Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-06-29


toward the setting sun, hoping TO be in heaven,
in the presence Of his mother, ere the next
nights gloom fell like pail around him.
All day long plodded he wearily. Thirst
ard hunger pressed upon him-the one he
quenched at the half frozen brook. the other he
appeased with the squirrels store of nuts and
acorns; and Tray trotted along anxiously at
his side, at times looking back and whining
and anon darling forward in pursuit Of birds or
rabbit that darted across their path Flooding
thus onward wearly and YEARLY through the
live-long day, ne reached at even another hill,
just in the edge Of twilight. The sky was
leaden-colOred the air was cold the sun
shoue not, and poor Willie was dsheariened,
for he had lost his sight Of heaveu, and he be-
gan TO cry bitter tears, and call upon the name
Of his mother; while Tray crouched shvering
by his side. He could not pursue his journey
farther. Weary, faint and hungry, he sat him
self down upon the trunk Of fallen and de-
cayed tree, and wept himself almost tc sleep,
while bis limbs grew chilly, and stupor was
fast creeping over his person.
Night came on-night, with its horrors Of
darkness and silence, and cold. Once more
did Willie make bed Of leaves for himself
and Tray, and covered himself over with
branches, to keep off the bleak night air
Bitter were the tears he shed, and bold in his
vision shone the comforts Of home, the domestic
ireside, and the warm and downy bed and
Tray nestled closer and closer, and whined
pieously as he laid his cold nose against the
cheek of Willie, and fell into calm slumber.
But Willie slept. AT last, after two days
lonely travel, the poor boy slumbered upon his
bed of leaves; and this night neither moon nor
stars vouchsafed to shine upon him, and the
when the morning dawned, the snow was fall
ling soft and down-like. and Willie slumbered
quiet, quiet sleep, and all around was still
and dea'h-like, save the rustic of the snow
flakes, through the branches Of the tress, and
upon the leaves that covered the ground
The snow still fell. Plodding his way
through the furest, came traveller, toling and
way-worn. He rested himself upon the log
by the side Of which slept Willie, Tray still
crOuching beside him. The boy lay with face
upturned, pale and marble-lke, with his eyes
closed, and his features set in stern and rigid
beauty. There was holy radiance settled on
his features, and his little hands were clasped
upon his bosom, and he sept-oR, 50 sweetly
and soundIy-as though .1iffed by thGrut per-
fumes and angel symphonies Aud the first
snow Of the season, lucent and pure, covered
him as with a transparent shroud, as though
aught else less material would be PROCLAMATION.
Willie was in Heaven!
And the iraveler-stern featured and tender
hearted-lifted the rigid form in his arms, and
pressed its cold cheek to his own, and breathed
his living breath into its nostriIs, but no sign,
no sigh made response and, so he laid il upon
the earth again, and covered his eyes with his
broad, rough hands, and wept They were
tears Of bitterness for never, never before,
had that solitary man seen so much beauty
And so, after long, and long gazing, he dug
the poor child grave beneath moaning pine
for the ground was not yet frozen-and he
made him a bed of dried leaves and branches,
such as he had slept upon, and covered him
over with more leaves, and piled the fresh
earth upon him, and set up a mark, and left
him to sleep alone upon the hill top, in the
midst Of the forest, and wended his way, and
was never heard Of more, and the dog Tray
watched by that lonely grave for many and
many weary day and night, till, famished by
starvation, he left his bones 10 bleach upon that
little mound, and Willie was il Heaven
And this, dear reader, is the true story of
child. How sweeter thus in death, than that
he should have lived to come in contact with
the harsh, unieeling world, where the purest
receive tant, as certain as the mirror that is
breaihed upon becomes dim, and ceases to re-
feet the truthfnlness of nature.
And thus Willie found his way to Heaven,
and found his mother he so long had sought
And no doubt but at this day, his spirit rejoices
in the glories of that golden land-that realm
of bliss-ihat had so long been the dream aud
ambition Of his childhood