Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-03-20

and many more wild flowers is it not
charmingl' said she; 'the spring shall give
us water, and the rock guard us from the
fierce north wind, and we can look out up
on the sunlight and the shadows as they
float mingled together over the green grass
and the flowers that spring up through the
verdure'
'Sthenos smiled, and though he could not
understand all her meaning, he felt charm
of nature he had never before known.
Now she said 'the sun, though its light
be pleasant, looks down too hotly upon us,
and when the night comes the dew will TALL
and the winds chill us. Go. break off
boughs from the trees, and stip the broad
bark from the decayed birches.' This was
an easy task for the vigorous man; and in
the mean time she had gathered heaps of
moses, and the spicy shoots from the hem
locks, and spread them deeply over the leaf
covered ground. Then leaning the thick
boughs against each other, and laying, by
her directions, the curved bark, overlapping
in successive and continuous layers upon
them, Sthenos saw as his work rude, but
safe hut, and said: This shall be our home.
| go for our evening meal; and, dashing
into the forest, he soon returned with wood
pigeons and n young fawn, which he had
killed, casting them bleeding at the feet of
his gentle wife, who had already arranged
in leafy cups the berries which she had
gathered from the meadow; and Sthenos be-
held wild flowers. mingled with long, trail
ing delicate vines, adjoining the entrance of
their home.
The simple meal soon prepared by her
skiltul hands, he thought more savory than
he had ever had but before she suffered him
to partake, she pointed upwards and with
clasped hands sang praise to our good God
the giver. An hour of delicious friendship
stole away, as hand in hand they looked
into each other $ eyes-thoughts he knew not
how to speak, and she needed no words to
utter. Then another hymn to our good
God, the sleepless Preserver, she warbled
from her lips of gurgling melody, and the
pair sank to rest.
Thus sped on day after day, and night
after night. Gradually Sthenos lost his
ferceness, save in the struggles of the chase
She had fashioned for him soft garments out
of fawn-skins and feathers, which now his
wore less for need than for pride, and to
please his skil'ful friend. His shaggy hair
was smoothed into curling grace the hut
constantly received new conveniences and
ornaments from his strong or her cunning
hand and happy was he after his tolls in
the forest. to return bearing a rich honey
comb, or leading goat with full udders to
his home, dear because hers
'On walking one dewy morning he looked
fondly in her loving face beaming with
tender, holy thoughts, and said You call
ed me Sthenos but have never told me the
name by which | am to call you, my dear
est
''fou have just pronounced the name !
love best, except when you call me your
wife and your friend | have had several
/ in, ba Ia, I H.
you but that by which our good God
wished you to know me is Enthymia. And -,
dear Sthenos, whenever you are in trouble,
in need, or in doubt call Enthymia to your
side. and whatever love can do, will glad
ly perform. With your strength and my
atfectionate zeal. and th" .is-.i"s Of our
good God, we shall be happy as we may
in this wild wood; but the good God has
promised me that when you shall have
learned to sing and pray with me, that our
, two beings shall be blended into one, and
we shall leave the forest to 90 and dwell in
a garden with our good God, far more beau
tifuly than the one from which you strayed
. long while ago
80 happy hope. replied Sthenos, Il can
think of no higher bliss than that your love
, illness should be mingled with my strength,
except that my strength shall be for ever
united to your dear thoughts
Say not so, Sthenos,' answered she,
looking up with holy smile, like morning
light sparkling in the dew; 'our highest
joy will be to dwell with our good God.
From that moment Sthenos earnestly en-
deavored to learn the hymns and prayers
of Enthymia, They lived long in the forest
, and children were born to them, three sons
, like their father, vigorous daugh-
ters like their mother, graceful. But one
fair morning the father and the mother came
not from their chamber (for the little hut
had given place to wide dwelling); their
children went anxiously in to seek them
, but they found them not Sthenos anC
Enthymia were gone to the garden Of oui
, good God,
, The children We're mute in wonder anC
, sadness, when suddenly the chamber was
r fiji ed with ravishing light and delicious
Q odors and three radiant angels lowered ovel
4 the bed; and the roof opened, and the chill
Q dren could see far up into the sky and saw
, a glorious being standing under the Tree o
e Life before the throne of God; and IN tn,
, smiling countenance of the glorious bein!
they recognized strangely, but sweetly min
v gled, the love Of both father and mother -
< And one of the angels said (he was tn
s tallest of the three); Il pointed out tn
t way to them and encouraged them to striv
G to reach the garden
!. And L. said the second, on whose bosom
n shone gem like golden anchor, 'bor
h them up on my wings
s And | , joyiully exclaimed the third, VIII
.e had eyes like the first spring vioets washe
Y with rain, 'haye made them both one for
is ever.
Then turning to her sister angels, sh
n said: Your tasks for them are over; but
q 90 to fill their united being with immortO