Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-02-16
daily democrat aud 4le,rs.
CLIMBING THE STAIRS.
BY PAsrLIE.

i wish you'd tell me what the minis
ter meant yesterday, when he talke'
about climbing to Heaven will you
dear mamma!
Yes, my son, but we must speak low
or We'll wakcn little sister.
Mrs. Burton laid aside her sewing ant
lifted the child upon her knee, smiling
sadly as she did.so, for he was strapg,
child and caused her maternal hear
much uneasiness-not only by the pre-
cocity Of his questions, many Of which
puzzled wiser heads than hers 10 an
swer, but BY that far of look in his blu.
eyes and the spiritual beauty that played
now and then in his low, sweet smile.
you want to know what the minister
meant by climbing to heaven il that it
Willie
Yes, mamma. He said it was like
gong mp stairs, one step at time. ]
didn't know that was the way
ut isn't exactly, but he took that way
to explain his meaning Heaven, my
dear boy, isn't above us any more than
1t is around us; but when we think OF
a home better than our own, of any
thing better than ourselves, we are very
apt to look up to find it. We know
how beautiful the sky and the stars, the
moon and the clouds are; and they are
above us. The birds fly over our
heads; the fleccy, feathery snowfiakes
come from above, and We look up to see
the great broad topped trees.'
Yes, mamma, but We look down to
see the flowers
80 We do, my love. great many OF
them, and sometimes strained the
child to her bosom, kissing his pale
brow over and over, for, brighter than
ever, came back that warning smile and
that far-away cearness Of the eyes which,
Of late, she had marked so often-'some-
times, with all our searching, we cannot
find them
Willie looked up, puzzled, but his
mothers head was turned away, SO he
only crossed his little hands upon her
arms, and said:
But the stairs, mamma; you haven't
told me about them"
! will presently. You have ALWAYS
been told that only good people go to
hesven-thc wicked have no place there
Now, every time we 60 no stairs, we 60
up higher, don't we, Willio!'
" s, mamma
Every step takes US little farther
up, just as every really kind act we do
takes us nearer to heaven. Every time
we forget ourselves, that is, every time
we give up anything that VIC think will
make us happy, for the sake of making
some one else happier, we get little
higher. Dc you understand, me Will
lie 2
Il bcttere so; but, mamma don't we
go up stairs great deal faster than We
20 to heaven.
Yes, my son, n great deal. Some
days we only climb a little way, not
more than step or two, perhaps not
that, but we must keep trying. There,
the baby is waking; kiss mamma, and
then run to your play
Willie kissed his mother, bat instead
of Running to his play he went to win
dow and stood long, long time, very
silent, very thoughtful, watching the
eye, the careless birds in their rapid
journeyings through the unseen air.
Again he turned to his mother, his face
glowing with pleasure
Il like that so much, mamma
What 10 you like, Wilie!'
Climbing to Heaven by stairs; it's SO
easy
'What makes you think so 2
Cause if We hit our feet and STUN
ble-1 Always do, mamma, when | 90
up stairs-we can SIT down and wait UNI
til We get steady; amt that a good
way 7
Yea my dear There's a great deal
OF stumbling on the way God help me
to keep my feet steady
An irrepres.lblc pang shot through
the heart of the anxious mother, almost,
for tho moment, strfflng her breath
She made no further effort to explain
the minister's word, for, though the
child had, at first seemed to understand
her meaning, he had gone back to the
literal--so much easier to comprehend
and the idea had given him pleas.
urc.
A little while longer Willie stood by
the window, repeating to himself, smil-
ingy, YES, yes, climbing the stairs, climb
ing the stairs, | mean TO learn better
then he pat on his little, jaunty cap
his fathers gift that very morning-and
kissing mamma aud little sister, went
out to play among the flowers.
That night the baby, who through
the afternoon had manifested very dicid-
cdIsymptoms of scarlet fever, then rag
ing in the neighborhood, became alarm
ingly i'll. All night Mrs. Burton and
her husband watched by its tiny cradle,
not daring even to whisper to each
other the fears which every hour
strengthened. Towards morning, how
ever, the fever seemed to slightly
abate, and the babe fell into quiet
slumber. Mrs. Burton arose from her
cramped, uncomfortable position, and
took the easy chair her husband drew
beside his own. Just then there was a
pattering of childish feet across the car
pet, and little Willie, clad in his To-, g
night dress, his sunny curls clustering
about his pale, sweet face, bent over the
cradle. He did not speak, but laid his
hand down softly upon the baby-6ngers,
lying lightly, like impressed snow-fakes,
upon each other, touched her forehead