The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-03-22
Tho Travellers Journey.
ny CHARLES DICKENS.

Once upon time, good many years ago
there was traveller, and he set out upon u
journey. 1t was magic journey, and wa'
to seem very long when hc began it. and very
short when he got half way through.
llc travelled along rather dark path for
some little time, without meeting anything,
until at last ho came to beautiful child
So he said to the child, "What do you do
here? ?" And the child said, 81 am alway,
ut play. Come and play with mo"
So he played with that child the whole day
long, and they were very merry. Tho sky
was so blue, the sun was so bright, the wa.
ter was so sparkling, the leaves were 50
green, the flowers were 80 lovely, aud they
heard such singing birds and saw so many
butterflies that everything was beautiful
This was in fine weather. When it nined
they loved to watch the falling drops, and
to smell the fresh scents. When it blew, il
was delightful to listen to the wind. and
fancy what II said, rs it came rushing from
its homc-whcre was that, they wondered
-whistling and bowling, driving the clouds
before it, bending the trees, rumbling In the
chimneys, shaking the houses, 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 fakes
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 cmcters, and slippers, and
turbans. and dwaris, and giants. and genii,
and fairies, and bluc-beards, and bean stalks,
and riches, and caverns, and forests, and
Valentines and OrsOns (; and all new and all
true.
But one day, of n sudden, the traveller
lost the child. lie 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 u handsome boy. So he said to the
boy, "What do you do therc?" And the
boy said, al am always learning. Come
and learn with me-"
So he learned with that boy about Jupiter
and Juno, and the Greeks and the Romans,
and know not what, and learned more than
/ could tell, or he either, for he soon forgot a
great deal Of it. But they were not always
learning they had the mcrriest games that
ever were played. They rowed upen the
river in summer, and skated on the ice in
winter; were active on foot, and active on
horseback at cricket, and all games Il ball ;
ut prisoners base, hare and hounds, follow
my leader, and more sports than Can think
- IaH bali 100. al Al
cakes. and parties where they danced I'LL
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 ut once. As to friends, they had such
dear friends and 80 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 ono another all their
lives through.
Still one day, in the midst Of all these
pleasures, the traveller lost the boy Us ho had
los, 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 ut last he came to young man. 30
he said to tho young man, 'Wbat do you 90
herc?" And the young. man said, "l am
always in love. Come and love with me.
So he went away with that young man
and presently they came to one OF tho pref
tiest girls that ever was scen-jjust Ike ran
ny in the corner there-and she had eyes
like Fanny. and hair like Fanny, ana aiih'
pies like fanny's, and she laughed ana COZ.
ored just Us Fanny does while am .iIS ,.s
about her. So the young man iell IN NV, ,o,e
immediately-just as somebody l won : men. ,,,
tiop. the first time he came here, did Win
Fanny. Well, he was teascd sometimeS1,
Just as somebody used to be by Fanny ana
they ouarrclcd somctimes-just rs somebody
and Fanny used to quarrel and they made
Il up, and sat in the dark, and wrote letters