Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-03-09
Cbuitf Iitrrature.
THE CHILD's STORY.
pY cnAKLEs pIcKENs.

journey. 1t was magic journey. and was
to seem very long when he began it, and
very short when he got half way through
lie travelled along rather dark path for
some little time without meeting anything,
until at last he came TO beaniful child -
So no said to the child, What do you DO
here I?
And the child said, am always at play
Come and play with me-
So he played with that child the whole
day long and they were very merry. The
sky was so blue, the sun was so bright, the
water was 50 sparkling, the leaves were so
green, the flowers were SO lovely. and they
heard such singing birds and saw so many
butterflies that everything was beautiful =
This was in fine weather When it raned,
they loved to watch the falling drops. and to
smsl the fresh scents. When it blew, it
was delightful to listen to tho wind, and fan
cy what it said as it came rushing from its
home-where was that, they wondered =
whistIing and bowling, and driving the clouds
before it, bending the trees, rumblng in
tho chimneys shaking the house and making
the sea roar in fury But when it showed
that was the best of all; for they liked moth
ing so we'll az to look up at the white fakes
falling fast and thick, like down from the
breasts Of millions Of white hears and to see
how smooth and deep the drift was an to
listen to the hush upon the path and roads
They had plenty Of the finest toys in the
world, and the most astonishing picture books,
all about simiiars and turbdns, and dwarfs
and giants, and gonics and faries, and blue
bcards and bean-stalks, and riches and cav
orus and forests, and Valentines and Orson ::
and all new and all true.
But one day ola sudden, the traveller
lost the child. He called to him over and
over again, but got no answer. So he went
upon the read, and went on for little while
without meeting anything until at lat he
camo to a handsome boy ohc said to the
boy, What do you hero 2
And the boy said, am always learning
Come and learn with me-
So hc learned with that boy about .Jupiter
and Juno, and the Greeks and the Romans.
and don't know what and learned more
than lcauld tall---or ha oiitan Toll
forgot great deal of il. But they were not
always learning; they had the merriest
games that ever was played They rowed
upon the river in summer, and skated on the
ice in the winter they were active afoot
and active on horseback at cricket and all
games Il, hall-at pris ner's hase, hare and
hounds, follow my leader. aad more sports
than | can think of; nobody could beat
them. They had holidays too, AMI Twelfth
cakes too aud parties where they danced
nll night till midnight, and real theatres
where they saw palaces of real gold anil
silver rise ont Of this Garth. and saw all th'
wonders Of the worII at once As to frienls
they had such dear friends, and so MANY OF
them thtt want the time to reckon Ihem
up They were all young, like the hand
some boy and were never to he strange tC
ono another all tn ir lives through.
Sill, one dnv, in the midst Of all these
pleasures the tra oIIer lost Inc boy az he hat
lost the child, and after calling upon him ia
vaia went on np)n his journey. S, he wen
on for little while without seeing anything
until at last he came to young man. S,
he said 10 the young man, What do yo'
here Z
Aud the Young mar said, Il am alway
in love. Come aud love with me
So he went away with that young man
and presently they came to one Of the pre-
test girls that ever was seen-iuSt ike FW
nv in the corner there-and she had eye
like Fanny, and hair like Fanny, and din
pies like Fanny's, and she laughed and c.
orcd Just rs Fanny does while am taikin
about her. s. the Young man fell in 10,
directly-just rs somebody l won't mentioi
IL. r -
Well! lie was seated somclimeS-iust
Somebody used to be bv Funny; and the
quarreled somatimcs-.juSt az Somchot
and Fanny used to quarrel; and they ma,
itup, and set in the dark and wrote lctte
every day. an8 never were happy asundc
Tisd We're always looking out for one anoh
and pretending not 10, and were engaged
Christmas time, and sat close to one anolh
by the fire, and we're going to he marr
very soon-al exactly like Somebody
won't mention, and Fanny.
Bu, the traveller lost them one dav, az
had lost the rest oE his friends, aud af
calling TO them to come back, which til
never did, went on upon his journey.
he went on Cor htlle while without Seei
anything, until ut last he came to a midd
aged gentleman. So he said to the gent
maa, What arc you doing here I!
Aud his answer was, am always bu.
Como aud be busy with me-
So When he began TO be very busy W
that gentleman, aud they went on thron
the wood together. The whole Journey y
through q wood, only it had been open 2
green at first, like wood in spring; :
now began TO be thick and dark, ike 3 W,
in summer some Of the little trees that
come out earliest, were even turning bro
The gentleman was not alone, but ha
lady Of about tho same age with him,
was his wife; and they had children,
were with them too. So they went on
gethcr through the wood, cutting down
trees, and making path through the bral
cs and the fallen leaves, and carrying
dens, and working hard.
Sometimes they came to long. q
avenue that opened into deeper wood
Then they would hear very little dis
voice crying, Father, father, | am ano