alice had receive
" this belief as a traditionary inheritance, witllol
,e disputing it, or rejecting upon it. But no
came times that tested her faith severely. FL
cry night they retired TO rest with the consciou'
ID ness that their worldly possessions might be de
,e stroyed by fire and pillage before morning, an
perhaps their lives sacrificed by Infatuated sol'
iers. At the Westinghouse, and by the wa!
side, earnest were the eXortations OF the brett
ID rem to stand by their principles, and not fine
n in this hour oftrial. Joseph Goodman's sermo
v was brief and impressive. 'The Gospel of Low
n has power to regenerate the world said he
% 'and the humblest individual, who lives accort
Ie ing to it, has done something for the ~salvatio
10 of man.
His strength was soon tried for the very ne'
- day a party of Pikemen came into the n G lghho
ID hood, and set fire to all the houses OF the %
angemen. Groans, and shrieks, and the shar
sound of shots, were heard in every direciion.-
~ Fierce men rushed into their peaceful dwellln!
is demanding food, and ordering them to give u
Ig their arms.
Food | will give, but arms ! have none r
piled Joseph.
ut More shame for you!' roared the comman
err of the troop. If you can't do anything mo
lie for your country than that, you may as well
nd killed at once for a coward, as you are
q, lie drew his sword, but Joseph did not VIII
Ia. at the fash Of the glittering blade. lie look