Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-30
THE DEATH ANGEL.

An angel was commissioned by the Lord OF
Paradise to Gull wreath of spirt-fowers from
earths garden. Happy came he on his mission
of love-to bear bright, holy spirits to sinless
world. Little thonght he that the remaining
flowers would fade and die, or fold their pretty
leaves in sorrow, that their sster-spirits were to
be transplanted to SUMMER cline. He thought
only of the task he was to accomplish, and of
the bright. beauteous garden where this worlds
flowers may always grow, bright and blooming.
He sought the flowers he thought his Master
best would love- "With his sickle KEEN" he
cut the tender bud, just unfolding upon its parent
stem. And the rose tree bowed in pain and an
guish that the infant bud SO fondly cherished,
should thus be rudey removed. And though
other buds unfoded, and other roses bloomed,
yet this fond treasure, so early taken, was nev-
er remembered without sigh and tear.
The reaper paused in sorrow at the grief he
had given, yet wondered why a tear should fall
for flowers he had bore to heaven.
But remembering his mission to earth, he a.
gain culled with the death-sickle the full bloom
ing rose, bright in beauty, and fragrant with
perfume, and placed it exultingly, yet with Pc
culiar care, in his masters coronet. But as the
life-chords were broken, its sister spirits swoon-
ed in sadness and grew pale, Their colorless
leaves folded languidly, and they no more tun.
ed their smiling faces and lifted the sunny
eyes upward to catch the first bright beams of
day, as they had used to DO but, in sad and fit
ful meanings, they whispered of the cruelty of
the Death. Angel. Their hearth could now no
more be gay, since their sister. spirit was borne
away.
Again, the reaper, intent on doing the task
assigned him, put forth his sickle to cut the fad
ing flower, for he saw that the mourners for the
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would soon be done.
He sought not to give them pain, SO he said 1
now will take fading flower, whose sister
spirits are shattered IN DUST and for this no tears
will be shed; bnt in that sunny land, perchance
| can re-create it in immortal freshness, and
or deck my Masters crown. He took the with
ering flower from its lfeless stem and placed it
in his casket. And he was happy, for he
thought he now had caused no tears to fall, and
he hoped he should no more be thought an enc
my to those he came to bless. But when the aged
flower was seen no more, the sisterhood bewai-
ed their monitor-tIle counsellor and friend
In bitter wo, tney sadly dropped their heads and
arrayed themselves in drapery Of mourning
No more they smiled at the coming of the morn
ing, or sported in the light breezes of evening.
Then the Death-Angel sorrowng, returned
to his Master and told him of his reception in
the garden of earth. And his master said, ''thou
hast well done, but still there are more flowers
to be gathered. Return again, and here and
there call out the brightes gems. Take those
which are most loved and cherished-and those
who weep their loss-whater they know not
now, they'll know hereafter Fulfil your task,
till my wreath is made complete from those rare
flowers. Fulfil your task"
: Then the eye of the Death Angel frightened,
, and he returned again to his mission on the
earth Steadily, noiselessy, and mcrcifnlly, he
is ever doing his Masters bidding, taking the
sweetest flowers of earth, and transpIanting
b them in the Paradise above, where his Lord had
need of them. Still he is thought of as an ene-
my, and many rosy howrct fades at the men,
ton of his coming.
Thus Heaven has many messenger sent on
o embassies of kindness here, whose deeds Of
Y love are all unknown and unacknowledged.- -
Happy are they who receive as friend, and
welcome with smile the approach Of the Death.
ANGEL. JEDDIE