Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-07-25
THE ANGEL And THE FLOWERS.
TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH.

Each time that good child dies, an
Angel of God comes down to earth, takes
the dead child in his arms, spreads abroad
his large now-white wings, lies forth
over all those places which the child had
loved, and plucks whole handful of
flowers, which he bears upwards with
him to the throna of God. that they NAV
bloom there in yet greater lovelness than
they had ever bloomed on earth. The
good God folds all these flowers to His
bosom, but upon the flower which He
loveth best, He breathes kiss, and then
voice is given to it, and it can join in
the song of universal blessedness."
Lo, all this did an Angel of God re-
late, whilst he bore little child to Heav-
en-; and the child heard as if in dream.
and the Angel winged his flight over
those spots in the child's home where
the little one had been wont to play, and
they passed through gardens which were
filled with glorious flowers.
4" Which of all these shall we take
with US, and plant in Heaven % asked
the Angel.
&tOh tiViO olOOQ III tllC a SlCu
der and beautiful rosetree, but wicked
hand had broken the stem, so that its
boughs hung around it withered, though
laden with large, half unfolded buds.
The poor kose-tree p said the child
" let us take it with us, that it may bloom
above there in the presence of God"
And the Angel took the rose tree, and
kissed the child because of the words il
had spoken; and the little one halfopen,
ed his eyes. They then plucked some
of the gorgeous flowers which grew il
the garden, but they also gathered the
despised buttercup, and the wild hearts
ease.
Now. then, we hare flowers p ex
claimed the child, and the Angel bowed
his head; but he winged not yet his
fight towards the throne of God.
was night-all was still--they remained
in the great city. they hovered over one
OF the narrow streets in which lay heaps
OF straw, ashes, and rubbish, for it wa:
fitting day.
Fragments of plates, broken mortar
rags, and old hats, lay scattered around
all which bcre very uninviting aspect.
The Angel pointed out in the midst o
all this confused rubbish, some broken
fragments of flower-pot, and clumr
of earth which had fallen out of it, ancc
was only held together by the withered
roots OF wild flower, which had beer
thrown out into the street because it wa.
considered utterly worthless.
:" We will take this with u.s." said the
Angel; land will tell thee why, as W.
soar upwards together to the throne o
God"
SO they resumed their fight, and the
Angel thus related his story -
"Down in that narrow street in the
lowest cellar, there once dwelt poor,
sick boy from his very infancy be was
slmost bed-ridden. On his best days, ht
could take two or three turns on crutch
ss across his little chamber, and that wa;
all he could do. On few days in sum
mer. the beams of the sun used to pene
trate for half an hour to the floor Of the
cellar and when the poor boy sat there,
and let the warm sun shine upon him,
and looked at the bright red blood flow
ing through his delicate fingers, as ht
held them before his face, then was i
said OF him He has been out to. day.
neighbor's son used always to bring
him one of the young boughs Of Ii,