The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-04-26
THE TRAVELLERS JOURNEY.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

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BY CHARLES DICKENS.
Once upon time, good many years
ago, there was traveller, and he set out
upon journey. 1t was a magic Journey
and was to seem very long when be began
it, and very short when he got half way
through.
He Travelled along very dark path for
some little time, without meeting anything,
until at last be came to beautiful child.
So he said to the child, "What do you do
here?"
And the child said, 81 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 so sparkling, the leaves were so
green, the flowers were so lovely, and they
heard such singing birds and so many but
terfies that everything was beautiful. This
was 10 fine weather. When it rained, they
loved to watch the falling drops, and to
smell the sweet scents. When it blew, it
was delightful to listen to the wind, and
fancy what it said, as it came rushing from
its home-where was that, they wondered !!
-wbstliDg and bowling, driving the cloud
before it, bending the trees, rumbling in the
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 well as to look up at the white flakes
falling fast and thick, like down from the
breasts of million of white birds; and to
see how smooth and deep the drift was !;
and to listen to the hush upon the paths
and roads.
They had plenty of the finest toys in the
world, and the most astonishing picture
books; all about cimeters, and slippers and
turbans, and dwarfs, and giants, and genii,
and fairies. and blue boards, and bean stalks
and riches, and caverns, aud forests, and
Valentines and OrsOns; and all new and all
true.
But one day. of a sudden, the traveller
lost the child. He called to him over and
over again, but got no answer. SO he went
upon the road, and went on for little
while without meeting anything, until at
last he came to a handsome boy. So he
said to the boy, "What do you do here2"
And the boy said, II am always learning
Come aud learn with me-"
So he learned with that boy about Ju-
piter and Juno, and the Greeks and Ro-
mans, and / know not what, and learned
more than / could tell, or he either, for he
soon forgot great deal OF it. But they
were not always learning; they had the
merriest games that ever were played.
They rowed upon the river in summer, and
skated on the ice in winter; were active on
foot, and active on horseback; at cricket
and all games at ball; at prisoners base,
hare and hounds, follow my leader, and
more sports than can think Of; they had
holidays, too, had Twelfth cakes, and par.
ties, where they danced to midnight, and
real theatres, where they saw palaces of
real gold and silver rise out of the real
earth, and saw all the wonders of the world
at once. As to friends-they had such dear
friends, and so many of them, that want
the time to reckon them up. They were all
young like the handsome boy, and were
never to be strange to one anoth,r all their
lives through.
Still one day, in the midst of all the plea
sures, the traveller lost the boy as he had
lost the child, and, after calling to him in
vain, went on upon his journey. So he
went on for little while without seeing
anything, until at last he came to young
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do you do here?" And the young man
said: 81 am always in love; come and love
with me-
So he went away with that young man,
and presently they came to one OF the pref
tiest girls that ever was seen-just like
Fanny in the corner there-and she had
eyes like Fanny, and hair like Fanny, and
dimples like Fanny's, and she laughed and
colored just as Fanny does while am talk
ing about her. So the young man fell in
love immediately-just as Somebody,
won't mention the first time he came here
did with Fanny. Well! he was teased
sometimes-ju as somebody used to be by
Fanny; and they quarrelled sometimes
lust as somebody and Fanny used to quar-
rel; and they made up, and sat in the dark
and wrote letters every day, and never were
happy asunder, and were always looking
out for one another, and pretending not to
and were engaged at Christmas time, and
sat close to one another at the fire. anC
were going to be married very soon-al
exactly like somebody won't mention ant
Fanny!
But the traveller lost them one day, a.
he had lost the rest of his friends, and aftel
calling to them to come back, which the!
never did, went on upon his journey. 81
he went on for little while without seeing
anything, until at last he came to q middle
aoed gentleman. So be said to the gentle
man, SWhat are you doing here?' and hi
answer was, II am always busy; come ant
be busy with me-"
So be began to be very busy with tina
gentleman, and they went through the WOO.
together. The whole journey was through